Our Story

A pressing issue affecting all ethnic groups in Thailand in the 21^st century concerns the loss of thousands of years of indigenous knowledge and culture. As elders pass away and young people leave their villages for education or work, or are lured by the promise of modern life, and as technology and larger national priorities encroach, minority ethnic groups struggle to maintain their cultural identity. The consequence of such global homogeny is that authentic, intangible customs are quickly, quietly vanishing.  Our challenge is to help stave off this loss.

These age-old practices must be protected, not as an act of nostalgia or compassion for a bygone age, but as a substantive source of wisdom, honed by an unbroken chain of ancestors through countless generations, which has provided guidance to living in balance with each other and with the earth—two of our greatest current global challenges.

To fill this need, documentarian Victoria Vorreiter has spent two decades visiting ethnic communities in mountain villages in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and China, assembling a vast cultural collection, including textiles, musical instruments, and historical objects. To enhance this treasure trove, Victoria has created a solid body of documentation in the form of recordings, photos, films, books, and multi-media exhibitions, culminating in the Songs of Memory Project, which focuses on the six major groups in the Golden Triangle: the Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Hmong, Iu Mien, and Karen.

Cultural Crossroads Asia (CCA) rose from a vision to expand the Songs of Memory Project and to see that it lives on. This sweeping multi-cultural initiative located in Northern Thailand aspires to honor, validate, and support the spectrum of ethnic peoples who share this corner of the world, while inspiring national and international visitors drawn to exploring their age-old wisdom and customs.  The CCA Foundation was established in 2023 with the support of the CCA Board of Directors and Advisors, Council of Indigenous Leaders and Youth Leaders, and an International Advisory Council.

To ensure these archives are shared with a wide audience, the CCA Foundation is setting in motion the Cultural Crossroads Asia Heritage Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, whose mandate is to ‘Preserve Material Culture.’  This valuable repository, dynamic showcase, and far-reaching social initiative is designed to collect, document, conserve, exhibit, and perpetuate the unique physical culture of the numerous ethnic groups of Southeast Asia.

To complement the Cultural Crossroads Asia Heritage Center, the CCA Foundation has established the Living Legacy Project (LLP), which aims to ‘Sustain Intangible Culture’ through satellite mentorship initiatives based on close collaborations with ethnic communities in mountain villages of Northern Thailand.

What distinguishes Cultural Crossroads Asia from other institutions is its pledge to work with ethnic groups in a lasting alliance to support cultural transmission, always guided by their knowledge of protecting our planet.  Preservation of culture and the environment must go hand in hand.  In this way, the next generation may begin to apply ancient practices creatively to contemporary challenges.