Beyond fair trade how one small coffee company helped transform a hillside village in thailand

Praise for Beyond Fair Trade Beyond Fa ir Tr a de tells the extraordinary story of how the traditionally illiterate hill tribes in a small mountain village in Thailand overcame warlords, opium production, deforestation and poverty—all through coffee and help from Canadian entrepreneur John Darch and Thai visionary Wicha Promyong Julie Angus, author of Olive Odyssey A rich and resonantly detailed account of an unlikely partnership that enabled the hard-working tribespeople of a remote coffee-growing village in Thailand to emerge from poverty and obscurity to success in the refined new world of fine coffee Kenneth Davids, Coffee Review Doi Chaang is where the bar is presently set—the absolute gold standard for good Todd Carmichael, founder of La Colombe and Adventurer-Host of the Travel Channel’s Dangerous Grounds With scholarly and sensitive detail, Mark Pendergrast tells the story of the once despised Akha hill tribes of northern Thailand, tracing the culturally traumatic but ultimately successful transformation from raising opium poppies to harvesting a more stimulating crop: organic arabica coffee beans William E Mitchell, author of The Bamboo Fire: Fieldwork with the New Guinea Wape Mark Pendergr ast relates the story of coffee in Thailand against a backdrop of the confluence of economics, anthropology, agriculture and the extraordinary capacity of humans to influence their own worlds Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director, Specialty Coffee Association of America Beyond Fair Trade completely surpassed my expectations This is an uplifting account of how coffee and the dedication of a few outsiders is helping the Akha escape the poverty that has haunted them for so long Linda Aylesworth, Global TV News Reporter Mark Pendergr ast has writtenanextraordinarybookabouthowapovertystricken hill tribe in a remote village in Thailand became internationally famous for its coffee, and how a Canadian businessman and Thai entrepreneur helped make that happen Pisan Manawapat, Ambassador of Thailand to Canada (2013-2015) Beyond Fair Tr ade does an admirable job of tracing the evolution of the Doi Chaang Coffee Company and showing how corporate social responsibility can be part of a successful business strategy Philip Calvert, Canadian Ambassador to Thailand I celebr ate the story of Doi Chaang in Thailand as a force for change I believe that through trade justice, communities like Doi Chaang and world markets can meet and thrive together Tom Smith, Executive Director of Fairtrade Canada (2012–2015) Mark Pendergrast Beyond Fair Trade How One Small Coffee Company Helped Transform a Hillside Village in Thailand Vancouver/Berkeley Copyright © 2015 by Mark Pendergrast All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the publisher or a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright) For a copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free to 1-800 -893-5 7 Greystone Books Ltd www.greystonebooks.com  Doi Chaang Coffee 110 -807 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1H7 www.doichaangcoffee.com Phone: 1-866 -924-2264 Cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada isbn  978-1-7 164-047-3 (pbk.) isbn  978-1-7 164-105-0 (epub) Editing by Lesley Cameron Cover design by Peter Cocking, text design by Jennifer Griffiths Cover photograph by iStockphoto.com Photographs by Mark Pendergrast Map on page x by Carol MacDonald The author gratefully acknowledges the permission of Paul Lewis and the Payap University Archives to include their texts in this publication We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia through the Book Publishing Tax Credit, and the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for our publishing activities Dedicated to Wicha Promyong, visionary humanitarian and lover of life in all its forms “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me it now. Let me not defer or neglect it. For I shall not pass this way again.” Favorite saying of Elizabeth Darch (1909–2013), mother of John M Darch contents Introduction  xi chapter The Akha  chapter Culture Clashes  32 chapter Wicha Finds the Way  66 chapter Doi Chaang Coffee  85 chapter Khun John from Canada  109 c hapter The Creation of a Canadian Coffee Company  133 chapter Learning Curves in Vancouver  160 c hapter An Outside Perspective  184 c hapter Carry On  212 epilogue Lessons from Two Continents  254 Acknowledgments 264 Note on Sources 267 Acknowledgments 265 McKinnon and Duangta Sriwuthiwong were generous in sharing their unpublished primary source documents about the village of Doi Chang in the 1980s Ronald Renard wrote a great book about opium reduction in Thailand and provided me with invaluable contacts and suggestions Anthropologists Deborah Tooker, Otome Hutheesing, and Cornelia Kammerer wrote extremely helpful books and articles as well as sharing further insights, and Otome welcomed me to her home in Chiang Rai, along with Mimi Saeju and Michael