The Garlic Workers of Ban Nai Soi

After our visit with the Monk who lives in a cave, we stopped at  Tham Pla Forest Park (Fish Cave).  We did not stop to see the fish.  We stopped to eat and drink.  Over the years of traveling throughout the world I have developed some rules that help make travel more pleasant.

One of the rules is "Go to the bathroom where you can".  The best time to go to the bathroom is when you find proper facilities or what you suspect are the best facilities for the remainder of the day.

Another rule is to "Eat where you can".  The best time to eat is when you find a place that meets your expectations or at worse, your minimum standards.  This helps to reduce the number of times that you may be forced to compromise.

Following the second rule dictated that we stop at Fish Cave.  We had eaten there four years ago and enjoyed the variety as well as the quality of the food.  Once again on this trip we were shocked at how few tourists there were.  We ended up eating at the same food stall that we had enjoyed our meal on the previous trip.  There were only three other people at the stall and roughly a total of 5 others at the other food stalls.  The owner of the food stall remembered us from our previous visit when we had spoken with her for about an hour.  In talking to her this year, we found out that tourism is down significantly starting about three years ago  After a relaxing lunch of sticky rice, grilled pork ribs, and a coconut water/sugar cane soft drink, we left and continued north to hopefully achieve another objective of this trip.

Duang Helping With the Garlic Harvest - 01 April 2009

Four years ago we had witnessed porters carrying bunches of garlic from the field, across a bamboo bridge, and up a hill to store them alongside the road to be picked up by trucks.  We followed the porters on their return trip to the garlic fields - down the rather steep hill, across a flowing stream using a rickety bamboo bridge, and across the dry rice paddies to where a crew of men and women were harvesting garlic.  It was very interesting and I wrote a blog about our experience.  http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/maehongson-april-1-2009.html 

The Garlic Porter - 01 April 2009

One of my objectives this year was to revisit the area and photograph the people harvesting the garlic.  We had checked with the staff at our hotel, and they had informed us that the garlic harvest had concluded.  We had seen many pick up trucks stacked 10 feet high above beds with bundles of garlic, so I expected that there were some activities associated with the harvest still ongoing.  It is always good to ask around for information but in the end the decision has to be your decision as to what YOU will do.  The information from the hotel was valuable in that we knew not to expect a great deal of opportunities for photographs of people working in the fields.  Undeterred we set out for the fields along Highway 1285 on the way to Ban Huai Phueng.  We spotted some motorbikes parked along the road  and a very large square mound of garlic - a definite sign that people were working down in the fields.  Down and some distance from the highway people were working.

I parked the truck a little further down the road to ensure our safety as well as others along the narrow road. I walked alone to scout out the area down the dirt road that lead from the garlic pile to a bamboo bridge that crossed the same stream that we had encountered four years ago.  Tentatively I climbed up the wide pace rungs that brought me to the bridge.  From my vantage point on the bridge I could see people working the fields.  Pleased and excited at this discovery, I returned to the truck to get my camera gear and Duang.

Porters Bringing Garlic to the Highway

We were soon joined by some of the workers transporting garlic bunches suspended from both ends of  bamboo pole balanced on their shoulder.  One of the people appeared to be the big boss and commenced to be a great model for me, sitting on the garlic mound and redistributing the bunches on top of the mound.

The Big Boss

More Garlic for the Pile

After talking with the people along the roadside, we walked down the dirt road and crossed the bridge to where the other workers were loading up bamboo poles with garlic bunches.

More Garlic to Be Hauled Across the Bridge

We had apparently arrived at the worker's lunch break, because after photographing for a while all the workers walked across the bridge to a small raised hut that dot the fields of Thailand.  These raised huts are constructed of timber and have thatched roofs.  The huts provided shelter from the sun during breaks, and are the locations where the workers eat their meals.

One of the Garlic Workers Prepares and Serves Lunch

Curious as to what was going on I wandered over to the hut.  I was immediately offered a cup of cool water from the communal water jug.  In the 95 to 100F heat, I definitely needed a drink and gratefully accepted their hospitality.  Duang caught up with us at the hut.  We were offered to share their lunch but since we had already eaten earlier, we thanked them and declined.  I may be going out on a limb but I do not believe that anyone would go hungry or thirsty in  rural Thailand.  The people are all too willing to share their food and drink; even with strangers.

