Report on the Akha Journal

Dear Friends:

After years of organization, effort and the payoff of the press, I then spend ten days printing our first Akha Journal, over 2000 copies, a sixty page black and white journal with photos. Many photos.

Getting the old Gestetner to work was a real job, similar to negotiating the streets of Bombay while driving backwards looking in the rear view mirror.

It became very clear that finding a press that is a little more modern will be required if I don't want to spend all my time just turning out a printing of one item.

The chain feed doesn't work very well so you have to progress it by hand to avoid paper jams, printing about 2000 sheets per hour, we had more than 50,000 sheets to print and of course forfeited a lot of paper.

Already getting feedback on the journal and many more additions to make to it. Many Akha are tuning into the possibility to be a part of putting their own content into the journal, plus a section on other hilltribes as well.

If you haven't subscribed yet and would like to please contact me about how to do that.

Currently to be modest I think that until there is a better press it will only come out every two months but the goal is once a month.

The next journal may possible be a combined journal of English and Akha till the Akha readership catches on bigger.

The potential of the journal is quite great and I look forward to what it can be developed into, the first hilltribe journal of south east asia that I know of.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Other news:

Maesai bridge is open for travel into Burma again, which we are quite happy about for our Akha friends.

There are several more robberies of Akha and Lahu by army personell to report.

Currently in Chiangmai distributing the Akha Journal,

Matthew McDaniel

To subscribe to the Akha Journal,
send an email to Matt McDaniel at:

akhazauh@yahoo.com

The Akha Heritage Foundation
Maesai, Chiangrai, 57130 Thailand
Donations by check or money order may be sent to:
The Akha Heritage Foundation
PO BOX 6073
Salem OR 97304 USA
Inquire to donate while in Thailand