Vickery Nong (Chayanin Sritisarn) was a great driver and translator during my research trip to Chiang Rai, during which I interviewed Bandid Jangnam and Lamar Robert, who graciously invited me to their homes, while Jacques Op de Laak took me up the mountain to revisit his coffee research station Jitra Samsa welcomed me to the Payap University Archives, where her staff was helpful and accommodating Richard Mann and his father, Mike Mann, of the Integrated Tribal Development Program (ITDP), were generous with their time and knowledge, and I enjoyed my lengthy road trip with Richard and Boonchu Kloedu to see the village of Huey Hawn and the ITDP headquarters Kritipong “Tee” Jupoh was a terrific, thoughtful translator and companion during our forays in the village of Doi Chang and elsewhere Charly Mehl came all the way from Bangkok to take me around Doi Tung and answered all of my subsequent questions with patience He also read and commented on parts of my manuscript, as did Phitsanuchai “Chai” Kaewphichai, who has been an advisor to Doi Chaang Coffee since its earliest days Mostly, I have to thank the main subjects of my story, starting with John M Darch, whose contributions to this book were generous and undemanding, and his son John A Darch, who also proved to be an enjoyable and amusing companion Anand Pawa not only 266  be yond fair tr ade translated for me in Thailand but showed me around Vancouver Danika Speight and Sanja Grcic both shared their first trips to Doi Chang with me as well as welcoming me to Canada The rest of the Vancouver Doi Chaang Coffee gang, including Tanya Jacoboni, Katharine Sawchuk, Jackie Kingston, Senni Dempster, and Katharine Regan, were all friendly and helpful At Canterbury Coffee near Vancouver, I wish particularly to thank Eric Lightheart, whom I met again in Thailand, for his time and enthusiasm While in Thailand, Sandra Bunmusik was an integral part of my experience in both Bangkok and the village of Doi Chang, where she provided quiet support as well as translating lively conversations and speeches at the Academy of Coffee annual festival In the village of Doi Chang, my deepest thanks go to Miga Saedoo and Adel Saedoo for sharing their time and expertise, and to siblings Lipi, Jay, and Dawan Wuiyue for their friendship, and particularly to Jay for leading me up the muddy coffee slopes to find wild civet coffee I was touched when Bujoh “Nuda” Piaocheku, who makes soap and cordyceps, gave me a traditional silver Akha bracelet to take home to my wife Thanks to Chome Leeja for hosting me at her resort in the village and translating for me when I interviewed her father Another Lisu, Poomjit (Toon), was a thoughtful host at his charming resort, Baan Suan Doi Chaang, on the road up to the agricultural research station In fact, everyone I encountered in the village was helpful and friendly, whether during a casual drop-in or an Easter service, or whether they were agricultural research personnel or soldiers encountered on the road Finally, I want to express my thanks to Wicha Promyong’s family for their kindness to me on my last visit to Thailand, following Wicha’s tragic and untimely death In our brief but intense time together, I had become friends with Wicha, who was a truly remarkable man I can only imagine the loss they feel Note on Sources To conserve space, I am including this note, highlighting books and interviews that were helpful in my research For the full bibliography, see my website: www.markpendergrast.com about the akha and other hill tribes Anderson, Edward F Plants and People of the Golden Triangle: Ethnobotany of the Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand (1993) Goodman, Jim The Akha: Guardians of the Forest (1997) Goodman, Jim Meet the Akhas (1996) Grunfeld, Frederic V Wayfarers of the Thai Forest: The Akha (1982) Kammerer, Cornelia Ann Gateway to the Akha World: Kinship, Ritual, and Community Among Highlanders of Thailand, dissertation (1986) Kunstadter, Peter, ed Southeast Asian Tribes, Minorities, and Nations Vol and (1967) Lewis, Paul W Akha Oral Literature (2002) Lewis, Paul W Ethnographic Notes on the Akhas of Burma (1969) Lewis, Paul and Elaine Peoples of the Golden Triangle (1984) McCaskill, Don, and Ken Kampe, eds Development or Domestication? Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia (1997) McKinnon, John, and Wanat Bhruksasri, eds Highlanders of Thailand (1983) — 267 — 268  be yond fair tr ade McKinnon, John, and Bernard Vienne, eds Hill Tribes Today: Problems in Change (1989) McKinnon, Katharine Development Professionals in Northern Thailand: Hope, Politics and Practice (2011) Morse, Eugene Exodus to a Hidden Valley (1974) Tooker, Deborah E Space and the Production of Cultural Difference Among the Akha Prior to Globalization (2012) coffee Op de Laak, Jacques Arabica Coffee Cultivation and Extension Manual for the Highlands of Northern Thailand (1992) Pendergrast, Mark Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World 2nd edition (2010) king bhumibol Dejkunjorn, Vasit In His Majesty’s