A Study of Homespun Pattern and Culture of Tai Lue in Nan Province

Abstract

This research aims 1) to study on the process of producing homespun cloth pattern and 
the cloth usage in the socio-cultural context; 2) to collect the pattern. design. and type of the 
homespun clothes. and 3) to offer guidelines for preserving the process of producing the 
homespun clothes of original Tai Lue in the current context. This research is a qualitative research 
which used techniques of the Participation Action Research. chose the specific areas for studying. 
and collected the data from 15 informants who were chosen from the experts’ 
recommendations. The key informants were the producers. the local scholars. and the 
governmental organizations. The research instruments were the Structured In-depth Interview 
form. The data were collected by the interview and were presented as descriptive style. 
The research found that: 
1.Most homespun clothes of Tai Lue had beautiful designs and showed the original 
cultural identities which inherited by descendants. The clothes usage was divided into 3 
objectives: 1) for apparel; 2) for household using; and 3) for holy ceremony. 
2.There were 5 types of the pattern and designs. They were (1) geometry. (2) plants. (3) 
animals. (4) imagined animals. and nature. Tai Lue women admired wearing the clothes to attend 
the traditional ceremonies and auspicious time. 
3.The followings were guidelines for the clothes preservation: 1) to cultivate the love 
consciousness on the clothes in the descendants’ mind; 2) to promote the participation of the governmental organizations. 3) to construct the network for raising the product grade. and 4) to 
use the innovation and technology in the process of production. 
Conclusion 
The process of Tai Lue- cloth weaving in Nan province was inherited through the system 
of relatives. In the past. there was a belief that any woman had to have an ability of weaving 
before wedding. There were 3 factors of weaving: the need of apparel; the need of household 
usage; and the need for religious ceremony. However. nowadays the factors were changed to be 
the need of household income from doing business. The outstanding point of Tai Lue clothes 
were to be cotton and its pattern which was geometry. produced from “Jok” and “Khid” 
techniques. The highly popular Tai Lue cloth was sarong which was made from the wide fabric. 
The guidelines for Tai Lue cloth preservation were to teach the new generation to emphasize on 
its value. and to do it by themselves as usual. Moreover. recommendations on using the online 
media to publicize the products and also using the new technology to help on the production 
process. 
Suggestions 
The government should formulate a strategy for the production of community products 
with standards to have value.  Compared with the standards of the manufacturing plant using 
technology  And develop the fabric groups. ethnic clothing groups to have their own unity  
Promote distribution easily. conveniently. and quickly. Campaign for Thai people nationwide to 
join hands together wearing Thai woven fabrics.