Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Maesalong Region of Northern Thailand

Our experiences in this region and space have allowed us to have the opportunity to learn about the indigenous knowledge of the ecosystem and the ways in which people that inhibit this land use their knowledge in their everyday lives. Incorporated into this ecological knowledge is an understanding of sustainability, sustenance, and coexistence.

With this, we naturally found many differences in comparison to our societal experience in America and the ways in which these differing ideologies and practices impact communities, families, and culture in globalization. A study titled, Traditional agroforestry systems: a Methodological Proposal for its Analysis, Intervention, and Development says “On a global scale, society faces two major problems: hunger and poverty. Therefore, it is urgent to take measures to modify the forms of production, transformation, distribution, and consumption of food, to satisfy the growing demand for food in the world market” (Gomez, et al. 2021). The sustainability and holistic management are elements that have harsh impact on the relationships with food use and consumption, which we had the opportunity to visualize, and compare to our differing cultural prioritizations. In addition, the mountain landscapes presented in the Maesalong Region have vastly complex interlinkages with other ecosystems on a global scale (Ngwenya, et al. 2019), they are typically regions that are ecologically fragile and are affected by land use change, climate change, overexploitation of forest resources, intensive grazing, agricultural expansion, invasive species, economic change, and the expansion of settlements and population, to mention some of the many (Gupta, et al. 2021).

To put these findings to use, the Maesalong Region provided our group with a more specific understanding of the traditional ecological knowledge pertaining to the area and how the peoples of this region apply their beliefs into practice. Some of the many ways in which this was highlighted were within the sustainable farming at the coffee plantation, village settlement and spirit gate establishment, and local food use.

Sustainable Farming at the Coffee Plantation

• Thai sustainable ag program
• philosophy of introducing coffee farming = coffee plants require shade from older growth trees. This encourages preservation of older stands and mitigates the effects of slash/burn agriculture
• also, by encouraging preservation of older stands, clean/filtered water is also preserved in the watershed

With our time at the coffee plantation we learned a lot about the traditions that reflect sustainability and its relationship with economic ties being kept within the community. The coffee plantation leaders introduced the philosophy and strategy of their plantation; ((stuff about coffee plants require shade from older growth trees. this encourages preservation of older stands and mitigates the effects of slash/burn agriculture?))

Village Settlement and Spirit Gate Establishment

• forest wisdom program
• understanding of looking for an area with many trees in order to guarantee water resource; this also ecologically makes sense because trees filter and source water

Another way in which ecological knowledge is intertwined in community is the village settlement and establishment of community and land relationships within villages. When we visited the Ahka village there was elaborate explanation about the processes that lead village leaders to choose a space for settlement; having a knowledge of the trees and plants in the location to better understand how to search for an area with a high density of trees in order to guarantee water resources. This also ecologically makes sense because trees would then filter and source water for the villagers.

Local Foods and Cooking

• using all parts of a plant and of an ecosystem
• indigenous knowledge –> foraging and local food as opposed to importing
• relation to hill tribe history of migration and needing to be able to forage food locally where they settled
• talk about lunch at the coffee plantation

Our experience with local food use and cooking really revolved around the emphasis of using all parts of a plant, and all parts of an ecosystem. We were presented to indigenous knowledge (through the Ahka tribe) of their use of foraging their local foods as opposed to importing goods. We even got to put this into action. The Ahka leaders brought us along their process in foraging their crops from the hillside, highlighting endless food sources that surround us in that space that we didn’t even know or recognize. Continuously, we collected different things; banana leaves, mountainside berries, herbs, and quickly they turned everything into a beautiful traditional Ahka meal.

References

Gómez, M.U., Bueno, A.L., León, A.C. et al. Traditional agroforestry systems: a methodological proposal for its analysis, intervention, and development. Agroforest Syst 96, 491–503 (2022). https://doi-org.ezp1.lib.umn.edu/10.1007/s10457-021-00692-w

My time at the retreat center began with a Thai-style hot pot where small groups communally created a fire and then a delicious soup to share. This experience set the tone for my time in the mountains, and offered me a small taste of new and familiar flavors of Thai culture and community.  

