Pages

Thai Burmese Crafts Feed 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Lanna Crafts XVII

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):
After the end of the human life, there might be someone to prepare a ceremony for him/her. One significant tradition of Lanna is Tradition about Death and Corpse.
Lanna Crafts - Lanna Temples
Picture of Lanna Temples
- Tradition about Death and Corpse, when there is death in a Lanna house, there will be sounds of cry and lamentation from his/her relatives. This culture is same as traditional Chinese people’s culture. These sounds of sadness are called ‘Hui’ which will be as announcement to neighbors to know that there is death occurred in the house. They will come to assist on the death ceremony.
The relatives will usually set the death ceremony at home by inviting monks to pray there every night. When the scheduled date comes, they will decorate the corpse with flowers and move by carry (bear) to graveyard. For the rich or royalties or high-level monks, their corpse will be move to the graveyard by wheel-vehicle.

In the previous days, the corpse would be buried, no cremation. The cremation should be performed only for monks, kings or the royalties. They believed that they had to bury the corpse to preserve the perfect body for the next life. If the dead body lost eye or hand, then in the next life, he/she would be blind or crippled. For the one who died while pregnant, the dead baby must be taken out before bury, if not, in the next life the woman would be self-pregnant without a husband.

Believe that the dead people would come back in 3 or 7 days due to their worries. So the relatives would wear black dresses or suits to make merit to the dead one. After 7 days past, there would be a spiritual invitation rite by a medium (invoker). The relatives would ask through the medium to the dead one what he/she preferred to have or eat. They would believe if the medium chose the right ones.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

Lanna Crafts - Thai Style Original Barbie Size Thai Outfit - Modern, Lanna or Chakri
Thai Style Original Barbie Size
Thai Outfit -
Modern, Lanna or Chakri
  • Made and purchased in Thailand these outfits for Barbie are made of Thai silk and include a brochure explaining the nature of the costume.
  • This modern style outfit has a solid sleeveless grayish-brown top with tiny bright green embroidery around the neck.
  • At the top of the bodice is a gold design imprinted on the material.
  • The skirt is full length and straight, of a navy and deep gold geometric print with horizontal stripes.
  • There is a gold belt with a silver and gold with crystal center floral-like ornament at the center and a lace decoration around the hip area. 
  • From the waist to the floor is a broad gold trim interwoven with bright blue, green and fuchsia thread.
  • Around the shoulders, the outfit includes a very wide gold shawl also interwoven with glittering blue, green and fuchsia threads.
  • The outfit comes with two gold arm bracelets.

(To be continued)

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Lanna Crafts XVI

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):
After wedding ceremony, Lanna son-in-law has a duty to build houses for his family. Today we will present a Tradition about Lanna Home Reconstruction.
Lanna Crafts - Lanna Houses
Picture of Lanna Houses
- Tradition about Lanna Home Reconstruction, when the groom comes to live at the bride’s house, he needs to stay there at least three years to help her parents’ jobs; farming, gardening, etc. before enable to build a new separated own house. There are in-depth concepts on this as the wife will have opportunity to practice to be a good housewife, while the husband will be trained by the father-in-law to be a nice leader of the family, and the couple will be able to save money for building their own house.

It’s prohibited for the couple to build a very neat house on the first one when they need a separated house from parents, Lanna people believe that it’s inauspicious and will bring unfortunate events to the family. So their first house will be constructed to be able to stand only for 1-3 years before build a new one. The second constructed house will consist of tied beams, and the third constructed house will be the neatest one with the inserted beams and tied beams for long residence.


The head of the family needs to find auspicious time and date to start building the house. He will discuss with the old ones who know Lanna cultures and traditions, or might discuss with a fortune-teller who will give suggestion on the best date and time from his book. The suggested months from the book usually are in even number of Lanna months, sixth and eighth, but the tenth month will be prohibited for any auspicious ceremony.

The host of the new house will inform his neighbors to come for helps on house construction. The wife will prepare foods for all neighbors who will come, and the husband will contact to all engineers or the working team. He needs to prepare some rituals before building a house: Asking for the land from King of Nagas before digging the main-pole hole, Notification to the Four Celestial Guardians (see Lanna Crafts XI).

