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Phra Bat Huai Tom Community, Lee District, Lamphun Province
Phra Bat Huai Tom Community, Na Sai Sub-district, Lee District, Lamphun Province, was officially established in B.E. 2514 under the colonization of Sakor Karens and Pow Karens from Tak Province,Chiang Mai Province and Mae Hong Son Province, who strictly believe in Buddhism and migrated by following “Kruba Wong” and finally lived in this area.
Apart from being the community leader, Kruba Wong was also a prototype of Karens in the community, especially lifestyle. In the beginning period of community establishment, the villagers constructed their house composing parts tied together with rattan, made of bamboo, house’s walls lean for wind resistance and having smoke from stove to prevent termites and insects, which is the original intellect. The name of “Sakor Karens” means people having simple and unambitious life. These villagers strictly live their life based on Buddhism principles without persecution of others, take vegetarian food without meats, do not feed animals for selling and do not kill animals for sacrifice.
The clothing style of Sakor Karens also reflects culture, belief and character of people in this tribe. Males will wear shirt and sarong, while single females will wear white-colored long dress and married females will wear blouse and tube skirt. The dominant characteristic of shirt or blouse is that both front part and back part are same showing the sincerity both in front of other people and behind their back and white color expresses the purity.
In the past, Phra Bat Huai Tom Community lived in the national park. However, in B.E. 2518 – 2533, the King Rama IX had conferred the land to belong to Karens and established Phra Bat Huai Tom Royal Project Development Center, Na Sai Sub-district, Lee District, Lamphun Province, to drive the philosophy of sufficient economy to form in this area by supporting the community to take care forest, building the reservoir, promote the joint gardening and plantation, the plantation of foreign-breed mangoes, the demonstrative plantation of herbal crops, accommodation including blacksmith group, back strap weaving group and silverware handicraft group which all clearly reflect the real self of Karens.
The Karens in Phra Bat Huai Tom Community expertized in making silverwares by designing the necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings with their own patterns both pattern imitating surrounded nature, such as flowery pattern, insect pattern, fish pattern and other fashionable patterns. Besides, hand-woven fabrics are also applied in various forms of products such as Karen pattern phasin (sarong), kitbag, table cloth, hand-sewing blouse, clearly reflecting themselves and community lifestyle.
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