Ta Ka Muk (Ta Samuk) Fabric: Rayong’s Local Fabric Pattern
- ศูนย์อนุรักษ์ผ้าพื้นถิ่นระยอง
- 30 มิ.ย. 2566
- ยาว 8 นาที
อัปเดตเมื่อ 2 ก.ค. 2566
The Precious History
The Definition of Samuk
According to the Royal Society of Thailand dictionary:
Samuk [sa-muk] n. A woven-bottomed container with four corners, covered with a lid for containing things.
Sapa Phachana Phasa Thai (The first four languages dictionary was compiled by Jean-Baptiste Paleogua, a French missionary. It took nearly 10 years to compile and was completed in 1854.)
Samuk: Boite, Corbeille Translation: box, basket
San Samuk: Tresser des corbeille de bambou Translation: bamboo weaving basket
Headley's Khmer-English Dictionary
ស្មុគ (n) [smok] kind of box made of palm leaves (used as a container for tobacco or areca)
According to research and interviews, "Samuk" corresponds to the word "Ka Muk" in the local dialect of Rayong Province, meaning a wicker container for carrying things with a bottom with four corners, like a box or basket with a lid. The woven materials can be from the local area, such as ancient palm leaves, palm leaves, bamboo, etc.
“Kamuk” in History
“Kamuk, in the past, was a betel nut vessel. It is used for containing betel nuts and betel palms about the size of a palm, with a lid woven from reeds. Most people from Klaeng brought Kamuk and the mats to Ban Phe to sell them."
(Wansuk Boonso, interviewed 11 September 2021)
“Most of the materials used to weave Kamuk are from local areas, such as calathea, pandan leaves, nipa leaves, and palm leaves.”
(Chalio Ratchaburi, interviewed 11 September 2021)
"On the night of the new moon, I'm going to steal a buffalo. On the night of the full moon, I'm going to kidnap an elephant. If I get caught, put me in jail, then I will waste lots of money and waste tons of gold to set up Kamuk."
(Panya Mangkang, interviewed, 14 August 2022)
Ta Samuk Fabric, Thai Ancient Fabric
Kamuk or Samuk, used to hold belongings, has a unique polished pattern inspired by weaver masters in the past. Inspired by antique belongings, the creation of Ta Samuk fabric mimics the beautiful patterns of Samuk's lines–called "Pha Ta Samuk.”
Ta Samuk fabric is one of the ancient fabrics. It has a pattern like small eyes that has been in use since the Ayutthaya period. The fabric was popular in the early Rattanakosin period. It is similar to Pha Ta Maklum and Pha Ta Led Nga (sesame seed fabric).
According to the ancient fabrics’ encyclopedia from the Fine Arts Department, in reference to the characteristics of ancient fabrics, Ta Samuk fabric is an ancient fabric that is referenced in the encyclopedia as follows:
“Ta-ma-klam fabrics, Ta-led-nga fabrics, Ta-samuk fabrics - dark-colored cotton fabrics with small patterns.”
Ta Samuk Fabric in the Historical Evidence of Rayong Province
Rayong Province has a long history with interesting ways of life and local wisdom. Regarding the history and wisdom of fabrics in Rayong, there is information according to the testimony of old townspeople. A Siamese chronicle book in the Royal Hall, in the Palace of the Burmese King, King Angwa, was compiled from the testimony of ancient Thai people when the Burmese attacked Ayutthaya in the year 1767. The story mentions bribes and tax, including assorted items, such as white fabrics and red fabrics that Rayong city offered to the King of Ayutthaya. Moreover, the Nirat Muang Klaeng (Journey to Muang Klaeng) of Phra Soonthornwoharn (Phu), composed in 1806, mentions the clothing of the people of Ban Nai Rai, Tambon Phe. They wore Tabang Man fabrics, but both sources of this information are not specific or clear on the pattern of the fabrics.
