Nara Silk, across the Mekong from Phnom Penh, offers chorabab brocade, ikat (hol), and Khmer Buddhist tapestries (pidan).
This family has been weaving chorabab for more generations than anyone can remember.
Their weaving center and store are underneath their stilt house, right on the river.
You don’t need a car to visit Nara Silk - a tuk-tuk is much more fun!
Here’s how to get there: From Sisowath Quay in Phnom Penh, take the ferry that runs across the Mekong from the Areykhsath Ferry Dock. Go north up the west bank of the Mekong on Road 380. At Prek Bong Kong Village (Ksach Kandal District), look for a temple with two huge lobster statues in front of it (on your right). Turn left, into the schoolyard. Turn left where the road ends. Look for a sign that says, “Chan Nara”. Their telephone numbers are 017-730-378, 086-565-764 and 010-350-878.
They always have chorabab brocade in stock. And if you don’t see something you like, Nara will pick up the phone and have more sent over for you to look at.
This design is one of my favorites - chatting peacocks below a field of chan flowers.
They make paamooung brocade as well as chorabab brocade. This is a detail of the border of an especially striking piece.
They also sell Khmer Buddhist tapestries (pidan). Pidan Khmer has closed its doors; first-quality pidan are now very difficult to find.
READING GLASSES for WEAVERS
A person’s ability to see his work determines when he must retire. One pair of reading glasses can perpetuate the income of an entire family, and give an artisan with a skill that’s dying out more years to pass his knowledge on.
If you drop off reading glasses at Nara Silk, they’ll distribute them to weavers in the last eight villages making handwoven brocade.