Name/Title
Rain CapeEntry/Object ID
28.4.14Description
Rain Cape, "Jong," is used to protect oneself from the rain and/or sun. This rain cape is from the Katu ethnic group. Orignally, the "Jong" is used only during the rainy season (May–September) after that, they're kept in the kitchen above the fireplace. The smoke keeps away insects and increases its quality; they can last up to 10 years. In Chiling Village, there are about 10 rain capes and most of them are used by elders. Pepole use them when working in the rice fields, gardens, and traveling from their houses to the rice fields.
Rain capes are made of bamboo (Mai Hok), rattan, and palm leaves (Bai Lane) or firm leaves (Bai Phak Koud). There are two layers of the palm leaves and two layers of woven bamboo. The leaves are attached to the woven bamboo with fine bamboo strips. The leaves are place inbetween the two woven bamboo screens, then all together framed with bamboo slats. Dependent of the maker's availability, it takes about a couple days to make one rain cape—not including collecting the raw materials) One "Jong" usually last from 1–4 years, but if a user takes care it well, it can last for 10 years. The rain cape is usually made by elder men, no music, no ritual, nor ceremony is required in doing so.
Collecting materials, preparing materials and make the rain cape doesn't require doing anything religiously/spiritually special; all the maker needs is a knife, a short blade knife*, a bradawl, bamboo strips, fine bamboo strips (use to attach the leaves to the woven bamboo) and palm/firm leaves. It can be made anywhere and any time during the planting season (May–August).
*Short blade knife: a knife that has a longer handle than a normal knife and has a short sharp blade used to cut small things such as bamboo strips, to make a hole, etc. It is designed to cut small stuff only.
Making a rain cape requires special techniques and skills, the know-how to choose good materials, how to prepare the materials, and how to craft it. The skills most important are how to prepare the materials and how to make it strong and light. To make a nice one requires a lot of effort and time. Mr Souvanla, the interviewee, and one of the rain cape makers in Chaling, said, "I learned the techniques and skills through watching, asking and participating from my father. It took a lot of practice before I became a master, especially in making it good, strong, light and nice”. He added that most basket makers learn it through watching other people do it and trying it themselves. Today, there are still a few middle-aged men who learn to make rain capes and baskets to use themselves at home—they do the same thing as the older generation did: watching and participting (trying it themselves) and asking questions if something they don't understand. It is important for basket learners to never cut nor take raw materials from the forests close to a cemetery—this is something no one in the village is allowed to do.
“In the past when we were our old village, we made, sold, and exchanged goods to other villages. But we did not necessarily teach them to make the capes. When we moved to a new village, or when villagers moved due to marriage, they might take this kind of rain coats around. Personally, I have never taught anyone outside the village,” said Mr. Souvanla. Today, both of the makers and users number less than before because they can buy plastic rain coats from the Vietnamese sell within their villages, or people go to Dak Cheung or Sekong to buy ones from there. The plastic rain coats are much more comfortable and light and easy to pack, as they are much smaller and thus can be carried in bags while handmade rain capes are heavier, aren't possible to pack, and cannot be used when traversing in the forests. The users have to be careful when using them, as less people who know how to make or repair them now. Mr Souvanla added that during his generation, most of the men knew how to make the rain cape when compared to the now younger generation: fewer people learn and know how to make it.
The materials they used to make it the rain cape have also changed overtime. This is because market-bought clothing and market-bought materials are easily accessible. In 1999, Mr. Souvanla moved to a new village about 1 km away from this old village—the makers started using plastic sheets or laundry detergent bags, instead of using palm leaves (Bai Lane) and firm leaves (Bai Phak Koud). Plastic sheet is much lighter, and not only are palm and firm leaves heavier, but they get even moreso when it absorbs rain water. Today, nobody uses leaves; they use only plastic sheets. At the moment, there are about 30 rain cape makers in Chaling, which is about 3 or 4 times less than when Mr. Souvanla started learning to make rain capes and other baskets in his old village. Most of those 30 basket makers are of the older generations. There are a few Millenials interested in learning how to make the rain cape and use it, but not the ones who have been through school. In 20 - 30 years, this rain coat "Jong" might not be available for future Katu generations to see. Based on current observation, young people are not interested in learning to make it nor even using it. Mr. Souvala added, “I do want to teach young people how to make the rain coat, but no one asks me. Most of the rain coat makers in the village are of the older generations, aged 30–90 years old. If the young generations do not want to learn how to make it, once those makers pass away, the rain cape tradition might dissappear, too.”
Point of view from research team: The rain coat is special and unique, but it is in danger just simply because young people are not interested in learning how to make it. On top of that ,they don't want to use it anymore; they prefer plastic sheets or plastic rain coats over the traditional rain cape.Collection
Austro-Asiatic: KatuMade/Created
Date made
2018Place
Location
Ban Chaling, Dak Cheung district, Sekong province.