Palm, Bamboo and Rattan
Palm and bamboo are two of the most versatile materials found and used in Burma.
As suggested by Maung Htin Aung ‘In Burma, hardly anything is as useful as
bamboo’ (Fraser-Lu 1994:278). Bamboo is fast growing, abundant and found in
almost every forest in Burma. It can be used as a building material (for walls, lattices
and ladders), the culms furnish vessels for carrying water or fermented wine, and the
shoots can also be eaten. Split bamboo can be used for making baskets and mats, and
can also be used for hunting in making spears, darts and knives (Fraser-Lu 1884:278).
Palms however serve the sacred and the profane, and the leaf is often utilised as
manuscripts for religious texts, and in the making of fans for novice monks. It is also
used in tribal areas for clothing such as rain cloaks, and hats.
The eclectic collection at RAMM has fourteen pieces highlighting the versatility in
which palm, bamboo and rattan are used in Burmese and tribal life.
The collection has been subdivided into the following categories:
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Fans and Umbrellas, Accession numbers: 28.1907 / (29.1907) / 27.1907 /
9.1945.78
Hats and clothing, Accession numbers: 8.1959.1.3 / E330 / 38.1907 / 40.1907
(39.1907 & 41.1907)
Containers, Accession numbers: 45.1907/ 9.1945.1 / 9.1945.29
Rattan, Accession number: 50.1935.2
Fans and Umbrellas
28.1907 – ‘Yat’ Fan
This is a lotus leaf-shaped fan made from a single frond of the Palmyra Palm. The
palm is reinforced with strips of bamboo sewn to the leaf, and the margins are
trimmed to an oval shape. There is a long red lacquered wooden handle attached to
the base of the leaf.
The object is part of the William Ninnis Porter Collection and can be dated to late
19th Century. Porter has donated many objects from tribal areas but the actual
provenance of these fans is unknown. The fan is used by monks during assembly
where it is held before the face during meditation. It is also used to screen the monk
when in the presence of a woman.
There is a second ‘yat’ in the collection – 29.1907 – which is of the same type. It was
also donated by Porter. However, the condition of the palm leaf is fragile, and
sections have deteriorated.
References to these types of fans can be found in ‘Burmese Crafts, Past and Present’
(Fraser-Lu 1994:292). An excellent collection of fans from the Indian subcontinent
can be seen at The Fan Museum in Greenwich, London. There are many parallels
between Indian and Burmese palm leaf fans, as observed in their catalogue for a
recent exhibition on the collection of Jatin Das called ‘Pankha’ (see the last page of
the catalogue specifically, and no.18, no.9).
Jatin Das was quoted saying that the real perpetuators of arts and crafts in India are
the poor and middle classes (Das 2004: Intro.) Comparisons may be drawn with
Burma, in that because of the tropical climate and shortage of electricity fan making
survives. As suggested by Jacqueline Morris ‘fans are as old as hot weather’ (Das
2004: Intro.)
27.1907 – ‘Yat-ma-daw’ – Fan
This is a lotus-shaped fan made of layers of woven palm leaf. It is covered with a
layer of gilded lacquer and ornately inlaid with red, green and blue glass. A large
wooden handle is attached to the fan, and where it joins the fan image of a fig leaf has
been created, which is an emblem of the Buddha. Although the exact provenance is
unknown the fan is part of the William Ninnis Porter Collection and therefore
predates the late 1800’s. The fan functions as a ceremonial replica of a basic monks
fan, and is used for presentation to monasteries.
References to this type of fan can be found in ‘Burmese Crafts, Past and Present’
(Fraser-Lu 1994:292). An excellent collection of fans from the Indian subcontinent
can be seen at The Fan Museum in Greenwich, London. There are many parallels
between Indian and Burmese palm leaf fans, as observed in their catalogue for a
recent exhibition on the collection of Jatin Das called ‘Pankha’.
9.1945.78 – ‘shwei-hti’ – umbrella
This umbrella is made of a bamboo frame, and covered with a shiny golden synthetic
fabric or golden paper. Its condition is fragile. Although the provenance of this
umbrella is unknown, these types of umbrellas are made on the east side of the Mahamuni pagoda in Mandalay, and therefore this may be suggested as a provenance. It
can be dated to 20th century.
These types of umbrellas are ‘made especially for novication ceremonies. They are
purchased by friends and relatives as a fitting ‘royal accoutrement’ for a young
‘prince’ as he is borne aloft a pomp and ceremony to the monastery. On arrival he is
ceremoniously divested of his kingly raiment, including his umbrella, in favour of the
tonsure and monks robes’ (Fraser-Lu 1994:292). The ceremony is basically a reenactment of when Prince Siddhartha gave up all his worldly goods and started on his
road to enlightenment.
Apart from the monastic ceremony, golden umbrellas are otherwise only permitted to
be used by Royal Princes and High Officials, and even then the quality is supreme.
Hats and Clothing
8.1959.1.3 – Hat
This hat, which is round in shape, is made form vegetable fibre interwoven with strips
of palm leaf. The brim of the hat is made from cane. The hat is decorated with black
increasingly large black concentric circles starting from the top of the hat working
down to the brim of the hat. Although the provenance is unknown the hat can be dated
to late 19th/early 20th century.
The Burmese do not have a distinctive array of hats to be worn in the fields unlike
other Southeast Asian countries. This hat seems to display some distinctive Chinese
or Vietnamese influence in its design.