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

1) ‘Thai Fashion Purse- Handmade in Chiang Mai’, from Thai Fashion Handbag-Thailand:
Lanna Crafts - Thai Fashion Purse- Handmade in Chiang Mai
Thai Fashion Purse-
Handmade in
Chiang Mai
  • This beautiful and unique handbag is handmade at the Bann Talae handicraft center near Chiang Mai Thailand.
  • Strong, durable craftsmanship.
  • All hand stitching and native materials, from the wooden beads on the strap, to the gold silk string, to the wooden button that closes the top, to the mosaic artwork material that is used in the design.
  • Single strap design is the perfect length for carrying as a shoulder strap or clutch.
  • Ornate mosaic material is native Thai and only available to tourists who go to this area of Northern Thailand.
  • Dimensions: 28.00" h x 8.00" w x 15.00" l, 1.21 pounds


2) ‘Thai Puggi Oriental Lamp’, from Oriental Furniture:
Lanna Crafts - Thai Fashion Purse- Handmade in Chiang Mai
Thai Puggi Oriental Lamp
  • Measures 18" H x 10" D x 10" W - Attractive Table Lamp or Night Light
  • Hand Crafted Wood Lantern in Unique Thai Spirit House Design
  • Fiber Reinforced Pressed Pulp Rice Paper Shade - Cast a Soft Glow in Any Room
  • UL Approved Wiring, Socket & Switch for 60 Watt Bulb - Up to 150W Compact Flourescent


(To be continued)

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Lanna Crafts XV

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):
Lanna Costume was presented in previous article. Today we will go to see Lanna Wedding Tradition and Ceremony.
Lanna Crafts - Lanna Wedding Ceremony
Picture of Lanna Wedding Ceremony
Lanna Wedding Tradition and Ceremony, before a decision to get married or to have a new family, besides of the Lanna couple’s considerations on their appearances, characteristics, wealthy, relations to the social, etc., they need to care with the traditional beliefs on marriage life, such as birth dates of the couple must not be opponent together. They believe that the friendly birth dates will lead the couple to be prosperous, but the marriage life will be failed on their opponent birth dates.


The traditional marriage life (or living together as a family) of Lanna people was simplified in the past. When the woman’s parents were aware of the couple’s love or there was ‘Pid-pee (see Lanna Craft VII)’ occurred, they would contact to the man for his responsibility by performing a process called ‘Sai-pee’ or ‘Sier-pee’ which allowed the man side to ask for forgiveness by giving candles, flowers, money and other offerings to the woman’s household spirits. After that there would be an appointment of the woman’s parents to let the man come to living at their home. The man would pick only a sword or some of his clothes to his new family, because the woman side will prepare all things for living at their home to welcome the new member. There would not be anything much came with him, except money for starting a new life with his new family. The man would proudly show how much of money he carried with to the woman and her parents.

Later, there would be wedding ceremony called ‘Kin-cak-tang-ngan’, which was classified in two sorts:
  • Second, ‘A marriage proposal’, when the couple love and decide to get married and live together, the man’s senior relatives will come to make the proposal and appointment on engagement date.
After engagement, there would be an appointment for wedding and celebration date which would invite guests as both sides’ considerations.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

1) ‘925 Thai Silver Handmade Jewelry Findings Wedding Rings Designs for Girls 8.9g (Wzl0014-tyjz), from Wenzhilian Jewelry Co., Ltd:
Lanna Crafts - 925 Thai Silver Handmade Jewelry Findings Wedding Rings Designs for Girls 8.9g (Wzl0014-tyjz)
925 Thai Silver Handmade
Jewelry Findings Wedding Rings
Designs for Girls 8.9g
(Wzl0014-tyjz)
Agate is one of the seven gems in Buddhism; it has an effect to ward off evil spirits. People started to use it as their talisman long years ago. Since the ancient times the scholars treated agate as "the third eye" of jade and the symbol of friendliness, love and hope. Handmade, fashion & romantic clear 925 sterling silver and natural agate, color: black & red & green/Weight:8.9g/size:18#dia. : 18.5MM perimeter: 58MM; 19#dia. : 18.8 MM perimeter: 59MM; 20#dia. : 19.4 MM perimeter: 61MM.

2) ‘Sterling Silver Thai Style Filigree Diamond-Shaped Dangle Earrings, from Avend Concepts:
Lanna Crafts - Sterling Silver Thai Style Filigree Diamond-Shaped Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver Thai Style
Filigree Diamond-Shaped
Dangle Earrings
These charming earrings feature a filigree Thai-style pattern in a diamond-shaped design. Sterling silver dangle earrings add a soft grace to anyone as their sparkling accentuates your every movement with that extra class. They are beautifully made in 925 sterling silver and finished with 925 sterling silver fishhook backs with spiral wire accents. They measure 1 and 1/2 inches (38 millimeters) in length and 3/4 inches (19 millimeters) in width. The high polish finish gives these earrings an exquisite shine that is sure to catch every eye.


