Colorful Bags an Important Symbol of Tai Bueng Identity
Boranbureerom
It's possible to see examples of people from various ethnic groups in Lop Buri province, 200 kilometers north of Bangkok, including Tai Puan, Lao Song, Mon and Tai (from the central plain), as well as members of the Tai Bueng, a group which is native to Lop Buri.
While it can be difficult to spot members of the first four groups mentioned, particularly when they are dressed in modern clothing, it's much easier to identify a member of the latter group, no matter how they dress.
A sense of identity
One 'common thread' among members of the Tai Bueng is their use of hand-woven bags, which they tend to take with them wherever they go. Indeed, this bag could be said to represent an important part of the Tai Bueng's cultural identity.
Members of the Tai Bueng residing in the village of Khok Saloong, in Lop Buri's Phatthana Nikhom district, have passed down the tradition of producing these bags for generations. Historical records suggest the village has been one of the Tai Bueng's most significant settlements since the 18th century, while estimating the current population at 9,700.
Sali Anantsaloong, a 60-year-old resident of the village, has at least two of the bags hanging on the wall, so he can easily pick one up should he have to rush out. He uses the larger one, which contains cutting tools, a water container, and other necessities, when he visits a nearby forest to look for herbs and vegetables. He uses the smaller bag to hold documents and other personal belongings when he visits the town.
“Like my friends and other residents of the village, I've carried this kind of bag since I was little,” Sali says, adding that he has got through quite a few of the bags down the years.
While his mother used to make the bags for him, after he got married, his wife – 57-year-old Jaruek Anantsaloong – began to produce them for him instead.
Extra income
While Sali and Jaruek are rice farmers, Sali does not require his wife's help so much during the first half of the year, so Jaruek is able to spend a good deal of time weaving during that period in order to earn some extra income for the family. In fact, there's a large number of women - aged from about 30 right up to the elderly - who employ the weaving skills passed down by their mothers during their free time.
The bags produced are only sold in the neighborhood, where they are in strong demand among the villagers. Indeed, it seems as though every single member of the community owns one of these bags and uses it in their daily life. Even students are expected to use the bags as part of the village's cultural preservation efforts.
A unique pattern
While the shape of the bag is fairly standard and is similar to those used by members of other ethnic groups, the pattern used by the Tai Bueng is unique. It always features twin vertical stripes near the left and right-hand edges, while there is always a horizontal stripe located alongside the top of the pocket area.
While dark blue, red, and white were traditionally used, these days bags vary in terms of shape and size, according to needs and the personal preferences among the villagers.
Jaruek still uses a traditional loom when producing a bag. Before getting underway, she always does some planning in order to see how many bags she will produce from a single layer. She designs the pattern and identifies the color and size of the bags she wants to produce in advance, so she can then prepare the length of the yarns using a special tool. These are then set vertically on the loom and can measure up to 10 meters in length.
Next, Jaruek prepares the yarn to sit on the loom horizontally, before getting underway. The production process can take up to a week by hand, while this particular sitting would likely produce between 20 and 40 bags, according to her estimates.
“All that's required is strong determination and a good deal of patience,” she says of the process.
Revival underway
Prateep Onsaloong, deputy chief executive of Khok Saloong Subdistrict Administrative Organization, is particularly proud of the methods handed down by members of the community's ancestors. However, he believes that improvements can still be made.
Pointing out that the cotton used to make the bags is mass produced, Prateep says that this reflects upon the final product, which “lacks authenticity”. To address the situation, he has prepared an area where cotton trees will be planted, while he has also approached several elderly members of the community to discuss and review the traditional production process.
“Many of the older women know how to spin [naturally produced] cotton and would be happy to teach younger members of the community,” he says, pointing out that they had stopped doing so about 50 years ago following the arrival of (ready-to-use) factory-produced threads.
Jaruek is in favor of Prateep's initiative and is keen to learn how to weave using the authentic cotton used previously. She says that natural yarns would add a good deal of 'cultural value' to the craft.
Prateep says that while the authentic Tai Bueng bags can be considered to be a tangible element in keeping the culture of the people alive, there are many other aspects that differentiate the group from others, such as their food, dialect, songs and traditions.
Over recent years, members of the administrative committee have been busy initiating projects aimed at preserving the culture of the Tai Bueng.
“The bags are really just a symbol of the [Tai Bueng] people, but the roots of the culture are retained within every member of this community's cultural instincts.”
Credit: TAN Network (www.tannetwork.tv)
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