Workers Eat Lunch With Fresh Banana Leaf "Tablecloth"

As I wandered about taking photos and the workers ate their meal, there was a very animated as well as loud exchange between Duang and the workers.  As much as we were interested in their lives, they were interested in our life - especially about Duang's experience living in America.  This is typical of all our travels, people are curious and interested in others; especially those who obviously have come from far away.  I suspect that these workers in a secluded area of Thailand and out in their fields have not encountered too many foreigners let alone to be able to speak with them for much time.  Our stops along the roads and streets of Southeast Asia often last one hour or more - better opportunities to understand what we are witnessing and to share our experiences with others.

A Worker Crosses the Bamboo Bridge

We left the workers and continued our trip to Ban Huai Phueng.  We encountered some soybean workers further up the road and spent two hours with them - or rather I spent two hours with them while Duang rested in the truck.  As I was returning to the truck she was coming down the trail looking for me.

During our last visit in 2009, we discovered a large open barn where garlic bunches were hung at multiple levels to dry.  Several workers were also working in the field adjacent to the barn which made for some nice photographs - photographs that hoped to replicate during this trip.  I was not exactly sure where the barn was.  Fortunately when we stopped at the Fish Cave to eat there was a loaded pick up truck of garlic.  I had Duang question the driver about the garlic barn.  Although we didn't remember the exact location, we were able to give him a very good description of it.  Without any hesitation, he told Duang that it was in Ban Nai Soi.  I remembered seeing the signs for the road to Ban Nai Soi so on our way back to Mae Hon Song, we took a side trip to Baan Nai Soi.

The Garlic Barn of Ban Nai Soi - Late Afternoon April 03, 2013

We found the garlic barn without any difficulty.  Unfortunately, the field next to the barn had not been used this year - it was just a mass of dry weeds.  I got out to photograph the garlic barn and noticed that a large area in front of the barn was covered with garlic stalks laid in orderly rows.  A man came along and Duang talked to him.  She told him of our wish to take photos of people working the garlic harvest.  He told her that the next morning starting at 8:00 A.M. he would have people working at the barn.  We thanked him and promised him, or maybe we warned him, that we would return the next morning.

Workers Tying Garlic Stalks Into Bundles

We returned to the barn in Ban Nai Soi the next morning and found several Shan workers squatting on the ground gathering stalks of garlic and tying them into bundles using strips of bamboo that had been soaked in water to make them flexible. I am often amazed and impressed in the ability of local people here in Southeast Asia to utilize and incorporate readily available and cheap materials into their work.

Under Smoky Haze, Shan Woman Bundle Garlic In Ban Nai Soi

I was thrilled to achieve another one of the objectives for this trip - much to the amusement of the workers.  They were quite amused and entertained as I crouched and squatted amongst them getting different angles and perspectives to photograph their toil.  My antics and sharing some of the photographs with them put them more at ease and consequently better photographic subjects.

Some of the women had yellow faces.  They were not suffering any type of liver failure or disease that I was aware of.  Rather than suffering liver failure, they were wearing  the traditional Myanmar make up called "Thanaka" or "Thanakha".  Thanaka is a yellowish white paste made from ground up tree bark.  Men and women in Myanmar (Burma) use it as a sunscreen, perfume, and refresher for their exposed skin.  Some women press a leaf into the paste on their cheeks to make a pretty leaf patterned stencil print.

A Shan Woman With Thanaka On Her Face

Shan Workers Amused by a Foreigner

We left the garlic barn to continue our quest for the day to achieve more objectives of this trip.

Songkran - Bone Washing

Showing Respect to and Elder Relative in Isaan

Songkran is a very special holiday here In Southeast Asia.  Most people outside of the region may know about it being the "Water Festival", a time when massive crowds gather in metropolitan areas and wage all out water wars.  International television networks every year broadcast clips typically of Bangkok or Chiang Mai of water drenched people, many of them tourists and many of them drunk. dancing about in a hedonistic frenzy.  I know much of what I have just written, for I was one of them, just once, in Pattaya seven years ago.

