Filming the Chiang Mai roads from the lut deng
Most of us woke up to the sound of knuckles on the door. Others properly awoke later when news broke that we were lost on our way to IMPECT, (Inter-Mountain People's Education and Culture in Thailand Association). Such was our fate that getting lost was by no means a minor set back. We grabbed the opportunity to snap our first jump shot and stood in awe outside a Thai Buddhist temple, admiring the architecture from the outer premise. We wanted to explore a little more while the van drivers bickered over the route, but the temple dogs weren't too happy with the idea. Three jumping jacks and concurrent snapshots later, we were good to go and soon found ourselves in what reminded some of a very nostalgic primary school setting.
The school-like hall at IMPECT
We were told IMPECT is not an NGO, but a people's organization, 3000 strong with members of 10 inter-ethnic groups in Chiang Mai alone. After exchanging greetings in our limited knowledge of the Thai language and a brief ice-breaking session, we found our heads bowed down for the first half of the session (more of a Malaysian rather than Thai cultural courtesy). The second half was more lively; our curiosity in regards to the rights and welfare of the tribal groups in Thailand was aroused drawing on what we had learned in regards to Thai national identity the day before. Before us, another world was unfolding, a world which painted a dualistic image of Chiang Mai in our minds. We left with questions on progress, modernity, globalization and other terms certain people would use at the expense of communities such as the highland tribes. We were also treated to coffee and mangosteens; like Chiang Mai, they were awesome.
Drum-line practice in a high school
We were granted the rest of the day off to do as we liked, some rolled back into bed, the rest of us headed out to hunt for food in the rain. A small plug here if I may, and everyone agrees:
MANGO STICKY RICE F(or)T(he)W(in)!
After stuffing our faces with the-best-dish-known-to-man-woman-and-small-children, the Banghra group practiced their routine in the open, embracing the fresh air and confused glances from passing tourists.
After dancing around ala Bollywood, we met up with the others and headed off to explore the Thai take on pasar malam, the Chiang Mai night bazaar! Clothes, clothes and clothes galore! Every image ever copied from Google images were seemed to have been slapped onto T-Shirts, triggering short bursts of laughter and we discovered what was the FIRST McDonalds we saw in Chiang Mai. The night was still very young for many, while Sze Jia, Wui Jia and I headed back to get started on this Godforsaken diary entry, the rest left for a "one-off' experience"; and from what I've been told, it was just that (money on that post being over 3000 words in length).
Signing off for the day,
Weiyan.
OH! Right, some stuff I scribbled while deciding how I was going to write all that...
Every step we take forward, we leave apart of the world behind,
Turning doesn't help, not if you are blind,
and indeed we are, we are blind!
born into a world unkind!
always reaching for the sky, the stars,
too quick to trade out beliefs for money and cars,
but these people, they insist,
their identity remain, and persist,
to the changes of the world, till we wake,
and realize...
our hands, our lives, our dreams are fake.
Jump shots as per In Search Of tradition
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