Summer 2026 Newsletter

CCA Volunteers and Interns
Young professionals and university students are finding CCA online, at concerts, and through word of mouth. With an appreciation for ancestral culture and practices, Amy Johnson, Kristian Smith, and Shiori Ono have found their way to us to help CCA grow this year. We are beyond grateful to them for sharing their skills, hands, and savvy with us.

Amy Johnson – CCA Volunteer: “I am a teacher and environmental science graduate of the University of East Anglia, UK, passionate about the intersection of cultural preservation and environmental conservation. Many Indigenous communities hold generations of ecological knowledge and sustainable land-use practices that offer valuable lessons for a world facing growing environmental challenges. By supporting the preservation of these cultures and traditions, I hope to help safeguard both cultural heritage and the biodiversity of the landscapes they have stewarded for generations.”

Kristian Smith – CCA Volunteer: “I am a teacher and philosophy graduate of the University of Southampton and University College London, UK, drawn to the intersection of cultural heritage, education, and storytelling. The hill-tribe communities of Northern Thailand hold rich oral traditions, ways of understanding the world, and meaning making that are at risk of being lost as the pressures of modern life intensify. Through thoughtful collaboration, documentation, and a belief in the value of every culture’s wisdom, I hope to help these communities preserve their heritage and share it with future generations on their own terms.”

Shiori Ono – CCA Intern: “I am a junior studying at Williams College in Massachusetts, U.S, where I am pursuing a self-designed major in World Arts and Cultures. I am drawn to studying global artistic practices as spaces of collective and communal expression. I am delighted to be working with Cultural Crossroads Asia for a month as a summer intern, focusing on social media outreach and assistance in mounting an exhibition on ethnic culture. I will also be attending the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance Symposium and visiting an Akha community to further my insight into the diverse arts of Southeast Asia. I look forward to the many adventures and learning opportunities this experience will offer through my encounters with a wide range of communities.”

Akha Cultural Coordinator to the Akha Oral Tradition School
The Akha Oral Tradition School is thrilled to introduce Boonyee Bechek as our new Cultural Coordinator, whose role is to serve as a ‘bridge’ between students, teachers, and directors in all of our upcoming endeavors. Boonyee, a star Akha student who recently graduated, brings amazing organizational and leadership skills to our school as we grow. Welcome Boonyee!

Melodies and Motifs in the Mountains
Traditional Music and Textiles of the Golden Triangle
Multimedia Exhibit by Victoria Vorreiter
International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance (ICTMD)
2026 Symposium
STeP Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
3-8 July 2026

Melodies and Motifs in the Mountains, a multimedia exhibit from the Cultural Crossroads Asia Collections curated by Victoria Vorreiter, was created to welcome ethnomusicologists attending the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance 2026 Symposium to Chiang Mai. You are welcome, too!

Featuring ethnic instruments and textiles, photographs and music, this display offers visitors an immersive experience that explores the spectacular age-old sights, songs, stories, and spirits of this corner of the world.

Life Through a Lens
A Hidden World in Black and White
by Victoria Vorreiter
The Home of Ikigai Restaurant
Chiang Mai, Thailand
June – December 2026