History of wickerwork

Product  Origin  ( Wisdom )

                                From  the  evidence  of  history  founded  that  wickerwork  has  been  used  for  around  4,000  years  shown  at  one  of  the  cave  in  amphur  srisawad  Kaarnjanaburi  province  and  believable  that  human  before  history  made  pottery  with  wickerwork  as  mold.  This  was  shown  the  ability  of  making  wickerwork  utensil  since  the  ancient  time.

                                Wickerwork  has been  developed  in  design , workmanship  and  benefit  for  long  time  till  now  covering  product  creativity  to  be  able  to  add – value  and  up – graded  as  good  income  career  and  built  up  admirable  reputation  to  the  community.

                                Well – known  wickerwork  handicrafts  like  bamboo – wickerwork  rattan  hycinth  are  majority  in  the  central  region . Others  wickerwork  like  li – pao  wickerwork  are  available  in  the  sounthern  part  of  the  country.

                                With  the  telling  of  villagers  mentioned  that  bangchaoshar – wickerwork  pioneer  maker  were  the  first  generation  of  ban – sarng – somruen  family  year  unknown  formerly  they  were  farmers discussed  what  they  should  do  for  pheir  spare – time .  Then they got  used of plenty bamboo into wickerwork for various utensil for own – use and been purchased by others villagers without traders Once the product became well – known production was increased to meet the demand resulted good income for better living

                                Later  traders came and bargained at pressed down price caused the makers gethering in group and negotiated with traders at a suitable win – win price.

Product’s concept

                                The  making  of  wickerwork  was  a  transferable  wisdom  from  grand – parent  generation  to later generation continuously and mostly utensil made for household use and for fishing. Later makers developed and innovated into many others products item such as utensil home decorative item and bag with own creation and skill trained by government supporting project for  up – grading product’s design beauty and value – added

Product’s  conservation

                                The  charm  of  culture  art  and  tradition  including  Thai  people’s  life style are strongly related into  a happy  living – together society  and  also  harmony  with  the  nature  and  environment.

                                Wickerwork  handicraft  will  be  a  good  sample  to  show – up  the  local  intelligence  wisdom  in  using  natural  material  applied  and  developed  into  daily – life  utensils  and  innovated  into  better  product  with  more  format  and  beauty  became  valuable  handicraft  art  to  be  conservative  forever  lasting.

Product’s  unique

·          Specific  format  with  90  line – level  ( others  makers  did  45  or  30 )

·          Natural  design  from  agricultural  textures

·          Own – design  ( Non – copied )

·          Handicraft  production  without  machine

·          With  highlight  and  beauty  unique  look

Pride

·          Became  local  symbolic  mentioning  wickerwork  means  bang – chao – shar

·          Used  local  material  for  value – added

·          Thai  unique  showing – up  local  wisdom

·          Showing  product’s  design  differentiative

·          Good – use  product and  good  trade  balance  in  using local  made  products

Life  relation

-          Happy  family  with  more  time  together

-          Pride  in  building – up  nation’s  reputation  increaser  income  and  better  life  quality  to  villagers

-          Better  mind – concentration  and  calm  down

-          Product  related  with  the  social  in  daily  living

Raw  material

-          Bamboo

-          Rattan

-          Water  hyacinth

-          Yan  li – pao

-          Reed

-          Kra – jood

-          Palm – leaf stick

Tools

-          Knife

-          Saw

-          Liad

-          End – shared metal stic. ( Hole maker )

Wickerwork  design

1.       Original – design

2.       Developed -  design

3.       Artificial – design

Design  Wickerwork

                                Wickerwork design  discovered  by  grandparents  suitable  for  strong  structure  with  durability  and  usage. Different  region  made  different  product’s  unique  and  feature  but  made  similar  first  step  designing  and  different  design  development  depends  on  each  local  wisdom   to  innovate  the  product  to  be  popular  and  meet  the  end  user’s  demand.

