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The minority
The minorety-linguistic group in
Thailand today is the Tai, of
which the Central Thai are the ruling class. Minority Tai groups
include the Tai Yuan, Tai Lue, Lao Khrang and Tai Phuan in The
north; the Tai Lao, Nyor, Saek, Kaleung and Phutai in the
northeast; and the Tai Dam and Tai Yuan near Bangkok. Other
ethno-linguistic groups include peoples of Mon-Khmer linguistic
origin such as the Lawa in the north, the upland Khmer, the So,
the Kui and the Brew Tibetano-Burmanese linguistic origin live in
the hills of the north and are called the hilltribes.
Of the former the Hmong and the Mien are the two major groups,
while the latter includes the Karen, Lahu, Akha and Lisu groups.
Each of these major linguistic groups have distinctive textiles
with different applications of techniques, motifs, colour and raw
materials. The largest group, the Tai, show distinct elements
that are recognizable as Tai, but at the same time each sub-group
display sufficient differences in their weaving as to be easily
identifiable, particularly the textiles of the past. Central
Thai textiles were influenced by the court, which in turn was
influenced by imports from Kampuchae, India, Persia and China.
Indian influence was clearly seen in the weaving of the Khmer,
whose textiles were used by the Central Tai court after the
taking of Angkor in 1431 until the colonization of Kampuchae by
the French in 1879. The Thai court also imported textiles from
India and Persia, evidence of which dates to the 17th century but
probably started much earlier than this. In 1670 the Thai court
employed the Dutch V.O.C. to start production of Indian-style
cloth using Indian dyers, painters and weavers to train local
artisans in Thailand.
In The period of Ding Rama V. (1868-1 910) a factory for silk
weaving and a weaving school were established with Kromameun
Phichai Manit Tharodom (Phra Ong Chao Phen Phatana Phong) as
Manager and Japanese expert Mr. Toyama as technician. Textiles
were woven for specific persons, their design decided by rand and
status. The Kung and his immediate family could wear designer
fabric (Thai :pha lai yang) gold painted fabric (Thai : pha lai
yang khien thong) and gold brocades.
The general public was not allowed to wear designer fabric but
quantities of low quality prints made of second grade cottons
were imported from India since the 17th century by European
trading companies for general use. Home weaving by Central Thai
women was not popular, in contrast to other Tai subgroups. In
the outer regions of the Thai Kingdom textiles for women's
everyday and ceremonial costume showed distinctive local
characteristics which would enable quick identification of
status, ethnic origin and home town, while textiles woven for men
were less specific, with the exception of men's ceremonial
cloths.
Textiles woven for clothing were made in specific sizes and
folded or joined to create traditional garments which did not
require further cutting or fitting. These included a woman's
tubular skirt (Thai : pha sin); a man's sarong (Thai :salong); a
ling cloth to be worm by men or women by wrapping around the
waist and twisting the ends at the front, passing through the
legs and tucking in at the waist at the back (Khmer : chon kab
en), the short version of this was worn in the north (northern
Tahi : pha chet) and an all purpose cloth (Thai : pha khama).
Plain fabric was woven in both cotton and silk to make baggy
weap-around trousers (northern Thai : tieo sado ) and a variety
of shirts for men and women, including monks robes.
Other textiles were woven for home use, such as blankets (Thai :
pha hom) sheets (northern Thai : pha sali) sleeping cloths
(northern Thai :pha laep) pillows (Thai :mon) bags (central Thai:yam).
Specific textiles woven for the temple were banners
(northern Thai : tung) and book binders (Thai : pha ho khampi).
Production of home-woven textiles in the past was carried out by
women for their own immediate family. Laborious techniques and
intricate details were followed with no restriction in design due
to time. Thus extraordinary textiles were woven and handed down
through families. Motifs of prehistoric and animist origins
abound among the textiles of the Tai sub-groups with minimal
influence of Indian and Chinese motifs. Popular Tai motifs in
Thailand are hooks (Thai : lai Kho), ferns (Thai : lai dik kut),
river dragons (Thai : lai nak), and stylized elephants, birds and
horses.
Geometric designs have taken floral names such as jasmine (Thai :
lai dok keo) and sandlewook flower (Thai : lai dok chan).
02. December 2004