Just as Christmas has been hijacked with little regard for its origin and original intention, so to a large extent has Songkran, especially so in the metropolitan regions.

I am fortunate now in that I have a Thai family, a very large and extended family that lives in small villages amongst the rice paddies of Isaan.  I have the opportunity and take advantage of the opportunity to experience the more traditional Songkran in a rural and more intimate atmosphere.  There have actually been some instances this year where Songkran has come to Duang and me.

A Three Year Old Visitor Presents Me With A Pumalai Offering

Twice in the past week family members have come to our home for their young children to pay their respects to Duang and me.  The children ranging in age from 1-1/2 to 4 years old kneel before each of us, bow and present us with floral arrangements called pumalai.to show their respect.  Duang wishes them good luck and good fortune.  Since I don't speak their language, I say "Thank You" in Thai and give them hugs and kisses.   They seem to understand. Growing old is inevitable and can not be avoided, however it sure can be pleasurable with traditions such as this.

Getting Old Has Its Advantages

I have long believed that situations do not develop or events occur unto themselves or in a vacuum.  There are precursors to all situations and events that if we are aware are readily apparent.  If we are not fully aware at the time, we can go back later and connect the dots that lead up to either the event or situation that we are now experiencing.  This year's Songkran experience for me is no exception.

Songkran besides being a time for huge water fights in the cities is a time for people to clean their homes.  Tahsang Village was no exception.  The clutter and debris of front and most back yards in the village was gone.  The local government had arranged for trucks to haul away the items that had been thrown out but never removed over the past year.  Songkran is a time for cleaning; cleaning many things.

Songkran is also a time to demonstrate respect for elderly people, especially family members.  Family member from far and near unite in the villages to pay respect to elderly people by kneeling before them, presenting them offerings of jasmine flowers, pumalai, and cash.  The younger people then pour cool scented water over the out stretched hands of the elderly while wishing them good luck and good fortune.  The elderly accept and reciprocate by thanking the younger people, wishing them good luck as well as fortune , and often rub their wet cooler hands on the face, neck or head of the younger people.

Songkran is also the time when Buddhists in Southeast Asia make merit by pouring water over statues of Buddha to cool and cleanse them.  Smaller statues of Buddha are set up on highly decorated tables of flowers for the people of all ages to walk by and reverently pour water over each statue.

This Songkran I also experienced a combination of Tamboon Roi Wan and Tamboon Jaak Khao, "Bone Party" special merit making ritual for the spirits of family members who had been cremated. One aspect of the Bone Party was merit making ritual involving bone fragments placed inside of small metal chedis,  After the ritual concluded the chedis are kept in the family home.  The bone relics are kept in the home for one Songkran and upon the second Songkran a special ritual takes place when the bones are washed prior to internment in a large family chedi on the Wat grounds.

Yesterday there was a "Bone Washing" ritual for members of Duang's family at the Wat inside of Tahsang Village.  I was fortunate to be able to attend and experience the ritual - another dot that connected the progression of life in this world with the spirit world.  In this case it is a dot that is associated with Songkran - another connection to family, cleaning as well as respect for the elderly (deceased).

"Rocketman" Pouring Water Into Metal Chedis Containing Bone Fragments

The "Bone Washing" ritual commenced with the head Monk of the Wat pouring water into each of the three chedi which contained bone fragments.  The tray, a common metal tray used for serving food, upon which the chedis were placed was then removed from in front of the Monks by a male family member and placed on the floor of the Sala.  The tray was placed in front of the family members and behind the offerings of drinking water and toiletries that would be presented as later part of the ritual.

Family members, one by one, poured water into each of the chedis that contained the bone fragments.  Soon the chedis were overflowing with the water.  The water flowed gently over the chedis and was contained by the metal tray.  Bone fragments floated to the top of each chedi but did not spill out of the metal containers because of the care and diligence of the people pouring the water.

After the family members had completed pouring water over the bone fragments, the excess water contained by the metal tray was carefully transferred into a plastic insulated cooler that you often see in fields and homes throughout Isaan - for drinking water.

The tray was now placed to the right of the assembled offerings to the Monks and in front of the family members.  The three metal chedis were placed upon the metal serving tray once again and the bone washing ritual appeared to transition into a typical merit making ritual - a ritual performed every day throughout Thailand.