This hat is unusual however there is evidence of a similar type of hat being worn as
photographed by James Henry Green and documented in his collection at the Royal
Pavilions, Brighton – Photo 0253, which shows crowds dancing at the Manau festival
at Namhyek. Other references to hats in Burma can be found in Burmese Crafts Past
& Present (Fraser-Lu 1994:301).
E330 – Hat
This large round hat is woven from rice straw. Most Burmese farmers/fishermen wear
a sturdy conical hat known as a ‘kha-mauk’, which is made from a bamboo frame and
bamboo sheath. This hat is very similar in shape but the rice straw makes the hat more
malleable. Unlike the rest of Southeast Asia Burma does not have an array of hats for
working in the fields, so it is interesting to have this example in the collection.
Two images of similar hats being worn were documented by James Henry Green and
can be found in his photographic collection at the Royal Pavilions, Brighton. Photo
1564 shows similar hats being worn at the marketplace and photo 0253 shows the hats
being worn at a Manau festival where people are dancing. These photographs suggest
that the hats were worn in a variety of situations.
38.1907 – Hat
This hat is made of woven cane and palm leaf. Its shape is distinctly non-Burmese in
style, and hints at a version of a colonial hat. The hat is part of the William Ninnis
Porter collection and pre-dates the late 1800’s. It is possible that the hat was made for
Porter himself. No evidence of hats of this shape of style has been found in other
collections so far.
40.1907 – Rain Cloak
This object is a rain cloak made from shredded palm leaves. It is part of the William
Ninnis Porter Collection and can be dated to 19th Century. It has been documented as
originating from the Chin State. There are two other rain cloaks in the collection,
donated by Porter. These are 39.1907 and 41.1907. The rain cloak is worn by women
during the rainy season for protection from the rain. When it is not raining the cloak
may be pulled down and worn around the hips.
Similar examples of rain cloaks are worn by the Nagas of Nagaland, India. Examples
have been documented in ‘Textiles of the Highland Peoples of Burma, Vol 1, Studies
in the Material Cultures of Southeast Asia, No. 7’ (Howard 2005:39 & 255).
Containers
45.1907 – Bamboo Container
This object is a conical shaped container with a lid made of bamboo. A thin band of
rattan decorates the container and there is an organic attachment for carrying the
object. The object is part of the William Ninnis Porter Collection and can be dated to
the 19th Century. The provenance is likely to be Chin State or Kachin State. An
image of the object was viewed by Helen Mears of the Royal Pavilions, Brighton,
who suggested that the container was probably used for pounding and holding rice.
9.1945.1 – Woven Basket
This is a conical shaped woven straw basket. The base is made out interwoven leaf
stems. Although exact provenance is unknown, the basket resembles those used in the
Shan States (East Burma) for holding cooked rice and is probably dated to 20th
Century.
References to this type of object can be found in ‘Burmese Crafts Past & Present’
(Fraser-Lu 1994: 295-97).
9.1945.29 – Basket
This round deep basket is made out of woven strips of bamboo and covered with a
resin, most likely to be lacquer. The handle is made out of two crossing pieces of
wood. The object can be dated to late 19th/early 20th century. The receptacle would
have had a number of functions within the household.
The containers that have been included in this section are not necessarily unique.
They have been included in the report because they are representative of an essential
element of Burmese life. As suggested by Fraser-Lu ‘A Burmese house boasts many
receptacles made from bamboo and palm for holding firewood, fruit, vegetables and
grain’ (1994: 299).
Rattan
50.1935.2 – ‘Chin-Lon’
This object is a hollow ball known as a ‘Chin-lon’. It is made out of six strips of
woven rattan manipulated into the shape of a sphere with twelve pentagonal holes.
The object can be dated to late 19th/early 20th century, although provenance is
unknown. The purpose of the ‘Chin-lon’ is that it is a ball used in a Burmese game
played by men. The game cannot be won and is only played for pure skill. In the
game the ball is not allowed to be touched with the arms or hands and is kept in the
air using the legs, shoulders, knees and feet.
References to the game can be found in ‘Burmese Crafts Past & Present’ (Fraser-Lu
1994: 30/261/301). Images of the game being played were also documented by the
anthropologists Max and Bertha Ferrars in the late 1800’s and can be located at:
http://images.rgs.org/webimages
With the exception of the ‘Chin-lon’ rattan does not appear to have been widely used
in Burma until the colonial times.
Conclusion
Palm, bamboo and rattan are natural resources that are invaluable to the Burmese, and
their way of life. Apart from Sylvia Fraser-Lu’s book ‘Burmese Crafts Past &
Present’ little has been or documented or written about these simple but fundamental
materials of Burma. In this report every attempt has been made to provide thorough
interpretation with regard to each object. Although many of the objects are utilitarian,
they are and will be in the future an invaluable resource. All too often household
objects are bypassed for the more attractive pieces, and yet ethnographically the
utilitarian objects provide an insight into a more basic way of life. Likewise, the hats
and rain cloaks are everyday objects, which may be required for further research in
the future, and unless as in this report these pieces are noted, they will become
another aspect of Burmese life that is neglected. Therefore although some of these
pieces may not appear to be significant with regard to other collections with more
substantial objects, with further research in the future they may prove to be an
invaluable resource.