Lanna Crafts IX

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):

Lanna Cultures & Traditions are related to Lanna Crafts which some crafts are from its traditions, for example, a kind of wooden utensil in northern Thailand (called in Thai as ‘Khantoke’) is a food ware set for Lanna dining culture & tradition. Today, we will continue on Lanna Cultures & Traditions from the latest post ‘Culture & Tradition about Birth’ as follows:

Pictures of wood Khantoke

Pictures of bamboo Khantoke

- Culture & Tradition about Dining, the main course of Lanna meal will include sticky rice or glutinous rice and one or two things to eat with which might be soup or chili paste or dressed salad, etc. In conventional, Lanna people will set the family group to sit around at the patio or terrace connected to the house for the dining. In the present day, some families set the dining room for this purpose.

However the basic or general utensils for Lanna dining are:

- Khantoke or Satoke (Thai words) is an essential set of food containing wares, a bit high from the ground for food to be higher from ground, made of wood with many sizes.

- A deep cup for soup

- Flat bowl or plate for grill, fried, roasted foods

- Spoon, in the past they used coconut shell or bamboo to make spoon, and had only one spoon for a Khantoke set.

- Rice box, in the past it was made of bamboo lining inside with bamboo sheath to prevent the moisture and keep the heat. In present, they use a cooler lining with thin cloth for longer heat preserving.

Every food will be put on the Khantoke set, the amount depends on the appropriate number of people.

For the good dining manner and pattern, there will be laid mat at the patio or terrace, the Khantoke set will be put on this mat with washing hand water and napkins. Everyone in the family will be called to sit around the Khantoke set, it’s very important that the parents or the most eldest of family will be the first one who starts the meal, then the youngers follow. There are many polite sitting manners for dining; the man will sit by cross-legged, the lady will sit with legs tucked back to one side. To eat the sticky rice, they will use hand to keep the appropriate amount of rice in the palm, shape into ball-liked to fit to the mouth.

Impolite dining manners or prohibitive manners are farting during the meal, spitting, speaking about disgusting things, teasing or playing to each other, quarrelling, laughing, gossiping, knocking the spoon on bowl, plate or Khantoke set, stirring the soup till it spills out, choosing by spoon only what own likes, eating or dipping only the middle of rice or food, trimming, licking or kissing rice or food at fingers or utensils.

There is no dessert or snack for traditional Lanna dining meal, but it might be some fruit or boiled corn or peanuts.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

Gold plated amethyst
flower earrings,
'Chiang Rai Bouquet'

- ‘Gold plated amethyst flower earrings, 'Chiang Rai Bouquet'', from NOVICA*, captures the essence of Thai feminine elegance with the design of these earrings. The florid half hoops are crafted by hand with 24k gold plated sterling silver. Crystalline amethyst dewdrops add a touch of sophistication with 2 carats. .925 Sterling silver.

*NOVICA: who works in association with National Geographic, searches the world to work directly with the finest artisan designers.

Chiang Mai and Northern
Thailand (Other Places
Travel Guide)

- ‘Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand (Other Places Travel Guide)’, by T. F. Rhoden, T. F. Rhoden has spent seven years exploring this fascinating country as an aid worker on the Thai-Burma border. Through his unique experiences, Rhoden provides insight into the country that has become his second home. With a comprehensive background section covering the history, culture, and logistics of travel, and sixteen sections dedicated to each stop on his recommended travel route, this book will allow travelers to feel like locals while enjoying the indisputable beauty that the North has to offer.

(To be continued)

Lanna Crafts VIII

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):

Traditions are what those societies regulate as the same things or same ceremonies on what, how, when, and where. Cultures & Traditions of Lanna People are closely related to their day-life activities from birth till death as follows:

- Culture & Tradition about Birth, to give a birth is a significant issue for a mom; therefore there are some pre- processes to do, i.e. at the seventh moth of pregnancy, her husband needs to prepare some firewood for her (lying near the fire after childbirth) confinement, the birth room must be stretched with a net as ceiling and surrounded with the Buddhist white string and cabalistic writing cloth, all holes on walls or floors have to be repaired, under the birth & confinement room must be surrounded with bamboo and thorns which they believe that the spirits are afraid of them.

Picture of Thai House-Lanna Style
with space under the house

On the birth day, everyone in the house will help to prepare the room by opening or unlocking all chests and cabinets, rolling the mattress for mom’s leaning during delivery a child. Sometimes there will be hanging rope or cloth for seizing. During this period, no one should stand at the door way or obstruct at the ladder which meaning of belief in easy child birth. Even the speech, everyone must not speak about difficulty of child birth. No pregnant woman allows visiting at that time because they believe that the coming delivery children will shy together and will not come out.

There are some magic spells and holy water using for easier child birth. Some cases the mom has to drink her husband’s washing feet water if it’s difficult to give birth. When the child comes out, first, it has to tie the placenta with black thread. How to tie this cord is very important, it needs to draw blood to flow to the child’s navel. If not, believe that the child will be anemic when grows up. Placenta cutting needs to indicate the length. If too short length, the child will be impatient person when grows up.

There are more processes after that; bathing the child, selling the child (the cousins will accept as owner), taking care of child’s skin (if not, the skin will not be beautiful when grows up), etc.

The placenta which releases from the child, the parent will do sun-dry and keep in white cloth. When there are more children in family, they will soak all placentas with rainy water and let all children drink for harmonizing in family.

In case of the child dies after birth or being baby, they believe that the child will be quick reborn because of he’s very young. Before burial, the parents will cry and tell the child’s body to be reborn as their child again. Moreover, they will mark a sign by red lime at the child’s ass to know when the child is reborn with them.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

Thai Fashion Purse-
Handmade in
Chiang Mai

- 'Thai Fashion Purse- Handmade in Chiang Mai', beautiful and unique handbag is handmade at the Bann Talae handicraft center near Chiang Mai Thailand. Until now, not available outside of Thailand except as a fake or replica. Strong craftsmanship and materials make this a bag that should last a long, long time. All materials are native 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.

Celadon ceramic figurines,
'Chiang Rai Ducklings'
(set of 4)

- 'Celadon ceramic figurines, 'Chiang Rai Ducklings' (set of 4)', from NOVICA*, these handmade whimsical figurines depict a mother duck and three charming ducklings. The Thai artisan works in cool green celadon ceramic to create the charming family.

*NOVICA: who works in association with National Geographic, searches the world to work directly with the finest artisan designers.

(To be continued)