The Value of Woven Fabrics of the Phu Thai towords Buddhism Champhone District, Savannakhet Province, the Lao People's Democratic Republic

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the history of weaving of the Phu Tai tribe; Champhone District, Savannakhet Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic, 2) to study weaving for using in Buddhist rituals of the Phu Tai tribe. Champhone District, Savannakhet Province Lao People's Democratic Republic, and 3) to analyze the values of woven fabrics of the Phu Tai tribe, Champhone District, Savannakhet Province, The Lao People's Democratic Republic. It is a qualitative research by interviewing 20 key informants and analyzed data using content descriptions. The results were as follows: 1) History of weaving of Phu Tai tribe of Champhone has been inherited for at least 200 years since the long settlement to the present day. In the past, the weaving process in Champhone used natural fibers such as silk and cotton. It was passed from mother to daughter. 2) The Phu Tai people weave cloths to give to the monks in the merit making festivals and according to the occasion worthy of giving alms. Giving cloths is highly regarded as a great accumulation of merits. While weaving, there needs more endevour in accumulating merits. Giving cloths is a kind of material gift. Weaving is also local learning space. 3) For the values of woven fabrics, they can be divided into 5 aspects: 1) religiously value, the woven fabrics are presented as the offerings to dedicate to the Buddha, to be covering fabrics of the Buddhist manuscripts, and to be robes for monks in a monastery, 2) learning value, it is the sarong-weaving culture well preserved by women through generations, 3) economic value, the woven fabrics can be sold out to earn living costs, 4) social value, they are identities and strengthen community, and 5) arts and culture value, weaving and dressing sarongs express ethnic identity and preserving sarong dressing in various occasions such as the official uniform, school or college uniform.