The Umbrella Making Centre (Part one)

Popping back over to Thailand again!

We were lucky enough to visit the Umbrella Making Centre in Chiang Mai.

Hand made bamboo umbrella making at Borsang Village has been performed for over two centuries.  Formerly, villagers made only paper umbrellas for the purpose of offering them to monasteries on ritual occasions.

A display in the grounds of the
Umbrella Making Centre
depicting a monk carrying a paper umbrella
for ceremonial purposes

Their umbrellas became so widely known that the villagers developed methods to improve the quality and the uniqueness of them.
Years ago, villagers made each part of the bamboo umbrellas at home, especially during the post-harvest season and  their children learned the trade by helping their parents, in a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
During the past 50 years, the local area was confronted with a serious decline.  Similar to what has been happening to our smaller country towns, young people gravitated to the cities and so the traditional ways were quickly being lost.
The Umbrella Making Centre was established in 1978 by a local resident in order to retain the traditional and unique skills of handmade bamboo umbrella making.

By way of a Welcome to the Centre, we were invited to have something hand-painted.  I chose my recently purchased hat as the subject and was totally delighted with the result.

Design chosen. This skilled lady starts on a blank canvas hat

Within minutes, she creates a beautiful picture

Bit of a pause so that her work can be dried

I loved that MD suggested that perhaps my name (in Thai) be also put on the hat.  This charming lady was only too delighted to oblige.  

That's it, in red, in the photo below.

Here's the finished hat - a real work of art too isn't it.

I guess I've digressed from the umbrella-making, but we enjoyed every aspect of this Centre, so I'm including everything!

Now to start with the assembly line of construction of the various parts that make up an umbrella.

I would like to add that all the ladies were only too happy for their photos to be taken and shared. I always like to ask permission before snapping away.  

Here's a close-up of the previous picture

Even though totally engrossed in their work, these ladies were still chatting and singing away to each other and would beckon us to take a closer look.  

Each step in the process was incredibly hands-on and they were, justifiably, proud of their skills.

More later :D)