Dynamic of Vernacular Houses of the Paka kyaw Karen in Mae Chaem River Upstream, Galyanivadhana District, Chiang Mai

Abstract

The article had studied the dynamics of the vernacular houses of the Paka Kyaw, the ethnic group living in Mu se Klee area or Mae Chaem River Upstream in Galyanivadhana District of Chiang Mai Province. In this article, it had studied about the dynamics of the vernacular houses according to the relevant factors, under the objectives of this study with an analysis and the summary of the unique or inherited wisdom, as well as the effects from the relevant factors causing of the dwelling houses’ styles, and the adaptation.  This study was a qualitative research with collecting the data by selecting 3 samples each from the traditional vernacular dwelling houses and the adapted dwelling houses located in 4 villages, covering 3 districts of Galyanivadhana District of Chiang Mai Province. The research methods including with interviewing the house owners and the community leaders, a there were the architectural observe such as surveying, photographing, and drawing. Regarding analysis and interpretation of data, there were described about the changes related to factors which were divided to the aspects of the government social policy, and the tourism industry promotion policies about promoting the ethnic areas to be the new ethnical districts.

In the summary, the dynamics of the vernacular houses of the Paka Kyaw in these areas were styled and transformed the physical characteristics of dwelling houses which were resulted of the adaptation on their lifestyles and behaviors of livings by building the new dwelling houses beside the traditional ones.  The traditional dwelling house was regarded as Main house or Motherhouse. That meant the main roles of Paka Kyaw females importantly to the family. Therefore, it was like that the stove area was the key symbol as the center of house. To that, it linked to their belief, religious ceremony and traditional lifestyles. Regarding to Christians, they would have more freedom on styling their dwelling houses.  As the results of being stimulated by social development policy factors, there were more potentially permanent settlements, therefore, the attitudes and requirements were changed more. So as to the financial status, they had received to bring the modern technology for house construction with timbers, so that the timber houses were built more as well as to use the new materials from outside to add or modify the former house. There were the dwelling houses increasingly in the areas within the same spaces which resulted to the plan layout of Karen dwelling houses as a group with more 2-3 house of each family in regard with building for bedding and receptions mainly. Due to more requirements, the construction had to add more dimensions suitably to the dwelling houses, resulted by adaptation on their lifestyles and the attitudes stimulated by the factors of society, and economy.