Pha Chok Mueang Long
History
Mueang Long is an ancient community that once served as an important outpost city south of the Lanna Kingdom. Historically known as Muang Chiang Chuen, it came under the rule of Ayutthaya and eventually became part of Nakhon Lampang. In 1931, it was incorporated as a district of Phrae Province.
In the past, Mueang Long was home to the Thai Yuan or Thai Yonok people, known for their distinct dress culture and weaving art. Thai Yuan women typically wore sarongs, made from materials such as cotton, silk, silver, and gold tinsel. Pha Chok Mueang Long, a woven fabric with beautiful patterns and colors, was often used to create the "sin" or the lower part of a sarong, referred to as "Sin Tin Jok." The sarongs, made with this intricately woven fabric, were considered symbols of wealth and social status. Evidence of this weaving tradition is found in the murals at Wiang Ta Temple in Long District, Phrae, depicting women wearing ancient patterned sarongs.
Patterns and Weaving Methods
"Jok" means digging or pulling. Weaving Jok involves pulling special weft threads up and down to create intricate patterns. This technique resembles embroidery, using additional threads at regular intervals without covering the entire width of the fabric. Traditionally, wood, porcupine quills, or fingers are used to lift the warp yarn, allowing the weaver to insert the special weft threads in alternating colors, creating complex, colorful designs.
The traditional Pha Chok Mueang Long features two main groups of patterns: floral patterns and continuous patterns. Some common motifs include paired birds drinking from a tree, floating junk, shadow bird (bird looking in the mirror), red ant leg, Kho Lai, Ma Khanat (pineapple), and eight-petal aster patterns. The continuous patterns include Phak Waen leaf, spider mite, Noi Tung Chai lantern, Kuchan water, betel nut, and flower bush patterns. Many of these patterns are inspired by nature—plants and animals—and geometric shapes, creating a beautiful fusion of culture and nature.
Characteristics of Tin Jok Sarong
The Sin Tin Jok Mueang Long is divided into three parts: the "Hua Sin," "Sin," and the "foot-sin." The Hua Sin uses white and red cloth together, while the main part of the sarong, or Sin, features a horizontal striped pattern called "Sinta Manao." The weaving style incorporates black and red warp threads, with contrasting colors in traditional tones to decorate the floral pattern. Yellow cotton silk is often used as the main color for the patterns. The patterns are concentrated on the upper half of the sarong, leaving the lower part plain in red.
Method of Weaving Tin Jok Cloth from Mueang Long
The word "jok" is derived from the Thai Yuan language, meaning "to pick." This refers to the weaving style that uses porcupine quills or sharp sticks to lift specific warp threads, creating the desired pattern. Historically, the weaving was done on a local loom, with porcupine quills or sharpened bamboo sticks used to lift the warp threads. The weaver then inserted colored silk threads to create the pattern. This intricate method required skill and patience, and each piece of fabric took a long time to produce.
Today, most weavers use a technique called "mud khao" to collect the pattern more efficiently. With this method, the weaver steps on the takho to lift the warp threads at once, making it faster and easier to insert colored silk threads. Additionally, the stored "Khao Phueum" pattern can be reused, simplifying the weaving process.
Usage
In the past, Mueang Long weavers made Pha Chok for personal use, such as shawls, bags, or as part of the "Sin Tin Jok" sarongs worn on special occasions. The fabric was also used in religious ceremonies, including sadhana cloths and Naga head coverings. Today, the applications have expanded, and Tin Jok fabric is used in a variety of styles depending on its intended use.
- Tin Jok: Used at the bottom of sarongs as the foot. It is typically woven to be about 10 inches wide and 70 inches long, but now is woven wider to form a full piece.
- Sabai Cloth or Shoulder Cloth: Narrow cloth, about 7 inches wide and 60 inches long. It has a central pattern, with edges made into ruffles, commonly used in traditional northern attire.
- Shawl: Approximately 18 inches wide and 60 inches long, developed as a blanket or shoulder covering. It is now often paired with northern traditional clothing and used for home decoration.
- Tape Cloth: Approximately 14 inches wide and 100 inches long, this cloth is woven with fewer patterns compared to sarongs and is often used as decoration or to enhance other garments.
Thank you for the source:
Thai Silk Wisdom
```