The royal writings in King Chulalongkorn during a visit to the eastern seaside provinces in the year 1876, in the archives of the city of Chanthaburi, mention that–when King Chulalongkorn arrived at Rayong Cape (Laem Samaesarn), Phra Si Samut Phokchai Chok Chit Songkhram (Ket Yomjinda)--the ruler of Rayong visited him and provided him Ta Samuk fabric, which appeared in the royal thesis as follows:
“When arriving for their stay, Phra Phairat and his fellows; Phra Si Samutphok (the governor of Rayong), Luang Palad (an assistant), Muen Phatthana Sombat, a Chinese Lengua (a liquor distributor), Jean Sang (a pig taxpayer), a Chinese Tai San, a Chinese Zhongqiu, a Chinese Oh Hyo, a Chinese Go, a Chinese Song Mao, a Chinese Osid, who were customers in Rayong, gave King Chulalongkorn goods, silks, Ta Samuk fabrics, rice, groceries, and a lot of offerings.”
When His Highness walked through Khao Laem Ya to Chong Samet, he anchored at Chong Samet at 5 o'clock in the evening. A half an hour later, he returned to the boat and had the Pirom boat take him ashore at Klong Kroon, Ban Phe, Rayong Province. In his royal writings, he mentions the Ta Samuk fabrics as follows.
“Luang Salayut Phraya Kraikosa (Tad) collected two pieces of red and white coral. I really appreciated it because this was a very rare thing. We awarded the village headman with Ta Samuk fabrics.”
Moreover, this is addressed in the memoir of Mr. Liang Sittichai who attended the group wedding organized by the Rayong Provincial Committee as a government policy to reduce expenses. The provincial sector let the community leaders announce a person who will marry in that year, and the person would have to inform the provincial sector to confirm the wedding ceremony. In a group wedding on January 7, 1944, which was the first year of Mr. Kit Phromwet, village chief at that time, Mr. Liang Sitthichai and Ms. Boonchuay Keereewan were put forth as representatives of Ban Phe’s newlyweds attending a group wedding. The memoir described on Samuk patterned fabric as follows:
“The author wore modern clothes: Thai Samuk pattern fabric with a color of fresh eggplant flowers, a Thai fabric that was popular in those days. Neckwear or necktie with black switching with white and little red oblique stripes. Dark brown sheepskin shoes, which are high-quality sheepskin for making the best shoes in those days. They are from the shop (Fam Sung Fut), Bang Lamphu when he was a soldier in Bangkok.”
Ta Ka Muk (Ta Samuk) Fabric, the Pattern of Rayong Province's Fabric
Pha Ta Ka Muk (Ta Samuk) is an ancient fabric with a unique pattern. It is a remarkable heritage arising from local wisdom. It has a historical background that is bound to the way of life of Rayong people and is present in historical documents that explain the social context, culture, and valued wisdom of Rayong people over a long time. The Rayong Provincial Fabric Determination Committee has jointly considered, screened, searched, and unanimously resolved to approve “Ta Ka Muk fabric (Ta Samuk)” as Rayong's fabric pattern, as announced on January 21, 2022.
Basic Knowledge of Cotton
Faii (cotton) is a natural fiber made from plants. It is the main raw material for weaving. The process of making cotton wool into fibers is collecting, drying (must be completely dry), separating the cotton seeds, ejecting it to make it fluffier, and rolling it to make it convenient to be spun into fibers.
Cotton in Historical Documents
The writings of King Chulalongkorn during the visit to Ban Phe, Rayong Province in 1876 stated that:
“...I asked him how to earn money. He said that he used to farm shrimp for shrimp paste and plant rice. Beside the shed, there is a farm surrounded by a fence where he planted cotton…”
Cotton in Historical Memory
“When I was young, I saw my grandma weaving. Then, we sold the house and moved to another place. We also sold the weaving loom together with the old house. Since then, I haven't seen my grandma weaving again. We used the cotton to weave and the cotton we used was from the backyard and there were so many of them.”
(Waew Thammaluang, interviewed 20 May 1921)
“Local people call the flowers from the cotton tree (Ton Faii) “Dok Samlee,” because there is a round white fluffy ball like cotton. Most of the cotton trees are in the garden of locals and some are in an abandoned field. The cotton flowers are used for stuffing pillows or rag dolls.”
