Handicrafts

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The villagers are making a wide range of interesting handicrafts to sell to tourists. Some are traditional, for example the making of cigars, but many are new and include shopping bags and document bags that feature photographic scenes from the village (see above). Others are made from recycled cement bags. The villagers have enthusiastically thrown themselves into this work. Outputs include beautifully handcrafted wooden dolphins, unique (and very cute!) replica casting nets, and wonderfully tasty mango jam (the fruit picked fresh from the numerous mango trees scattered through the villages). 

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In addition to selling these crafts in the visitor centres, the villagers are now starting to export their handicrafts to other shops in Myanmar, for example the Inle Lake Heritage Souvenir Shop in Shan State. Meanwhile, a number of hotels in Mandalay are interested in serving Hsithe village's delicious mango jam to their guests.