Climate

Hilltribe life is based around the three seasons found in Northern Thailand: winter, the dry season and the rainy season. Months are named according to the flowers, the breeding, the seasons, and the agriculture.

Life Cycle	Culture
January Picking up leaves to repair the houses. Man go into village for marry. Looking for bamboo. (Holiday month name)	January Ritual seeds of rice are taken to the last house in the village.
February Cutting leaves to repair the roofs or building new houses. It's the month of the sagula flower. Villagers marry and prepare fields for growing	February To stay in karma after the burning of the rice fields ceremonies take place
March This is the hot month. There's fire burning and new houses are built. Picking up grass to make brooms.	March Shaman for good luck. Bad spirits driven from villages.
April Preparing the soil to plant rice by cutting or burning the grass. - Digging ditches around the village so that the fires will not burn their houses. It's a new year month.	April To celebrate the beginning of the rainy season children fight with red dyed eggs in traditional games.
May Rice planting starts. It's hard work from now on. Also corn, ginger and turning the soil to plant fruit trees.	May Celebration for the pond. Every Akha village has a pond that provides water. During this ceremony, the water is blessed and used for the celebration.
June Picking the bamboo shoots. Animal's new life. Planting rice and vegetables.	June During the rainy season, a ceremony is held before planting. This is to celebrate fertility.
July Picking bamboo shoots and scrapping the fields for weeds.	July
August At the end of August it's the start of the swing ceremony. Meanwhile general activity continues.	August Swing New Year. This is the celebration of the New Year for the women and girls. After the plantation season, the women are free.
September Plants and fruit are in vibrant growth. Swing ceremony continues. Village leaders ceremony.	September Application of the Akha rules. This is normally held for a period of three months but, in modern times, is now practiced for three days.
October Cucumber and vegetables from from the fields. Rice flowers.	October Bamboo Knife Ceremony. This ceremony is held to chase away ghosts.
November New rice ceremony. Harvesting the rice	November Bamboo Knife Ceremony. This ceremony is held to chase away ghosts.
December Resting after the harvest season and sewing. New year ceremony.	December Top New Year. This is the celebration of the New Year for the men and boys. During this celebration, the men play with the top.

The villages are located at high elevations so it might become cold at night, close to freezing in the winter, so bring an extra layer if you can. In the wet season (may to september) a rain coat might come in handy. In the hot season light but conservative cloths.

Although most of the Hill tribe villages don't have electricity or running water in their houses the AFECT centres do, so you can charge up appliances.

Besides standard luggage, (try not to bring too much!) here's a list of things you might like to bring during your stay.

• Torch, preferably a head torch
• Sleeping bag
• Unscented soap and deodorant
• Mosquito repellent
• Extra medication (we have basic kits but it could be hard to find some in the villages)
• Pictures of family, friends, house and country - showing these pictures is a nice way to communicate

• If you'd like to bring gifts to your hosts or children, please DON'T bring sweets, better to bring toothbrushes, toothpaste, simple toys, balls, pens and pencils. Buying the locally made handicrafts in the village is also a good way to help the community.

• If you'd like to take pictures of the villagers, it's better to ask their permission.