A study of local silk weaving wisdom to the creation of the performance of “Surin Silk Handicrafts” at Ban Tha Sawang, Muang District, Surin Province

Abstract

      The objectives were to : 1) study the local silk weaving wisdom of Ban Tha Sawang, Muang District, Surin Province; 2) create the inventive dance movements "Handicrafts of Surin Silk" from the local silk weaving process, Ban Tha Sawang, Mueang District, Surin Province. The qualitative research methodology was used to study the area of Chandrasoma Silk Weaving Group, Ban Tha Sawang, Muang District, Surin Province. The target groups were 30 cases of the local silk weaving wisdom groups, village scholars and villagers; aged between 50 -75 years old. The purposive sampling was selected from 1) 5 village scholars; 2) 3 community leaders; 3) 3 local silk weaving wisdom masters; and 4) 4 performing arts and folk music experts. The research tools were used through surveys, interviews, focus group discussions and data analysis were analyzed from photographs and created a traditional dance performance in the series of “Surin Silk Handicrafts”                                            The findings were revealed as follows :                             

1. Local silk weaving wisdom, Ban Tha Sawang, Mueang District, Surin Province Natural dyeing is a science of knowledge, has an important technique that has been in existence with traditional weavers for a long time with a long history. Most of the natural dyes are obtained from plants, bark, leaves and roots that produce different colors that are beautiful and unusual with the invention from local wisdom sages who have given knowledge passed on from the past to the present. The main color groups are: 1) The red group is obtained from the nest of lac; 2) The indigo or blue group is obtained from the indigo tree by using the roots and leaves of the indigo tree mixed with lime and water; 3) Yellow group can be obtained from the Maclura cochinchinensis Cornerthe heartwood, jackfruit heartwood, the wood and the bark of the Ma phut tree, etc. The process of dyeing silk with Ma phut tree has the following steps for dyeing silk as follows: 1) Soak the bleached silk in warm water or artificial soap for 10-15 minutes, twist the silk and twitch, then put it in the sun to loosen the silk threads; 2) Boil natural plant-based dyes with the coloring agent prepared in the pot, turn up the heat to heat the dye; 3) When the natural-colored boiling water starts to get hot at temperature 50 degrees Celsius, put all the silk into the dyeing pot; 4) While dyeing, turn the silk every 5 minutes to allow the color to penetrate into every part evenly. When the temperature of the dyeing pot is hot about 95 degrees Celsius, dye the silk for another 30-40 minutes; 5) Lift the silk threads to cool down, before washing with 2-3 clean water; and 6) Wring out the water until it is damp.               

2. The creative performance of the show was found that dancing invention series “Surin Silk Weaving Dance” from the local silk weaving process, Ban Tha Sawang, Mueang district, Surin Province. The researcher was inspired by local silk weaving wisdom, outstanding local wisdom of Surin Province by studying the process of silk dyeing process, silk weaving, which is an outstanding intellectual heritage of Surin Province that have been inherited from the ancestors to the present. The form of the performance is unique, according to the traditional Surin folk performance, divided into 3 phases, namely: Phase 1 : The history and way of life of the villagers: The dance postures are the mulberry leaf picking posture, the silkworm posture, and the silk threading posture. Phase 2 : Silk weaving process, namely : 1. Silkworm rearing posture; 2. Silk thread change posture; 3. Silk threading posture; 4. Silk spinning posture; 5. Silk thread insertion posture; 6. Shuttle insertion posture; and 7. Rigid heddle loom hitting posture. Phase 3 : Fun and joyful flirting of the Khmer young people who were finished from agricultural work. The postures are presented as follows: the inviting posture, the hugging posture, the love posture, and the teasing posture. Music and accompaniment were used the southern Isan Surin folk Kantruem band which were composed lyrics and melody by Isan heritage artists. There were 5 types of row variants: 1) The row in front of the zigzag board; 2) Upside-down V-shaped rows; 3) Double row depth; 4) Double row; 5) Triangle rows paired with men and women. Creation of the performance of the inventive dance “Surin Silk Handicrafts” combined the concepts and theories of inventive dancing with practice which will be a set of performances that could be further developed. It would be used as a medium to represent Surin local cultural identity, conservation and continuation of silk wisdom as well as public relations to disseminate local artisan wisdom in silk to be known in the social circles, local communities and the nation respectively.