BAGS OF CULTURE
AS THAILAND TRIES TO PHASE OUT ITS USE OF PLASTIC BAGS, PEOPLE ARE REDISCOVERING TRADITIONAL ALTERNATIVES
PLASTIC BAGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY YAAM OR OTHER CLOTH BAGS LONG AGO
With the launch of the government’s campaign to ban the use of single-use plastic bags, cloth bags have been brought back to the attention of the general public. In fact, cloth bags have been around for a long time but were largely overlooked.
Initially, the kind most commonly used in Thailand were yaam, cloth bags with a long shoulder strap. These are adaptable, multipurpose and easy to make. Carrying them over shoulder or cross-body allows you to move around freely, leaving your hands free to carry things or do something else.
In the past, Thai people used yaam extensively. When the men ventured into the forests to collect wild crops or hunt animals, they filled their yaam with foodstuffs and other essentials such as dried chilli, salt and matches.
Children in the countryside used yaam as schoolbags for carrying their books, stationery and lunchboxes. They are lighter, handier and more flexible than the bulky backpacks common nowadays. Moreover, yaam can be home-made and are very economical. Different hilltribes make their own specific style of yaam. The Karen people, for example, view yaam as an important symbol of their cultural identity. Whatever style of dress they put on, they always have yaam to match.
Yaam is considered part of Buddhist monks’ attire. You’ll only see monks without yaam when they are in a temple compound or when going to places very close to the temple.
As young people began to consider themselves more modern, educated and liberal, they adhered less to social norms and traditions. They started to adopt a more casual look, keeping long hair, wearing jeans, T-shirts, rubber sandals and, interestingly, carrying yaam. Some who followed this kind of fashion would wear all brand-name products with yaam specially made with elaborate embroidery.
Lao villagers in remote areas use yaam in impressive ways. They use them to carry groceries such as dried chilli, shallots, garlic, galangal and lemongrass. Natural material is adapted for packing fresh food. For example, bamboo strips are used to thread fish via the mouth and gills to form a bundle which can be carried conveniently. The bamboo strips can also be used with fresh vegetables.
Yaam are versatile and flexible. They are easy to clean and dry. The more times one is washed, the softer the fabric becomes. Many people fall in love with yaam and turn their backs on brand-name leather bags. Plastic bags should have been replaced by yaam or other cloth bags long ago. For the sake of convenience, the single-use plastic bags have been used to shocking excess. They have contributed to zillions of tonnes of non-degradable waste which has harmed our environment badly.
Another useful item that was almost forgotten is paa kao ma, or loincloth. In the past, when people in remote areas travelled into the woods, they adapted loincloths to use as hammocks or blankets when they slept. At mealtimes, they spread the loincloth on the ground as a mat. To bring home the wild herbs they had collected during the day, they rolled them in a loincloth, tied it tightly as a sack and carried it over their backs.
When they went out to work in the fields, they normally brought several loincloths with them. They wrapped one around their heads as a kind of hat, spread one on the ground as a mat and tied another with bamboo poles to form a shade. They also used a loincloth to wrap vegetables to bring back home.
When the men went to catch fish in the ponds or rivers, they changed out of their trousers and put on a loincloth. Both ends of the cloth were rolled and pulled up between the legs and tied at the waist to make improvised shorts for flexibility and safety.
The men also wore paa kao ma when bathing in a river. They used another piece as a towel. The wet one was then washed and hung to dry. The loincloth dried very quickly and would be ready by the time it was needed again, the following morning.
At the temple, the men used a loincloth to place offerings for monks or accepting things from monks. They did not offer or receive with their bare hands as a gesture of respect.
Loincloths were used with newborn babies. The parents would tie both ends of the cloth with two stilts erected on opposite sides to form a hammock for the babies to sleep during the day. It was body-hugging, soft, warm and comfortable for the babies. When it became old and worn, the paa kao ma would be used as a cloth for mopping the floor.
Paa kao ma are woven from cotton yarn, the patterns and colours indicating their origins. The Karen use red, orange and purple. People in the Northeast like bright, colourful patterns. At one time, Isan paa kao ma became fashionable and were made into clothing with a distinctive look. They were also used to make household items such as tissue boxes and cushion covers. Such popularity helped raise public awareness, and villagers could earn extra income from making loincloths for sale.
Fashion trends constantly evolve. The popularity of loincloths, especially among people in big cities, comes and goes, but they have remained a fixture in the daily life of people in the countryside.
Yaam and paa kao ma have always had a special value in Thai tradition. Their significance just depends on when the spotlight gets shone on them again.