Abstract:
This research is intended to study history of rattan handicrafts produced
In Baan Bu-Tom village, muang surin district, surin province in the aspect of
Production stages, materials used, forms of the baskets including a study of the process in handing down craftsmanship, marketing and economic roles of
rattan products, a trend to preserve a rattan basketry heritage, problem in
making rattan baskets and ways to their solutions.
The research was conducted by means of field data collection by carrying out in-depth interviews with the makers of rattan baskets from the past to the present.
The research findings showed that the origin of Baan Bu-Tom villages
rattan baskets began with Mr. Leeng Lertlum, Mr. Pun Kla-ying and Mr.
Liam Pasawat who brought with them a production method of rattan baskets
from the prison to introduce to people on the village. And their descendants or
cousins learned the craftsmanship from these three persons. When the people
of Baan Bu-Tom village moved to settle down in other villages, the craftsmanship of rattan baskets production could also spread to various villages such as Baan Koke-Trad and Baan Bor-Rom-Suk villages of Tambon
Ram, muang suin district ; Baan Sem and Baan Tanong villages of Tambon
Muang-Tee, muang surin district; Baan Tra-Sek of Tambon Samrong, muang surin district. Originally, the makers wove the rattan baskets with a four-sided
polygon, a round shape and an oval shape. Later on, the customers ordered the products to be woven into various shape like a six-sided polygon, an eight-sided polygon and a pumpkin-like shape. Concerning stages of weaving rattan
baskets and basket forms about which the apprentices would be taught, first the trainees would be taught how to weave a basket into a round-shaped one with one tier then weave a second tier on it. When they became skillful enough, they were free to weave their baskets into any shapes they liked. Basket weaving is first started from the base then bending the upsetts, making
a basket border and handles, the basket makers must select and prepare smooth rattan canes to be used as weaving materails. The most skilled basket
makers in Baan Bu-Tom village who used to be awarded a national level runners-up prize are Mr. Sudtai Kla-ying and Mrs. Kanya Chindasri respectively. The villagers of Baan Bu-Tom village earned more incomes following an active promotion of rattan basketry. They earned even more when the muang surin accelerated rural development office formed a housewife group called Baan Bu-Tom village basketry group. Based on the
available data, rattan basket making, on average, earned the village of Baan
Bu-Tom village 1,200 1,600 bath a month. In each month, 10-15 pieces of
basketworks were sold. At present, Baan Bu-Tom villages rattan baskets sell
so well than the production does not meet the customers demand. So rattan basket weaving of the people of Baan Bu-Tom village has become an occupation supplementing their rice farming as a motto reading rice farming
is a main occupation, basketry is a supplementary one.
So the handicraft of this kind should be preserved by encouraging the
people of later generation to see its importance and learn the craft. Other than this, the forms and quality of the basketworks should be developed in accordance with the market demand. However there are a lot of problems to be solved in encouraging the villagers management of rattan basket weavers group, an ineffective support from the government agencies.