an Akha head dress in Hilltribe Museum, Chiang Rai, Thailand. I read a really interesting article written by an American gentleman who received some funding from the Rockefller Foundation to do some work with the hill tribes of Thailand.  In it he commented on how the youths of hill tribes are embarrassed to be themselves and how the media are influencing them.  I understand the need to want to be mainstreamed.  I was there myself when I was younger.  But when a culture is close to losing its identity, it is scary.  Selfishly speaking, I don't want to have to go to a museum to find authentic traditional costumes made by the hill tribes. I know that change is inevitable and I look forward to doing more resarch and learning more about hill tribes and the influence of main stream culture.