Offerings Being Made to the Monks

Pouring Water Allows Merit to be Transferred to the Spirits, Trays of Food and Drink Nourish the Spirits

Cotton String (Siesein) Connects the Spirit World to Our Present World

A cotton string, called a siesein, was unrolled and placed over the laps of the Monks, across the Sala floor, and laid across the offerings as well as all of the metal serving trays.  The string remained in place until chanting by the Monks was completed at which time the string was rewound on to it bobbin and returned to its storage location on the special area where Monks sit

At the conclusion of the merit making ritual with the Monks, the family members gathered the plastic cooler along with the tray of the chedi and climbed down the stairs of the Sala to the ground level.  A few steps brought the group to the perimeter wall of the Wat complex.  There were several large Chedi placed upon various concrete tiled bases.  Each chedi was for a different family and contained interned bones of their ancestors.  Poorer families, or rather families who can not yet afford a proper sized chedi, have smaller chedis or in some Wats the bones are stored inside of sealed niches in the wall.

The family chedi had the upper access port had been removed in anticipation of storing the bone fragments that had just been washed.  This was apparently in error.  Lacking a hammer a young man picked up a rock and used it to remove the cement seal around a lower access port.  Apparently the upper chamber of the chedi is reserved for the most senior members of the family.  These bones were of younger people so they had to be interned at the lower level.

Breaking the Seal of the Lower Chamber

Interning the Bones In Family Chedi

After the bones had been placed inside of the chedi, the port was placed back into position.  A senior aunt of the family washed the chedi with the bone washing water that had been placed in the blue plastic insulated container.  Out of concern for the future use of the container I asked Duang about what would happen to the container.  She assured me that it would not be used for drinking water but the Monks would use it for water in the rituals.

As I prepared to walk back to Duang's parents home in the village, Duang pointed out a gathering of Monks and people at a different location along the Wat perimeter wall.  In front of two identical chedi another family was participating in a bone washing ritual.

Duang informed me that there had been many more bone washing rituals the previous day.

Like many events and situations in life, Songkran is much more complex and different from what it may initially appear to be.  It often takes time and and patience to better understand what is happening.  Often it requires an open mind to get beyond the blatant demonstration of hedonism so prevalent today to commence to better understand the significance and beauty of the world about us.

With better understanding and a true appreciation of the events and situations, we are able to see how they really are all connected.

The Monk Who Lives In A Cave

On Wednesday, after photographing the young boys being transformed into Sang Long, we set off to achieve another one of OUR objectives for this trip to Maehongson.

While on my first trip to Maehongson in October 2006, I visit and met with a Monk who lived in a cave.  Although he spoke no English, we seemed to have made a connection and a certain bonding.  He gave me a blessing and sprinkled water over my head to wish me good luck and good fortune.  He also placed a red string necklace that had a solid cylinder, created by tightly rolling up copper foil, hanging from the red string.  For the remainder of my trip in October and to this day my life has greatly changed and I have experienced "good luck" and the good fortune of being happy.  I do not believe that all this is attributable to our first encounter however I do cherish what I consider to be a shared experience from our first visit.

The Monk's cave is on the right hand side of Highway 1095 about 17 km north of Maehongson in the Pha Suea National Park just before "Fish Cave" (Tham Pla Forest Park).  Fish Cave is a water filled cavern where hundreds of large carp like fish live.  The shade of the forest and tall limestone craggy hills along with the coolness created by the cold water of the stream flowing out of the cavern make a stop at Fish Cave refreshing as well as interesting. As you enter the park there are also many food stalls where you sit and drink prtected somewhat from the heat and sun of the day.

On all of my subsequent three visits to Maehongson, I have made it a point to drop by and visit the Monk.  I bring him bottled water and make an offering to him to help with his living expenses.  The Monk has remembered me each visit.  Although he does not speak English and I speak neither Thai or Lao to hold a meaningful conversation with anyone older than two years of age, we have been able to communicate through either a guide for the first two visits or Duang on the other visits.

On my first two visits, the Monk actually lived in the small cave.  Outside of the cave he had a vestibule with a corrugated metal roof and tiled concrete floor where he received visitors.  It was in his vestibule where you made merit and received his blessings.  Outside of his cave there were several statues of Buddha set against the craggy hill side that he maintained.

