N 51     Continuation of Bamboo Artisan 

 

  The monk is not young. He may be about 70 years of age by now. He is a “ Lu “ man ( a tribe of Shan ) from the Shan –Thai border. He is aiming to weave 108 Buddha images .( The number 108 being a sacred number for Buddhists. )Out of this number he had finished over 70. He goes wherever people want to make a Buddha image, not asking for a price for weaving it , but accept what is offered to him only.

      

On hearing about this monk my mind started to wander. I asked what about weaving other things such as what people regard as art objects like the bamboo objects they make in Merng Naung . We are a people who doesn’t have much art skills. She said he can easily make them , even his assistants can do so. His assistants are also priests like him. I thought then he should pass his skills , his craftsmanship to the young generation. So they would not become extinct. She told me that he is ready to teach whoever wants to learn from him.

     Bamboo works are a  kind of craft the Shan people can master.Shan people don’t have much distinctive creation in art and craft. As I have mentioned above there is the bamboo weaving of Merng Naung, where they make objects like rice  or trinkets containers, and hats and khamouks for women. But the handiworks are crude and there are no new creations. There is the earthern ware of Merng Kaing. which are not much in use now. I don’t know if  the ironware of Som Taung , Kengtung which was mentioned in “Quiet Skies on Salween “ thriving or not. But I don’t think I will be wrong for what I said about we don’t have much skills in art and craft.

    

     

  But what the monk is doing can be called a work of art beside meritorious deed. He is a craftsman , an artisan. Young people from our creation lacking land should learn from him ,should take advantage of his skills and based on this skills should enhance this form of art and craft. If this craft flourish the livelihood of the Shan people will be better and they may contribute to the few craftsmanship that the Shan people already have.