One of my favorite cultural festivals is the Bo Sang Umbrella Festivaljust outside of Chiang MaiThailand to be held on January 21– 23, 2005. Watch hundreds of pretty local girls holding umbrellas in a very colorful parade followed by a beauty pageant. Bo Sang Umbrella Village is located nine kilometers east of Chiang Mai on the Chiang Mai – Sankampaeng Road. As part of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, the village has its own unique character demonstrated by its beautiful temples, fertile rice fields, traditional Northern houses, and by the simple way of life of its villagers. The whole handicraft village is beautified with Sa paper umbrellas, flowers and other handicrafts. Umbrella makers and painters hold competitions where you can see the best at work. Bo Sang umbrellas and parasols are now renowned worldwide as artistic masterpieces, as confirmed by winning the “Best Souvenir” prize at the International Tourism Seminar held in Los Angeles, USA.
Besides events related to umbrella-making, there are many other contests, exhibitions, cultural performances, local entertainment, and a variety of shows day and night. There is a grand procession of parasols and local products, a variety of handicrafts for sale, northern-style “Khan Toke” meals, and the not-to- be-missed Miss Bo Sang pageant. The festival is as much for local people as for visitors. Don’t miss it.
The Elephant Round-up in Thailand’sSurinprovince in November was hard to pass up. I’m a self professed collector of elephant souvenirs….wood, metal, lacquer….I have them all. When I heard 250 Elephants would be part of the festival I jumped on the next bus leaving from Bangkok.
Surin is a rarely visited province in the northeast of Thailand. But once a year, on the third weekend of November, the spotlight is directed at the province as the venue for one of the most exciting spectacles of the year-the annual Elephant Round-Up. Surin has long been associated with elephants. Walking around town you can see dozens of elephants, statues of elephants and even shrines devoted to the elephant. The locals are well recognized for their skill in capturing and rounding up wild elephants as well as training and taming them. Surin is often known as the ‘province of elephants’.
The majestic Thai elephant has long been a central element in Thai culture and has held a respected place in Thai history. A symbol of power and grace, the elephant was revered by the ancient kings. Elephants have been prominently featured in Thai legend, literature, art and architecture, and during the reign of King Rama II, an image of the auspicious elephant, symbolic of the King, was featured on the flag.
The majority of elephant owners and mahouts in Thailand today are descendants of the “Kui” tribe (or “Suay” in Thai). They are thought to have migrated from Cambodia to settle largely in the northeastern provinces near the Cambodian border. Known for their expertise in capturing, domesticating and training wild elephants, the life-long relationship of the mahout with his elephant is an integral element of Kui culture, tradition and the way of life. The elephant is his companion and a family member.
A tug of war between 100 people and one mighty bull elephant was naturally won by the bull elephant.
In daily life, as man and elephant depend on each other, the elephant is treated as part of the ‘family’. The everyday life of the Thai elephant and its keeper, the mahout, is the central theme of the world-famous Surin elephant round-up held annually. The majority of elephant owners and mahouts in Thailand today are descendants of the “Kui” tribe (or “Suay” in Thai). They are thought to have migrated from Cambodia to settle largely in the northeastern provinces near the Cambodian border. Known for their expertise in capturing, domesticating and training wild elephants, the life-long relationship of the mahout with his elephant is an integral element of Kui culture, tradition and the way of life. The elephant is his companion and a family member.
Part of the 8 act program included a reenactment of a Royal elephant battle between Ayotaya troop and Hong Sawadee troop.
Last month while strolling around OmotesandoI decided to check out Meiji Shrineand by accident walked into a beautiful Japanese cultural ceremony. The shrine was crowded with people, but mostly with young children. The girl’s were dressed in beautiful kimonos with dangling decorations and flowers. Some boy’s wore traditional Japanese clothes while some wore suits. What was going on? The children stayed close to their families. Many of them took pictures, both with the child alone and together with different family members.
I later found out that Mid-November marks a very special time for children all over Japan: Shichigosan, which means “Seven Five and Three†which is a coming-of-age ceremony for children everywhere, when they dress up in kimono or haori jackets and go visit a Shinto shrine with their families.
On this day, prayers are offered for the healthy and happy futures of the children with large-scale coming-of-age ceremonies being held in all parts of Japan. These ages in particular are celebrated both because these years are seen as important age markers in the stages of a child’s growth and because odd numbers are seen as signs of good luck in Japan.
I spent the better part the afternoon photographing the children who were more than happy to pose. It was their day to shine in their best dress. Â More photos of the Shichi-Go-San festival can be found on Flickrhere.
There are few areas in Tokyo retain their old world charm, but the Yanesenneighborhood is one of them. They have actually succeeded in establishing Yanesenas a “brand” where visitors can experience the atmosphere of an unspoilt, traditional urban quarter. Yanaka has not changed in its essence. Many things are changing rapidly in Tokyo; however, Yanaka is one of the constant factors in the changing environment.
The name Yanesen refers to the 3 connected areas of Sendagi, Â Nezu and Yanaka, which can best be reached by JR yamanote-line, nippori-station. The area is rather huge and you can get lost easily. The streets are small and consistent of many back alley shops and cafes. This is the real Tokyo! While you are walking around Yanesen, you will see old temples (over a 100), traditional wooden houses, cozy, small old-styled pubs (Izakaya) with the locals enjoying a meal and a drink, kids playing in the narrow road and many people paying their respects at the temples. Yanesen is also a great place to shop for traditional souvenirs. I picked a tea pot on my last visit.
