15 November 2008 - Rice Harvest and Sugar Cane Planting

Rice Harvest and Sugar Cane Planting
15 November 2008

Today was a very busy day here in Isaan. There was extensive coverage of today's cremation rites for the King's sister. Of the 6 days of the ritual, today was one of the most solemn. The bars are closed and liquor cannot be purchased. In public, many Thais are wearing black.

Tonight the Princess's remains will actually be cremated starting at 9:00 PM. There were large processions today to move her urn to the crematorium. The live coverage has been very interesting as well as educational. We are able to view it with an English commentary.

The pageantry as well as tradition associated with the ritual is impressive and inspiring. The traditions go back to the 1400's and the rite reaffirms the unique status of the Royal Family in the fabric of Thai society today. The power and influence of the Royal family includes arts, culture, education, as well as religion. When there was a military coup here two years ago, one of the first things that was broadcast was that the King was not opposed to the coupe. That ended all physical opposition to the takeover.

There has been some unrest related to a Muslim insurrection in the south and opposition to the current civilian government. When China had there big earthquake this year, the King took that opportunity to broadcast his condolences to China and to speak to the Thai people. He spoke about how Thai people should help and take care of each other. It was interesting to hear a leader actually communicate his expectations of his countrymen.

Some of the vehicles used in today's procession were pulled by soldiers dressed in 1700's uniforms. The largest vehicle, 15 feet wide by 45 feet long and 33 feet high is called the Phra Maha Phichai Ratcharot. It was completed in 1796. It is pulled by approximately 240 soldiers dressed in red tunics and gold bullet shaped helmets with cloth flaps at the sides and back. It looked like they had just stepped out of an old history book painting.

Duang and I on our trip to Bangkok at the end of June this year, visited the National Museum. The Phra Maha Phichai Ratcharot and other ceremonial traditional Royal vehicles are kept there. We did not get any photographs because cameras were not allowed. The vehicles are kept in a large building that resembles an airplane hangar. The day that we were there most of the wooden vehicles had scaffolding around them and craftsmen were very busy restoring them. The vehicles are elaborately carved and covered with thousands of tiny mirrors and gold leave. They are very beautiful and ornate. I remembered that I remarked to Duang that I thought that the people knew something that we didn't. I was referring to the health of the King. I did not realize that the restoration was associated with the cremation of the Princess almost 11 months after her death. The artisans did know something that we did not!

We drove out to Tahsang Village to take pictures of the start of the rice harvest. The rice that was planted at the end of July is now ready to be harvested. The harvest will last about 30 days. Duang's relatives harvest the crop by hand. They cover themselves pretty much from head to toe.

The harvesters wear either boots or flip flops on their feet. The ground is only damp now so boots are not necessary. Long sleeved shirts with a jacket or sweatshirt. Knitted gloves are worn for grasping the rice stalks.

The people grasp a bunch of stalks in one hand and cut the stalk with a sickle about three feet below the rice head. The cut stalks are then laid down flat on the ground to form a golden ribbon. The harvested stalks will remain on the ground in the sun for three days. We will return on Monday to photograph the continuing harvest and to document the next step of the process.

After photographing the rice harvest at Duang's sister's farm we drove along the deeply rutted dirt road to where her cousin's were working on sugar cane. A month ago they had harvested this year's crop and burned the land. The ground was recently plowed and now has furrows about 12 inches deep and 3 to 4 feet apart running the entire length of the field.

Duang's cousins were planting the new crop. One group of people was carrying bundles of old dried sugar cane from their farm wagon and dumping them at points throughout the prepared ground. Once they had distributed several bundles of the cane along the length of a furrow, they took individual stalks of cane and laid them end to end at the bottom of the furrow. The cane was harvested one year ago, saved and dried in open air to be used for future crop.

Another cousin walked along the cane filled furrow sprinkling fertilizer into the trench. He was quite the sight and sound. He was all covered up as is typical for workers in Thailand. Thais are conscious about skin color and field workers take great efforts to cover up to keep from getting dark or darker. Many skin lightening cosmetics are sold to both men and women in Thailand. I wonder if Michael Jackson bought any of his skin lightener here. I knew which cousin he was because I saw him finishing his lunch when we arrived. Once he had his wide brimmed hat, sunglasses, and pakema in place I had no idea who he was. Over one shoulder he had a satchel of fertilizer. His satchel was made out of a half filled bag of fertilizer. Over his other shoulder he had used another pakema to suspend a boom box. As he walked along the furrows, he, as well as everyone else including some grazing cattle, was entertained mahlam lao (Lao Music) blaring at full volume.

We got back home at 4:30 PM not long before sunset. The days are getting shorter.

It is 10:00PM and the King has just lit the fire for his sister's cremation (it will take 5 hours to complete) - it is time for me to call it a night.