Baan Nong Khao: Weavers' Colorful Wares a Source of Civic Pride
Maneeya Dhammataree
While traditional handicrafts representing ‘Thainess’ are held in great esteem, they can easily become restricted to display cabinets and lose their relevance in the modern world. But members of a community called Baan Nong Khao in Kanchanaburi province intend to ensure that their highly original patterned fabric maintains its precious cultural legacy.
A Shield From the Sun
Visitors to Kanchanaburi province may see local people wearing a colorful, traditional form of head covering, designed specifically to protect the wearer’s skin from sun damage. Resembling a kind of balaclava, the garment completely covers the head when worn, although some slits are provided that allow the wearer’s eyes, nostrils and mouth to function normally.
The most outstanding features of the head covering are its patterns and colors. Typically, they are produced in bright colors, such as blue, green, orange, purple and red. Take a closer look and you’ll see that these highly original items are made by adapting a locally-produced loincloth, which features the distinctive pattern referred to earlier.
Nationwide Recognition
I recently got the opportunity to visit the village of Baan Nong Khao, where the colorful textile is produced.
The folks from Baan Nong Khao have earned a good deal of renown nationally for their weaving skills, which they use to produce this refined form of fabric. The fabric was originally used to produce traditional loincloths, which more recently became known as Pa Khao Ma Roi See, or '100-colored loincloths'. But the textile itself is actually known as Pa Ta Jak, which derives from Ta Jak, the Thai word for zigzag.
Sixty-five-year-old Makob Buchaleoy, known as Pa ('Auntie') Makob, is the leader of the weavers at Baan Nong Khao. Wearing a traditional, Thai-style, tailored vest made from this distinctive textile, Auntie Makob described how important the cloth is among members of the local community.
Unique Appeal
Auntie Makob says she has worn traditional clothes made from Pa Ta Jak since she was a young child. During those times, her parents would only wear clothes made from the cloth at home once they had completed their regular daily farming duties. The material would only be sold to traders in the case that supplies exceeded demand.
“The fabric's most outstanding quality is that it is has a delicate, shiny look – like silk – even though it's produced using cotton thread alone,” she says.
The excellent quality of the final product is down to the skilled weavers, according to Auntie Makob. Since each thread is woven extremely tightly, this provides a high level of loom stability, ensuring that the texture is silky smooth. Another interesting feature is that the surface of the cloth features a curved surface by means of using layers of different thicknesses.
A Pragmatic Approach
At one time, members of the community were able to complete the whole process 'in house'. This included separating the fiber from the cotton seed, spinning the thread and weaving the fabric. The cotton thread spun by the weavers at Baan Nong Khao tended to be more durable than the factory-produced thread, according to Auntie Makob. Nevertheless, although the group would prefer to use handmade thread, the cost involve means that it is prohibitive, so they used factory-produced thread these days.
Pa Ta Jak was originally produced in a natural cotton color, but after some time a basic form of dyeing was introduced.
“We dyed the cloth in boiling water using the bark from an ebony tree rather than dyeing the thread beforehand,” Auntie Makob points out, adding that the bark produces a nice, rich black color.
The term '100-colored loincloth' is a more recent phenomenon, according to Auntie Makob, who says that the phrase came about once chemical dyes came to the fore. The use of multicolored threads therefore produces the colorful zigzag patterns that gave rise to the fabric's name.
Product Diversification
As Pa Ta Jak gained increasing recognition among members of the public, several new lines have been introduced, including bags, scarves and shirts. However, the community continues to recognize the importance of the fabric at a local level as it is still worn by men before and after being ordained into the monkhood, representing an important part of the religious ritual among villagers.
Transport Connections:
Car: From Bangkok, head west on Highway 4. Shortly after reaching Nakhon Pathom, switch on to Highway 323. On reaching Kanchanaburi, take Highway 324. The village is located just off this highway and is signposted.
Credit: TAN Network (www.tannetwork.tv)
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