On Duang's first visit with me to the Monk, he had converted the vestibule to a walled in living quarters underneath a large rock overhang from the hillside.  There was also a door and lock on the Monk's living quarters - a reaction to some previous vandalism.  The cave where he had lived before was converted to a shrine which could only be accessed through his living area.

During our last visit, four years ago, I was invited by the Monk to go into the cave shrine.  We had arrived at his once a day meal and a local boy was in the living quarters area cooking food for the Monk.

Duang was just as enthusiastic as I was to visit the Monk this year.  Just as in our previous visits, he remembered us.  But there were many visible changes since our last visit.  The local boy has gone away.  The Monk now was running a noisy gasoline generator to have lighting.  The Buddha statues were now surrounded by fairly heavy vegetation perhaps partly attributable to a diminished effort by the Monk to keep the relentless push by nature at bay.

The Monk looked older and more frail than on our last visit.  His hearing was also much worse.  However his kindness was as great as ever.  He was also sharing his quarters with two dogs.

As he spoke with Duang, I photographed him in the natural sunlight that streamed in through an opening in the wall of his vestibule to the cave.  The Monk was very interested to see the results of my efforts to photograph him.  Since I now shoot exclusively digital, I could easily share with him unlike the first visit when I was using film.

The Monk rummaged through his things and pulled out a digital camera.  It was a nice camera but he explained to Duang that he had dropped it and was now having problems with it.  He asked if I could see if I could get it to work.  The camera started up without a problem and requested that the date and time be set-up.  About 5 seconds into setting up the date, you never got to the point of setting the time, the camera would shut down.  I tried several times without success to get the camera to function.  I returned the camera to him and he said that he would bring it to town some day to see if it can be fixed.

After we made merit, we were blessed by the Monk.  Part of the blessing ritual is to be sprinkled over the head with water.  I believe that we got a special blessing - he used up all the water in a special bowl to sprinkle our heads several times.

Monk Holding Bottle of Special Soap

The Monk then gave us each a special amulet that he had made.  The amulets were a sort of Buddhist version of a St Christopher's medal.  They appeared to be made out of metal and had the pressed image of Standing Buddha on the front. The Monk then handed me two bags of material that he uses to make the amulets and had me smell the contents of one of the bags.  It appeared to me that the bags contained clay and perhaps a type of binder such as epoxy.  The bag that I smelled had a very pleasant mild floral type perfume odor. There was an involved discussion between the Monk and Duang about what she needed to do with the object.  He was telling her about how she needed to use some special water that he went outside and brought back to her in a soda bottle.  This water may be special but it e=was definitely not drinking water.  It looked like it had come from the Black Lagoon.  It was dark and had a great deal of suspended things in it - perhaps run off from the rocks above.  Any how she was to take the objects and bathe them in the special water to which special scented liquid soap had been added.  I was familiar with the special scented liquid soap - it is kind of like liquid Castille soap that is added to water that is sprinkled on the corpse during the cremation ritual at funerals.  The small bottles are often included in offerings of toiletries made to Monks.

We said good bye to the Monk and were off to achieve other objectives for the day... but that was not the last that we saw of the Monk who lives in a cave.  But that is another story for another day.

It had been a very good visit.  Yes, many things had changed.  It was yet another lesson and reminder that life is change, change that we can neither avoid or control.  It was also a lesson that we can control how we react to change and that despite change we still can be happy.  Not bad and it was still before Noon.

Poi Sang Long Festival - Wednesday 03 April 2013

A Young Shan Boy Being Transformed Into A Sang Long

Wednesday 03 April was the official start of the 2013 Poi Sang Long Festival in Maehongson.  we had arrived the day before not only to witness the shaving of the young boys heads in the late afternoon. Another reason that we had arrived in Maehongson the day before the official start of the festival was to be able to get a good night's sleep albeit a short night for the early morning activities of the next morning.

