HANDMADE-UMBRELLA
MAKING HISTORY
Hand-made bamboo umbrella making
at Borsang Village has been performed for over two centuries
with derivation of handicraft arts from an unknown origin.
Formerly, villagers made only paper umbrellas for the purpose
of offering them to the monasteries on ritual occasions.
Initially, the Borsang’s Bamboo Umbrellas, which were traditionally
and spiritually inherited, were offered to the monks and
used domestically. They became so widely known that the
villagers developed the methods to improve the quality and
the uniqueness.
Subsequently, bamboo umbrella making
developed on a larger scale. The villagers, then, started
making umbrellas for sale in the market. Nowadays, there
are many kinds of umbrellas available in this village. They
are made of Sa-paper (mulberry paper), cotton, rayon, silk,
artificial silk, canvas and many more. The very first umbrella’s
cover is made from Sa-Paper, the Sa-paper is made from the
bark of paper mulberry trees which are abundant in the forests
of Northern Thailand.
As more and more umbrellas were sold,
the bamboo umbrella making became an attractive source of
income generation for the villager’s during the post-harvest
season. Presently, the Borsang umbrellas are not only made
for weather protection, but also for home decorations as
well as ritual ceremonies.
In the olden days, people made each
part of bamboo umbrellas at home, especially during the
post-harvest season and their kids learned the trade by
helping their parents, in a tradition passed down from generation
to generation.
During the past 50 years, our local
area was confronted with a series of unfavorable developments.
Young people prefer going to the city and seem to think
working with bamboo umbrellas
is sort of low class trade and have thus lost interest.
Umbrella Making Centre Establishment
“BORSANG VILLAGER MAKE BAMBOO
UMBRELLA WITH THEIR HEART AND SOUL, WHICH IS THE KEY SUCCESS
IN MAKING CHIANG MAI’S UMBRELLA ALIVE”
Umbrella Making Centre
was established in year 1978 by Mr.
Thavil Buacheen the local resident live in small village
south of Borsang name Buagpet village. Mr. Thavil’s parents
like other local people who always making the traditional
handmade bamboo umbrella during the post-harvest. Before,
Mr. Thavil finished his high school, he went to work in
town like other young resident. From the local bus-boy becoming
the taxi driver then tour guide. During his last job as
a tour guide, he can see how people from everywhere are
very apriciate in the art of handmade umbrella making.
At that time, there was the decliment
of Umbrella Village, local people turn their attention to
the wood craving, clothing and look for work in town. Meanwhile,
to earn some money from umbrella is only Half to Two Baht
each and to stock the bamboo umbrella out of peste and modu
is not possible. Many bamboo umbrella was damaged before
people can even sell them.
Mr. Thavil want to preserve the endangered
ancient heritage of Lanna-Thai Culture and maintain the
uniquereginal identity of Northern Thailand. He called the
family and relatives who used to make umbrella together
and set up small factory at home, at that time he only have
12 people agreed to working with him while most people think
this is impossible.
Therefore, the Umbrella Making Centre
establishing under the concept of:
- To consolidating ex-umbrella makers
to work in same place.
- To uphold and improve the ancestral
arts of this village.
- To improv the living standards
of a number of villagers.
- To enlarge the market extent of
umbrellas, especially the foreign market.
Today, the Bamboo Umbrella’s skill
workers are over 45 years old.
If this project does not start soon, in 5 or 10 years, the
Bamboo Umbrella Making Heritage may become only legend. |
