Suangsouk Manivan

We're amazed at the quality of the baskets that are woven by one of our employee's father. That he is using discarded plastic packing strapping instead of traditional bamboo was particularly interesting. He certainly qualifies as a "featured artist." Recycling at its finest!

Hi, my name is Suangsouk Manivan. I was born in Laos on May 25, 1934. My mom is Pree and my dad's name is Sook. They are no longer alive but I thank them for teaching me what I know today. My nationality is Laos Khmu. I speak Khmu but I can also speak Laos. As a young man growing up in a third world country, I had to grow up and become a man. It was a very hard struggle to grow up in the country that I was from. I needed to know how to survive on my own. I needed to know how to hunt, cook, and find many kinds of supplies that I needed. I would make big baskets to carry things back and forth from the farm. I would make little mats to lay on and kitchen utensils. I would use bamboo shoot peels to make my baskets and whatever I needed.

I became a underground war fighter and fought with the Americans against the North Vietnamese. When the war was over, I got married to my first wife, Ya Rang. We had three kids together. I have one son and two girls. My son's name is Long Manivan. He is married to Claudia Avila and they have three kids. All three are boys. His first son's name is Joel, the second one is named Andrew and his third is named Jaydee.

My first daughter's name is Perng Manivan and she is married to Boun Sivilay. They have two daughters, and their names are Kimmie and Kathy.

My second daughters name is Ya Eloth and she is still in Laos. She could not come because my sister had adopted her when she was young. Due to my wife's health she couldn't get the nourishment that she needed. My sister was there and she had the nourishment that a mother can give a child.

My kids and I were struggling to survive. I had to take care of my family. I had to hunt, garden, cook, and build. My kids and I had to run away from the communists. We became refugees. The communists were going around killing my people. I was afraid for my kids and me. We couldn't stay in any one place for a long time.

I then got married again to a woman named Tawn Manivan. We have three kids. She also has a daughter from a previous marriage. Her name is Seang Douangsavang and she is married with five kids.

My daughter's name is Sysouk Manivan and she has a son named Angelo Saechow. My other daughter's name is Bounsy Manivan and she has one daughter and son, Yasmine and Michael. My last daughters name is Khanhom Manivan Springer and she is married to Robert Springer; they have a son named Robert.

I had to become the person to watch my family while living in Laos. We still had to run away from the communists. So my family and I ran away to Thailand. We stayed in Thailand for six years. For the six years that we lived there we had to wait for approval for me and my family to go to the United States. After six year we finally got approval to go. We first landed in Seattle, Washington. My sister who moved to America first stayed there. When we got there, it was so easy and different. I didn't have to struggle in order for me and my family to survive.

My family and I stayed there for almost a year. Having to go through what we did was the worst thing that I can imagine. America was a good change. But I still made my baskets. When I would make the basket I would use plastic. The plastic that I use is from plastic straps. I knew some people that worked at large packing places. My son works at Dharma Trading Co. so I usually get it from him. Everyone knows that I make the baskets so they would bring me some plastic. The baskets that I make are usually for my use. They are used for storage, carrying and help as cooking utensils too. When people ask me to make a basket, I would say "just bring me the plastic." They would tell me what size and what color. They would sometimes give me money for them too. I don't think that I would stop making them.