From our previous attendance of Poi Sang Long in 2009 and in talking with some of the families during the head shaving ceremony that the boys along with their families would return to the Wat at 5:00 A.M. to prepare for the morning procession through the town.  Preparing for the first day of the festival procession involves applying make-up to the boys face, dressing them in splendid silk garments, gold jewelry, and fancy floral crowns. At the conclusion of the process, ordinary Shan boys have been transformed into "jeweled princes" (Sang Long) reminiscent of Buddha's son, the first Monk, Prince Rahula.

Young Shan (Thai Yai) boys becoming ordained as Novice Monk is a life milestone for them as well as for their family.  Just as with a wedding, this celebration is a grand opportunity and to a certain extent, an obligation for the family to exhibit their success or at least their perceived prosperity. Boys are typically ordained when they are between 9 and 14 years old.  The rite is often deferred until the family has saved or borrowed sufficient money to do it "properly"  The ornate silk clothing that the boys wear is expensive and often fabric is imported from nearby Southeast Asian countries to ensure an expected level of opulence.

Besides the expenses associated with transforming a son into a "jeweled prince", there are costs for the food and drinks for guests to the family home.  There are also the costs of offerings that are made to the Monks.  Family members wearing their finest new traditional Shan clothing also participate in the processions of the festival.  It all makes for a splendid and unique display of Shan culture.

Having been informed that the boys would commence to have their make-up applied and donning their costumes at 5:00 A.M., I decided that we would get to the Wat at 4:00 A.M. to ensure that we would not miss out on anything.  We woke up at 3:30 A.M. to prepare and get to the Wat at my desired time.  Duang is very supportive of my obsessions and never complains about some of our early morning departures in pursuit of photographs. Wednesday was no exception.  Overcoming some difficulties of finding Wat Hua Wiang in the early morning darkness, we arrived at the Sala at 4:15 A.M. By 4:30 the Sala was filled with the 26 boys, their families, television crews, photographers, and about 10 foreign tourists.

Lipstick Is Adjusted Using Finger Tips

One of my main objectives of this trip was to photograph and hopefully capture some of the magic involved in transforming typical young boys into special Sang Long (jeweled princes).  Four years ago I had photographed the process but this year I had a more capable camera that allows me to shoot at a higher ISOs with less noise.  I also had equipment this year to take my flash off the camera and to reduce the harshness of the light created by the speed-lite   Perhaps more importantly I have developed some new techniques to further define my style in these situations.  In the four years since our last visit, Duang also has a new digital camera and has worked on her techniques too.

Unlike four years ago, men were more involved in the application of make-up.  Although many mothers, sisters, and aunts applied the make-up, several fathers and I assumed brothers more than held their own in their proficiency.  Once the lipstick, eyeliner, eye shadow, glitter, and foundation were applied, the family assisted the boys to put on their special clothing.  Once again men were deeply involved in this process.

An Older Brother Dresses His Younger Brother

Father Dressing His Son

Aside from the make-up and elaborate clothing, the transformation into a Sang Long involves adorning the young boys with gold, jewelry  and imitations of those precious items.  After all, every Prince needs to have their bling-bling. Mothers, sisters, and aunts loan their valuables to the boy for him to wear during the festival.

A Father Prepares to Place A Necklace Around His Son's Neck

Family Jewelry Placed on Sang Long

The preparation of the Sang Long is completed with the placing of a very intricate and colorful floral crown.

Dressed and Ready

After all the boys had been prepared, they lined up in two rows once again facing the senior Monk and a large statue of Buddha.  A ritual of chanting both by the Senior Monk and the boys was performed.

Sang Long Participating In Early Morning Ritual

Chanting Along With the Other Jeweled Princes

At the conclusion of the ritual in the Sala, the boys were then hoisted upon the shoulders of their father, older brothers, uncles, or in some cases hired men to be carried outside to wait for the start of the morning procession.  For the remainder of the festival the boys would no longer walk or stand.  They would be carried about.

Outside of the Sala, bands of cymbals and drums beat out a repetitious staccato beat.  Some of the men carrying boys broke out into spontaneous dance.  Women dressed in colorful fine clothing milled about waiting for the start of the morning's procession through the downtown area.

Let the Procession Proceed!

As the procession set off, Duang and I returned to our truck for there were other objectives to try to accomplish on this trip.  The day was still very young and we had places to go and hopeful many people to meet along the way.