Window to the past
Craving a glimpse of Bangkok peace in the good old days? A visit to the Khlong Bang Ramat community in inner Bangkok can help ease your need for nostalgia
- Published: 9/05/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Brunch
Walking along the narrow path by the waterways, you will immediately feel the warm welcome from the local residents of the Wat Jampa community in the Taling Chan district of old Bangkok.
We were there on a special day. Dessert stalls featuring all sorts of traditional sweets lined the walkways. A Thai-style performance was attracting a large crowd to the floating theatre. And many locals had transformed their canal-side homes into restaurants where visitors could savour local dishes and delicacies while admiring the scenic views by the cool canal. The festive atmosphere marked the local residents' pride in their neighbourhood's history and their desire to revive their culture by sharing it with visitors.
Located along Khlong Bang Ramat, the Wat Jampa community is sometimes called the Khlong Bang Ramat community. Set in the old part of Bangkok, the original Taling Chan residents settled there before Bangkok became the capital in 1782. Later the community was joined by an influx of Chinese immigrants from the Ayutthaya period up to the reign of King Rama VI (1910 to 1925) of the Chakri Dynasty. The population of Taling Chan also increased during World War II because the area was relatively safe.
WAT JAMPA: Various styles of ancient Thai architectural features at the temple.
Taling Chan was a showcase of the harmonious blend between the local Thai and Chinese cultures and architecture. For example, the farmers' ceremony to pay respect to deities is performed at Chinese New Year, while the Chinese shrines have adopted a local Thai look. The shrines were built according to ancient customs at the juncture of two canals. It was apparently a wise tactic to decrease boat collisions since boat drivers had to slow down to salute the shrine.
The community also had a man-made canal, Khlong Lad Jampa, which was dug to speed up the community's transport. Back then, everyone took part in digging the canal and even the children were asked to take some soil to school every day to help. The canal was initially a waterway to ship goods to Suphan Buri province. Now the canal helps taxi boats transfer goods to Pak Khlong Talat, or the flower market. The centre of the community is an island called Koh San Jao, which means shrine island. The shrine features two gods - Jao Por Jui and Jao Por Khum-kan. The good state of preservation of the shrine reflects the strength of the neighbourhood and a communality quite opposite to the each-to-his-own mentality that is prevalent in many other Bangkok communities.
LOCAL PLAY: Residents perform a play featuring Thai dance and music. PHOTOS: YINGYONG UN-ANONGRAK
Since the area is surrounded by canals, many residents still tend their fruit orchards, living in a traditional way in the high-tech metropolis of Bangkok.
One of the interesting arts of the Wat Jampa community is tang yuak, the art of carving the soft centre of banana trees, one type of traditional carving. It is used for the royal cremation ceremony as well as the cremation ceremonies of the ethnic Mon communities.
It is fast becoming a dying art, though. But one resident is determined to preserve it for the younger generations.
Carefully placing his blade on a banana stalk, Taweesak Wangchan, a local leader of the Wat Jampa community's culture preservation group, proudly demonstrates his craft for visitors.
"The knife used for tang yuak carving is specially made. The knife is a small size and has two flat sharp sides in order to best perforate the fresh banana stalk. The basis of carving the banana stalk is flipping the blade," he explained, adding that the craftsmen have to complete a tang yuak piece within 24 hours.
A ‘tang yuak’ artist carves a banana stalk.
While tang yuak is considered to be men's work - fruit and vegetable carving is done by women.
Mr Taweesak added that tang yuak craftsmen perform an annual ceremony to show respect for teachers. "We perform the ceremony for our human teachers, not god teachers as some people may think."
Born into a family of craftsmen, Mr Taweesak was impressed with his father's expertise.
"I stole my father's tang yuak knife to sculpt a basic pattern called 'lai fhun pla' [serrated pattern] and showed the piece to my father. That was when he started teaching me to carve," he recalled.
WORK OF ART: Traditional lattice work with intricate flower displays.
He was in primary school then. He continued to learn from his father until he could master the art of carving banana stalks, folding banana leaves and latticing flowers.
Mr Taweesak is one of the community leaders who are trying to revive the cultural heritage of his old area by forming clubs and organising local activities.
Growing more confident, the community now wants to follow the Koh Kret model by sharing their way of life, arts and local history with visitors. The move, he said, was supported by the district office of Taling Chan.
The cultural revival has also triggered new interest in the long-forgotten history of the Wat Jampa community. The research, said Mr Taweesak, has brought many surprises. One of them was the discovery of a ceremonial fence at the base of the main Buddha image at Wat Jampa.
MASTERPIECES: Tang yuak pieces completely decorated with other carving handiwork.
Although the community wants to promote tourism, this is secondary to the their goal of preserving their traditional way of life, culture and natural environment, he stressed, adding that tourism was just a tool to inject new energy to cherish and preserve the area's identity.
Supaporn Jindamaneeroj, an associate professor at the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University agreed. With her experience in helping old neighbourhoods and markets refashion themselves as cultural tourism sites, she stressed that the heart of the Wat Jampa community is its local history.
She also foresaw future problems if the community is not strong enough to counter the waves of visitors, and money, as happened in other places. The key to success, she said, is the bonds between people and a common determination to preserve their way of life.
If not, she cautioned, the original goal can easily be corrupted, and the original goal of preserving local traditions can become nothing more than a business venture, leading to the collapse of local culture. "The people at the Wat Jampa community should learn from other places' mistakes and make the right choice for their community," she added.
DETAILED: The intricate ‘bai sri’ made from banana leaves.
About the author
- Writer: Pinya Tantiwatana
- Position: Writer
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