The Fine Crafts of Banana Leaves

The arts and craft of banana-leaf utensils is developed extraordinarily from ancient wisdom. It is not limited to only make food containers or oblations in religious festivals, but adapted to ever-changing lifestyle of the present: using in modern flower arrangement or even making fashionable ornaments and purses.  

The Thais are accustomed of using leaves in wrapping food, crafting utensils, and making oblations for religious ceremonies. The most common leaves to use are banana leaves which can be found in every corner of Thailand.

Banana plants are known in Thailand for a very long time. Every part of it is beneficial: the fruit is edible, the fiber in the stem can be dried and used as weavings and the leaves can be crafted in to food-containers, utensils and oblations used in religious ceremonies.

The banana leaf has always been associated with Thai culture. We can see evidence in ‘Royal Ceremonies of the Twelve Months’ which referred to lanterns-floating ceremony from Sukhothai era. In the past, the lanterns were made of flowers but have been modified to be made of folded banana leaves instead in the present.

The prototype of Bai-sri called Park-sharm consists of 3 main bodies to pay respect to the Trimurti: Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The center cone of Bai-sri contains steamed rice, the other 2 sides contain Pisang Awak banana and cucumber. The main body of Bai-sri represents Mount Kailash, the heart of abundance of all beings. The in-between space is made to resemble the shape of a horseshoe crab representing the ocean which nourishes all livings.

Apart from religious beliefs, banana leaves are also used to craft everyday utensils: making various forms of food wraps and containers from simple utensils for civilians to delicate innovations for the royal family. 

Making food containers from banana leaves imitates utensils made of clay or others. They are made by folding, weaving, and sewing banana leaves.

Making food containers and wraps using banana leaves has always been a part of Thai culture. Though there has been no tangible evidence stating when the custom was initiated, we’ve seen proofs that the custom was practiced in the ‘Royal Kitchen’ where ladies-in-waiting crafted unique and marvelous food containers and decorations for Thai Monarchs throughout history.