Wickerwork making method

Bamboo  selection

                                Yellow – bamboo  would  be  suitable  as  it  has  hardness  with  shinning  beauty  surface  and  not  keen  for insect  biting

                                Wickerwork  and  chisel  sharpening

                Figure  patter  of  the  chiseling  outline

1.       Standing  chisel  ( tork  tung )  short  and  flat  shape

2.       Whickerwork  chisel  ( tork  sarn )  Long  and  flat  shape

3.       Plai  in  round  and  Long  shape

Method  of  chiseling

1.       Puen  chiseling  partly  separate  the  bamboo  take  inner  layer  off  by  knife  sharpen  into  thin  smooth  flat  line  and  then  lay  it  down  for  sun  bath.

2.       Takaeng  chiseling  Same  process  as  step  1 , but  to  be  smaller  line  , make  it  smooth , and then lay , it down for sun bath.

3.       Plai  chiseling  Same  process  as  step 2 , but  make  in  round  line , same  size , smooth  sharpening  , and then  lay  it  down  for  sun  bath.

Wickering

                                Wickering   is  the  difficult  step  and  need  very  carefully  made . Starting  with  basement  by  two  standing  chisel  as  a  result   the  completed  bosket  will  has  a   small  basement  and  bigger  and  bigger  mouth.

                                Originally  was  a square – base  resulting  a  square  basket . Later  been  developed  into  a  beautiful  and  popular  octagon  design  with  Thai  design  or  person  name  as  required  and  co;oring  to  up  grade  the  price.

Smoking

                                After  completing  the  body. Smoking  should  be  done  on  the  day  without  wind  Til  the  wickerwork  became  yellow. Then  decorated with  rattan in  various  part  such  as  mouth  leg  ear  and  basement.

Crocheting  and  banding

                                Would  be  the  final  step  of  wickering  in  order  to  add  up  strength  and  beauty  with  rattan  especially  at  the  mouth , leg  and  ear  in  harmony  the  product’s  beauty  and  workmanship  consisting  in  5  types :

1.       Crocheting  and  banding  with  single  rattan.

2.       Crocheting  and  banding  with  three  rattan.

3.       Crocheting  and  banding  with  five  rattan.

4.       Crocheting  and  banding  with  seven  rattan.

5.       Crocheting  and  banding  with  nine  rattan.

Making  method  of  bamboo  wickering

                                Every  product  must  be  made  in  complicated  process  as  following

1.       Bamboo  selection  Fine  quality  of  bamboo  2 – 4  years  of  age , long  medium  sticky  free  from  insect.

2.       Bamboo  prepariration  for  wickering

-          Bamboo  cutting  according  to  length  of  product  wickering  and  avoid  making  scar  on  bamboo  surface.

-          Bamboo  skin  uncovering  incase  if  no  need  to  show  bamboo  skin  or  need  coloring  then  peel  off  with  knife  and  smooth  polishing  with  sand – paper  no.0

3.       Chiseling  2  method  of  “ Puen  chiseling”  and  “ taking  chiseling”

4.       Wickering  is  the  difficult  step  and  need  very  carefully  made.  Starting  with  basement  by  two  standing   chisel  as  a  result  the  completed  bosket  will  has  a  small  basement  and  bigger  and  bigger  mouth.

Originally  was  a  square – base  resulting  a  square  basket.  Later  been  developed  into  a  beautiful  and  popular  octagon  design  with  Thai  design  or  person  name  as  required  and  coloring  to  up  grade  the  price.

5.       Smoing  after  completing  the  body  should  be  done  on  the  day  without  wind  til  the  wickerwork  became  yellow.

6.       Decorating  with  rattan  The  smked – model  was  decorate  with  rattan  in  various  part  such  as  mouth  leg  basement  and  ear  by  using  a  hole  making  metal  stick.

7.       Shine  varnishing  wax  As  fifal  step  in  order  to  be  free  from  fungus  and  insect  As  a  result  for  It’s  beauty  and  durability.

Product’s benefit

-          used  as  utensils  and  home  deocorative  items

-          Making  good  income  to  handicraft  makers

-          Ideal  as  souvenior  items

-          Showing  up  local  wisdom  unique

Market place ( sales out let )

-          Bamboo  wickerwork  group , moo  8  Tambonbangchaoshar ,  amphur – pothong , Angthong province .Tel. ( 035 ) 644091

-          At  trode  exhibition  event  organized  by  government.

-          Angthong  good  product  distribution  center , amphur  muang , Angthong  province.