I had never had hot pot before, and was nervous when first approaching the small Thai-style barbecues. I wished that I already knew the customary way to use the barbecue; how to season the meat and when to tend to the fire. Feeling clueless about something I desperately wanted to understand felt humiliating, especially when surrounded by Thai students who watched in amusement. This meal quite literally brought me to tears, and I left feeling like a reject from Thai culture. 

Much to my surprise, breakfast the next morning was a Thai style rice porridge that my mom always made for my brother and I as a midnight snack. My mom’s preferred version – Jok – is slightly creamier and typically served with ginger and other aromatic condiments. I ladled porridge into my bowl proudly and knew how to season the dish to my liking. Excitedly, I told others of my familiarity with it, feeling warmed by memories of waking up on a sick day to find a pot of Jok waiting for me on the stove. 

This rejection and then comfort from Thai food and cooking is not unfamiliar to me. My Thai mother rejects me because of the ways in which I symbolize her assimilation to US culture. Quite a literal experience, as she didn’t even realize she had immigrated until she was married and pregnant with a child that would be born American. At the same time, we find kinship in the foods that we eat together. A sharp sour taste of lime, potent garlic, fish sauce, and home grown Thai chili peppers were used to season almost every dish we ate growing up. My mom added the flavors of nam pla prik in every form imaginable, from powdery seasonings for mango and guava, to bits of salt and chili in our smoothies. Comfort is freshly steamed lotus seed buns in the morning, and chrysanthemum tea at night. The complexities within my own identity as a Thai woman scare and confuse me. I shy away from parts of myself, fearing that I do not truly own or deserve these experiences and memories. 

Furthermore, cooking dinner in the kitchen in Maesalong reminded me of many other comforts. While pounding ginger in the mortar and chopping up Thai peppers, I found myself almost shouting random Thai words as they came back to me. Prik, pet, glua, mai ow, eem. I remember sitting on the ground in my family’s kitchen, helping my mom to pound prik. I hung onto her every word in the kitchen, wondering how she knew when the peanuts were pounded enough or when the ginger was tasty. Cooking next to Karn and Kianee, I realized I had some of this intuition too. Maybe it’s being Thai, or maybe it’s just being a cook. I don’t know how I’ve come upon this knowledge but I cradle it as my most precious belonging. 

Being grounded in memories I forgot I had felt comforting in such an intimate way. I have sometimes felt like I’m trying to balance on a beam, or that I’m getting lost underwater. I know how to find my way, and I can nurture this knowledge with the friendships and adventures from Maesalong. I might steam my lotus seed buns in the microwave, but they still taste of Sunday mornings, just my mom and I. 

I had a lot of first impressions throughout the experiences of our first couple of days in Thailand. I think although there is much to choose from, I really was choked by my sense of connection to a part of my identity, family, and culture that I feel very detached from the majority of time. I’ve noticed many minuscule details that remind me completely of my dad, a lot of spaces where I see similarities or cultural influence on my family that I’ve often felt alone in my experience at home.

On the first day in Chiang Rai we were brought to a khao soi restaurant where the owner had a radiant smile while preparing and serving our dish. As our group ate, we listened to the owner have a conversation with Archan Cathy, eagerly speaking about the dish, its ingredients and preparation. Hopping between language use, speaking in both Thai and English, I sat in awe of his passion for food. I saw something in him that I see so clearly in my dad.

I always joke that my dads love language is food and although I am over 8,000 miles away from him, I feel more connected to him than ever. With every meal or Thai beer I have, I think of him. The journey of pain and sacrifice he endured to immigrate to the United States may never bring him back here to Asia, but I feel honored to have the opportunity to be here, for both me, and my family.