CENTRAL CHIANGRAI CELEBRATES THE NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH A CHRISTMAS TREE MADE FROM LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIALS AND ADORNED WITH CHRISTMAS BALL THAT INCORPORATES THE DESIGNS FROM SIX INDIGENOUS TRIBES IN CHIANGRAI TO REPRESENT THE MODEST TRIBAL WAY OF LIFE AND THEIR DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE
TEXT: PRATCHAYAPOL LERTWICHA
PHOTO: KETSIREE WONGWAN EXCEPT AS NOTED
(For Thai, press here)
The year 2022 will be over in the blink of an eye. While many people are planning or have already begun to plan their year-end vacations, Chiangrai is without a doubt one of the top destinations with stunning natural attractions and the winter chill; a great escape from the unmerciful heat that Thai people have been enduring all year.
The 15-meter-tall Mok Panwa Christmas Tree, designed and built by Doi Tung, is one of the highlights Chiangrai has to offer this year. The tree stands out with a visually striking design that incorporates the tribal designs of six indigenous tribes in Chiangrai: Aka, Lahu, Tai Yai, Tai Lue, Lua, and Mong, on over a hundred Christmas bulbs and ornaments, with each pattern hand embroidered by people from the six tribes.
Photo courtesy of Central Chiangrai
The materials used to make this Christmas tree were all sourced locally, including bamboo, pine garlands, colored silk, and cotton, representing the tribal way of life and their deep relationship with nature. After the event, the materials can be recycled, making the design environmentally friendly while meaningfully embodying the local ways of living.
“The term ‘Mok Panwa’ is derived from the legend of the Panwa handwoven cloth (pan-wa can be translated as ‘a thousand wa,’ whereas wa is a Thai measuring unit comparable to 2,000 meters) that tribal people in the Doi Tung area help in weaving in their spare time.” The Thai word “mok” or “fog” alludes to the picturesque, foggy highland region of Chiangrai between November and January of each year. Mom Luang Dispanadda Diskul, Chief Executive Officer of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, explains the origin of the Christmas tree’s name.
The tree is only one part of the Central Chiangrai Department Store’s ‘Colors of Kasalong’ festival. The program includes a fashion show showcasing pieces inspired by the patterns on the Mok Panwa Christmas Tree, as well as the Chiangrai Dancing Flower festival, which takes place between December 1st and 7th, 2022, and features wonderful dancing flower sculptures. The Colors of Kasalong Night Market also brings together all of Chiangrai’s famous foods and local craft products. The celebration will extend until January 31, 2023. If you ever have the chance to visit Thailand’s northernmost province, don’t miss the ‘Colors of Kasalong’ festival at Central Chiangrai Department Store.