Museum of Siam: Ethnic Groups' Key Role in Textile Development
Kinnareemas
A range of rare, antique textiles from across the country are currently on display at the Museum of Siam, showcasing the country's cultural heritage and civilization in relation to hand crafted textiles used in everyday life and religious ceremonies.
The exhibition – Weave, Thread and Loom: The Textile Story – was organized by the National Discovery Museum Institute in order to improve the general public's understanding of textiles from a historical perspective. The event is also aimed at highlighting the importance of the country's heritage with regard to textiles, while highlighting stories from the craftspeople who earn their living from employment in this sector.
'Pha sin' from across the country
A leaflet has been produced in Thai in order to help visitors learn more about many of the stories linked to textiles. This is very helpful for visitors as they negotiate their way around the exhibition. Meanwhile, foreign visitors can get assistance from several curators who are fluent in English.
The colorful hand woven exhibits are on loan from 18 museums located in different parts of the country. Many of the exhibits are over a hundred years old and were produced by various different ethnic and tribal groups.
There are examples of pha sin (a form of sarong) produced by the Tai Puan in Lopburi province, the Tai Krang in Chainat province, the Tai Yuan in Ratchaburi province, and the Phu Tai in Kalasin province. There are also examples of textiles that were produced using particularly distinguishable weaving techniques that have been passed down through generations of artisans from the provinces of Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Trang.
Maternal dominance
Though the textiles may differ in terms of the designs and colors used, many of these ethnic groups share several common aspects in their work. For example, weaving skills are typically passed on along a maternal line. The younger generations of weavers imitate the work produced by their elders, while later going on to develop their own variations. It is also a commonality that most of the women tend to weave during the dry (hot) season since there are few tasks that can be carried out in the rice fields during this time of the year.
Women from several different ethnic groups traditionally wore pha sin that they had produced themselves, acting as a form of showcase for their talents. This would usually show that the weavers were producing something of real value, while demonstrating their readiness to become a housewife and take care of the needs of a household.
Mothers from the Tai Krang tribe carefully prepare textiles for use in their sons ordination ceremonies, and there is a range of different items for different purposes, such as a cover for the head of someone set to ordain as a monk, as well as those used to protect religious documents or for use in religious ceremonies.
Keeping the skills alive
The exhibition features example of the various forms of equipment used to prepare silk and cotton yarns, which have been used for centuries in the preparation of the materials to produce finished textiles. In the past, the raw materials would even be prepared at home and spun into yarn.
In the middle of the small hall housing the exhibition is a loom used by the Tai Krang ethnic group. Someone has begun to weave a piece of material and left it to one side unfinished. Visitors to the museum are welcome to try their hand by seeking assistance from the curators standing by, who have all learned the various techniques from senior artisans in order to be able to assist visitors to the exhibition and show them various useful tips and techniques.
This temporary exhibition will be open through October 11 – admission is free. The Museum of Siam opens from Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am until 6 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays.
For further information, visit the museum's official website at http://www.ndmi.or.th, or call Tel: +66 (0)2 622 2599.
Transport connections:
Bus: Take local bus numbers 3, 6, 9, 12, 32, 44, 47, or 53 and get off by Wat Pho ('The Temple of the Reclining Buddha'). Walk in the direction that leads away from the Chao Phraya River, which will take you to Sanam Chai Road and the entrance to the museum.
Credit: TAN Network (www.tannetwork.tv)
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