Bor Sang Umbrella and Sankampaeng Handicraft Festival
Date : 15 - 17 January 2010
Venue : Bor Sang village, Chiang Mai
Bor
Sang, on highway 1006 heading east from Chiang Mai, appears to be a
typical sleepy rural village, the kind the tour bus speeds by giving
you just a fleeting glimpse of its two-storey wooden houses. But
hidden in the tiny lanes, villagers have perfected a craft that creates
the country’s most famous umbrellas.
For
more than 100 years, the village has been associated with the
production of umbrellas made from Saa paper derived from mulberry tree
bark. According to local history, a monk travelled to neighbouring
Myanmar, where he came across Saa paper umbrellas that offered
protection against both the sun and rain.
He
returned with the production technique and introduced the umbrella to
the elders of Bor Sang village, who added their own artistic skills to
create a distinctive colourful, but very practical, umbrella. At first
it was just a profitable hobby that supplemented the villagers’
earnings from the annual rice crop. However, with time production of
the Saa paper umbrellas prospered, prompting villagers to establish a
handicraft cooperative in 1941 that now organises the annual festival.
Using silk and cotton, weaved at neighbouring Sankampaeng, villagers
eventually added a second line of umbrellas decorated with images of
the north, its flowers and birds, all intricately hand-painted.
Today, Bor Sang village exports both Saa-paper and silk umbrellas.
They are seen at trade shows in a variety of sizes, from giant parasols
that offer a shady canopy from the sun, to miniscule variations that
adorn popular cocktail drinks.
To
celebrate success the village hosts a three-day festival every January.
Streets are illuminated by lanterns, while hundreds of umbrellas are
hung from the rafters and beams of houses and shops. Bands play, while
villagers compete to design the year’s most attractive umbrella.
Concerts, a food festival and beauty contest all compete for the
attention of the audience, a mix of both tourists and residents, who
gather here to celebrate Bor Sang’s innovative handicraft skills.
Throughout the year, tourists visit the village, a short 6 km drive
from Chiang Mai, to buy umbrellas and study the process and skills that
go into making a handicraft entirely from natural products. But
nothing quite compares with the buzz that permeates the village during
this colourful three-day handicraft festival, every January. It is a
scene that represents village hospitality and charm at its very best.
For more information TAT Chiang Mai Office, Tel. 66 (0) 5324 8604, 5324 8607, 5324 1466
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