Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cotton Weaving “Saengda Bunsiddhi” of Ban Rai Phai Ngam, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

Ban Rai Phai Ngam, also known as the Pa Da Cloth Museum, is a village in Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province, that manufactures traditional hand-woven cotton of high quality and renown. Within this community, a group of housewives have been instructed in the method of hand-weaving cotton that has been organically colored with leaves and flowers. Ban Rai Phai Ngam is also regarded as a rare cultural heritage in the present day, a place where ancient cloth and weaving tools are collected and displayed to commemorate the precious works of Aunt Sangda, along with showcasing the way of life as well as the production process of hand-woven cotton with beautiful colorful patterns at every step: from the removal of the cotton from the sheath, cotton fluffing, cotton packing, and cotton seed separation. Auntie Sangda Bunsiddhi has been recognized as an outstanding northern region folk artist in 1985, an honorary graduate scientist in science and applied sciences in 1987, and an outstanding Lanna scientist and textile technology expert and national artist in 2016. This article highlights the concept of life, work, and creation; the dying with herbs and weaving method of Sangda's cotton weaving art is a hereditary source of knowledge for future generations in conservation that will continue.