Northern Thailand Art & Style

 

" A Bowl of Chian Mak"

(story by Pimpat, photo by Supaporn Sooprasert from Kinnaree Magazine, January 2001, p 118)

 
Chian Mak is a container to accommodate a small betel nut casket, tobacco slab casket, lime pot and betel leaf case. Thai men and women in former times had a habit of chewing Mak, betel nuts and leaves smeared with lime. They chew Mak like chewing gum. It was a social value at that time when a pretty woman was required to chew Mak which blackened her teeth and reddened her kips.
Chian Mak was necessary in almost all households as family members chewed Mak in their life free time. It was also used as item to welcome visitors who were offered Mak for consumption. Chian Mak could be made of wood, brass, gold, silver or nielloware. It is circular or hexagonal in shape and intricate designs are sometimes added to beautify the Chian Mak.

Today, the culture of chewing Mak has gradually disappeared, although some elderly persons still place betel nuts and leaves in the Chian Mak, to be offered to Buddhist monks at various merit-making events such as ordinations and wedding ceremonies. Pictures show silver tobacco slab case, silver lime pot and gold lime pot and silver betel leaf case.