Gli Akha al Bivio (Akha at a crossroad)

Catherine Boyle/Gianluca Di Santo, 2007, Italy/Thailand, 17’

Which has been the impact of globalization on traditional culture of indigenous populations? In March 2007, the team of White Tara Productions visits the far north of Thailand to explore the impact on the Akha population, a tribe on the mountains with around 2,3 millions of people in five states.: Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, China and Vietnam. In Thailand most of Akha are stateless without documents proving their citizenship. This is a huge obstacle to find a job, attending school, buy land and other every transactions. Religion and the consequences of missionaries activities on Akha’s lifestyle is another factor: Can Christianity accord itself with the animist and community tradition or are two mutually exclusive things?