Mountain village and go-kart by John Spies
A Black Lahu boy rides his brakeless, homemade go-kart through his pituresque village on the Burmese border in northern Thailand. This shot was taken in 1979, before the village had a road, or the villagers had seen a car. When a bulldozer pushed a road into their village a few years later, people took packed lunches to watch, with amazement ,the roadbuilding. Before then, the biggest earthmover they knew of was a hoe.
Comments
Wow – haven’t seen anything like this for awhile! need to go travelling again. Is that chap on a go-kart!?
Amazing photo! No matter where and when, children will be children. Your description/explanation describes for these people a world of change in a year that is not all that long ago! The building is the same style of structure I remember climbing into in a rice paddy field in Mae Hong Son only a few year’s ago. John I am really enjoying your photos, not just the area but the historic aspect of a part of Thailand that we fell in love with. Thank you so much. Heather
Hi GlennB, well, sort of, The thing is a board on a wooden axel with wodden wheels, all hacked out of hunks of wood with a machette. These guys built entire houses with nothing but a machette…I wouldn’t be surprised if the hilltribes invented the wheel, so kids could have fun. they have one pusherme type contraption which is a long pole with a wooden wheel on the end- and kids push it around the village all day.
This is a classic image and your words to go with it tinge me with sadness. Yes progress is inevitable and brings many good things but when I hear of “the west” reaching “the bush” it always saddens me.
Thanks Garth, it was a sad day when their isolation from the outside world abruptly ended, and they had no say in the matter.
– John Spies
Extraordinarily evocative image…I wonder how different this would be now from 1979…not much I expect.
Thanks Karen, actually it is qquite different, The village is still there, it moved a few hundred metres, so the view is still fantastic, the people are still great, many continue to wear their lahu clothes and their animist beliefs are intact, but…there is a concret road, electricity, TVs, a school, piped water etc etc..all in all, the villagers by and large are happy with the changes, but hey have lost their independence and freedom to live as they pleased.
– John Spies
Wow, through your pictures I feel like I’ve been there. Almost like a documentary. Good job!
Cool comment, thanks AnGeLLe.
– John Spies
I am truly blown away by your vision and how you are able to capture everything with so much depth, feeling and beauty at the same time……………another Fav for me!
Great feedback, thanks
– John Spies
Wow! What an amazing shot!
Thanks Robert, appreciated
– John Spies
Thank you so much Marie for adding this
– John Spies
Congratulations on placing the Top 10!!!
It was my favorite one :))
Thanks Rosy for your nice comment
– John Spies