(To be continued)

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Lanna Crafts XIV

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):
In latest article we presented many ‘Lanna Rituals Related to The Patient’ which quite related to their daily life. Today the article is closer to their daily life than ever. If someone who have traveled to the northern of Thailand or seen some Lanna cultural performances, they may like and be interested in the Lanna original costume both for ladies and gentlemen. So today Thai Burmese Crafts will present a Lanna Culture: Lanna Costume.
Lanna Crafts - Lanna Costume of Ladies and Gentlemen
Picture of Lanna Costume of Ladies and Gentlemen
- Lanna Costume, from the past since reign of King Mengrai (see Lanna Craft I: Lanna History), Lanna people wear the similar clothing which presented out their unique culture as follows:

Lanna Ladies Costume: The bare breast of a suburb woman was common in the past. She might have only light color cloth to use with, such as wrapping the breast, or hanging with her neck, wearing as Sabai (a cloth wearing type of Siam), etc. The blouse wearing came popular in very late period of Lanna. The blouse would be handcrafted sewing cotton cloth, typically white color from cotton. For an adult, she would wear a round-necked blouse, curved sleeves, five seam stitching, fit to body. Moreover she would wear the under-blouse as a sleeveless t-shirt with the same sewing method as the blouse.

A woman would wear a long striped skirt-like dress called ‘Sinn’. The fabric of Sinn would be striped single seam, and the color was dyed with vegetable colors in red, purple, etc. There would be a connected bottom-end cloth to connect with the main Sinn, the color might be black. The other end of main Sinn, which would be worn at the woman’s waist, usually was sewed with white color cloth. Later, when there was loom development which enabled whole Sinn cloth production without connected sewing, Lanna ladies favored this kind of Sinn and change to another alternative colors mixing with many patterns which were popular till present day.

Lanna Gentlemen Costume: In the past, Lanna men admired tattoo designs from waist to knee. The girls would ignore any bare hip men, since they believe that those were cowards. A Lanna man would wear cotton cloth which color was alternated black and white. There were three wearing methods; first, normal wear by tuck at center of waist and the remainder was hanged from the waist, second, catch and tuck at the waist as the first method, but the remainder was passed under the body (between two legs) to tuck at the back (of waist), third, for fit tight purposes, such as fighting or hard working or riding a buffalo, he would wear very tight with both sides of the hips showing the tattoo. For these three wearing methods, the man would bare the chest. Some Lanna men wear pants which were similar pattern to Chinese one. There were short and long pants which sewed with handmade cotton.

Lanna men in the past did not like to wear shirts. In the cold weather, they will use some long cloth to cover the body. The color of this cloth was dyed with vegetable dyes, i.e. indigo, ebony, jackfruit, etc. Later they wore round-necked shirts which short or long sleeves with throughout buttons in front called ‘Moh-Hom (in Thai)’ or Indigo-shirt.

In addition, there might be some apparel for some jobs or some occasions, such as hat, belt, shoes, and other accessories of rich people.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:
Lanna Crafts - 100% Cotton Traditional Thai Daishiki- Royal Purple and African Gold Design (size LARGE 44-46)
100% Cotton Traditional Thai Daishiki
- Royal Purple and African Gold
Design (size LARGE 44-46)
- ‘100% Cotton Traditional Thai Daishiki- Royal Purple and African Gold Design (size LARGE 44-46), from MR. Thai- Bangkok: Handmade, highest quality, 100% cotton Daishikis will surpass your greatest expectations, no blends or synthetic fibers, completely machine safe and easy to care for, exquisite and vibrant patterns and colors, durable, strong and long-lasting, designed and handcrafted to last. Possibly the most unique and beautiful gift you could ever give or receive.


Lanna Crafts - Thai Foot Massage Stick
Thai Foot Massage Stick
- ‘Thai Foot Massage Stick: This Traditional Thai Foot Massage stick is about 13cm long, made of teak, and has ridges along the sides, to allow a variety of techniques to be performed and the thin and thick end offer more, or less focused pressure for the reflex points, smooth and ridged sides for different sensations.


(To be continued)
Web Analytics