Footsteps: A Personal Memoir (2001, 2006) Grossman, Nicholas, and Dominic Faulder King Bhumibol Adulyaduj: A Life’s Work (2012) lisu Berlinski, Mischa Fieldwork: A Novel (2007) Hutheesing, Otome Klein Emerging Sexual Inequality Among the Lisu of Northern Thailand: The Waning of Dog and Elephant Repute (1990) opium Booth, Martin Opium: A History (1996) Chouvy, Pierre-Arnaud Opium: Uncovering the Politics of the Poppy (2010) McCoy, Alfred W The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade (2003) Renard, Ronald D Opium Reduction in Thailand 1970–2000: A ThirtyYear Journey (2001) Note on Sources 269 thailand Phongpaichit, Pasuk, and Sungsidh Piriyarangsan Corruption and Democracy in Thailand (1994) unpublished sources Richard Mann autobiography, Matthew MacDaniel autobiography, John McKinnon papers, and Duangta Sriwuthiwong report useful websites www.akha.org www.doichaangcoffee.com www.hackwriters.com/saveMathewMcDaniel.htm www.hilltribe.org/akha interviews conducted in person, by phone, or by e-mail, 2012–2014 Names listed as in the text: Adel Saedoo; Aje Yaebyangu; Dr Anant Suwanapal; Linda Aylesworth; Bancha Leeja; Bandid Jangnam; Scott Bearss; Beno Leeja; Leo Brandenberg; George Brazier; Philip Calvert; Chome Leeja; Scott Coats; Sharon Cramen; Keith Crosby; John A Darch; John M Darch; Louise Darch; Terence “Terry” Darch; Kenneth Davids; Dawan Wuiyue; Ksenia “Senni” Dempster; Robert Denning; Hagen Dirksen; Duangta Sriwuthiwong; Mark Duffield; Murray Dunlop; Paolo Fantaguzzi; David Giddings; Sanja Grcic; Michael Howard; Otome Hutheesing; Tanya Jacoboni; Jay Wuiyue; Henry Kalebjian; Cornelia Kammerer; Rupi Khanuja; Jacquelyn Kingston; Kornkranok “Sandra” Bunmusik; Nootcha “Kwan” Promyong; Todd “Tongdee” Lavelle; Paul Lewis; Eric Lightheart; Lipi Wuiyue; Norman Lock; David Long; Shawn MacDonald; Sergio Magro; Mike Mann; Richard Mann (grandfather and grandson); Matthew McDaniel; John McGowan; John McKinnon; Charly Mehl; 270  be yond fair tr ade Miga Saedoo; Mimi Seaju; Misaw; Robert Napoli; Greg Noga; Bujoh “Nuda” Piaocheku; Jane O’Connor; Jacques Op de Laak; Sherman Pao; Patchanee Suwanwisolkit; Anand Pawa; Phitsanuchai Kaewphichai; Piko Saedoo; Lacio Pontes; Prasong Munsalong; Katharine Regan; Ronald Renard; Lamar Robert; Ben Roberts; Paul Royce; Brian Saul; Katharine Sawchuk; Robert Schwab; Danika Speight; Danny Tam; Kritipong “Tee” Jupoh; Deborah Tooker; Poomjit (Toon); Simon Wakefield; Jeff Weaver; Wicha Promyong; and David Williamson top  This 1988 photo shows the denuded Doi Chang area before coffee and shade tree reforestation (photo: Duangta Sriwuthiwong) above  Village of Doi Chang nestled in the morning mist (photo: Mark Pendergrast) top  From left to right: Wicha Promyong, whose vision inspired Doi Chaang Coffee, Piko Saedoo, whose image is the coffee’s logo, and John M Darch, who founded the company and gifted half of it to the Akha above  Wicha Promyong (second from right) with Akha, circa 2005 Adel Saedoo is farthest to the right top  Akha on village swing in Doi Chang village (photo: Adel Saedoo) above  Akha women dressed in their finery on the coffee drying patio (photo: Linda Aylesworth) top left  Casually dressed Akha women usually harvest Doi Chaang coffee, but they don traditional headdresses for formal shots such as on the cover of this book (photo: Mark Pendergrast) top right  Coffee tree in Doi Chang Note that coffee beans ripen on the same tree at different times (photo: Mark Pendergrast) above  You can still see signs that anti-missionary Matthew McDaniel posted in Doi Chang (photo: Mark Pendergrast) top  Nowadays most houses in Doi Chang have metal roofs (photo: Linda Aylesworth) above  The old village gate in Doi Chang, seen here with male and female figures, is no longer kept as an important protective symbol (photo: Mark Pendergrast) top  This holy well in Doi Chang is one of nine the king drinks from each year (photo: Mark Pendergrast) above  Doi Chaang Coffeehouse in Chiang Rai, Thailand (photo: Linda Aylesworth) top  One of the few remaining thatched houses in Doi Chang (photo: Mark Pendergrast) above  Truck stuck during rainy season on new dirt road going up to Doi Chang, circa 1984 (photo: Bandid Prasong) left  Wicha Promyong with his ever-present clippers (photo: Mark Pendergrast) below  John M Darch (Senior), the Canadian who started Doi Chaang Coffee in Vancouver, on the right, with his son, John A Darch (Junior) (photo: Rhonda Dent) ... tribe in a remote village in Thailand became internationally famous for its coffee, and how a Canadian businessman and Thai entrepreneur helped make that happen Pisan Manawapat, Ambassador of Thailand. .. human (à la Adam in the Judaic tradition), who came from Jadae in Yunnan Province in China, a kind of Mecca for the Akha This egalitarian society was also a patriarchal society When a woman married,... indeed make a fascinating case study in global partnerships But Beyond Fair Trade is far more than that It is part travelogue, part anthropology, part business/marketing, part drama, part social equity