(Phongsri Samphabhol, interviewed 24 May 1921)
Coloring the Yarn
Natural colors are the colors obtained from various parts of plants, such as leaves, barks, piths, roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds, which are extracted through different processes. The various parts of the plant will give a distinct color. Also, the factors of getting distinct colors depend on whether the plants are young, old, fresh, dry, and time, month, and harvest season, as well.
Natural dyeing uses raw materials to produce natural colors through an extraction process through boiling and fermentation, and then dyeing the fibers. These processes will produce colorful fibers that can be used for weaving.
Dyeing fibers is one of the components in creating patterns in the fabric to make it colorful and interesting. The colors used for dyeing are both natural and chemical, depending on the process of dyeing, whether it is a cold or hot dyeing process, and the suitability of the raw material types for dyeing.
The fibers that will be used for dyeing have to go through a cleaning process before dying, and then must go through a fixing process to make the dyed color durable after dyeing.
Authentic Fabric Colors
“I have instructed the investigation officer. It means making colors for yarn dyeing. Silk threads in Thai weaving, in the past, cannot be found in this province. Only a small amount of ebony was used for dyeing clothes.”
(Chanthaburi National Archives, Grand Master Phraya Rin Phakdi (Suk Phangsuputi), Rayong Governor replied to Grand Master Phraya Si Sena, Chanthaburi Province Councilor in ‘Making Colors for Dyeing Silk Yarn for Weaving in Rayong Province,’ 12 November 1930)
“The Fabric that Grandma used to weave was a black fabric dyed with ebony.”
(Wae Thammaluang, interviewed 20 May 2021)
“…The author wore modern clothes: Thai Samuk Pattern Fabric with a color of fresh eggplant flowers, a Thai cloth that was popular in those days…”
(Liang Sittichai, Memoirs, 7 January 1944)
The Art of Weaving
Ta Ka Muk fabric (Ta Samuk) is a fabric with a unique pattern. The patterns are created through a weaving process ordering dark and light fibers. The size can be alternately organized as desired. Two dark-colored fibers will be used at the end of weaving to make the pattern clearer; the same as the wicker called “Samuk” or “Ka Muk” in Rayong dialect.
“The Method of Weaving Ta Samuk Fabric” record has been found as a written form in the record of the Indigenous people in Kalasin Province composed by Phra Phothiwongsajarn (Tisso Ouan) and published by the Wachirayana Library in 1926, as follows:
“Ta Samuk Fabric” is also called “The Turtle Scale Pattern” by locals. There is a method of preparing and organizing the white and black silk. What you need to do is organize the silk before putting it into the weaving machine. Then, you put one line of black silk and one line of white silk–but when you reach the rim of Ta Samuk, you need to put two lines of black silk instead of one line. Repeat the steps to get the right pattern and continue to weave both, alternating with black and then white.
Inheriting Wisdom
After researching historical information and interviewing locals, "Pha Ta Kamuk (Ta Samuk)” or “Ta Kamuk” fabric is a unique and famous fabric that represents the identity of Rayong Province. The fabric has been mentioned in the royal speech of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn regarding local fabrics in this area. He said, “The people who create this fabric are better skilled than those who are in Bangkok.” This phrase has been mentioned in His Majesty's writings in the archives of “The Distance of Chanthaburi,” 1876, and the latest information of the fabric is from the diaries of the Ban Phe people in 1944. Afterward, Ta Samuk fabrics disappeared from the way of life of Rayong people for almost 80 years.
Currently, Ta Ka Muk fabric (Ta Samuk) has been announced as the provincial fabric pattern. This is an opportunity to rehabilitate, continue, preserve, and promote the idea for locals to cherish the value of the product.
Rayong Traditional Fabric Conservation Center intends to develop the community into a local weaving learning center, which can fully convey the weaving process to communities, locals, youths, and people who are interested to promote new knowledge and skills, as well as understand the values for further development to meet the needs of markets in every dimension.
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