Day 1: Monday Blues

Today was the day we set off from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. We made our first stop at a hot springs nestled in the mountains. I was pleasantly surprised as I never knew that Chiang Mai even had mountains, let alone hot springs!

 My group and I were reluctant to begin the day’s work, but after much dawdling we settled for a woman selling crocodile oil. I was surprised to discover that the woman could speak fluent Mandarin. While conversing, we learnt that she had graduated from university, and originated from the Ahka Village Hill Tribe. This interview made me wonder why an educated woman like her was in the sales industry. Perhaps Chiang Mai did not have enough jobs to cater to the educated? But I certainly did not know enough about Chiang Mai to make such a sweeping statement.

We also interviewed an elderly lady, who shared her story. She worked two jobs – an agricultural farmer by summer and egg-seller by winter. I was struck by how the seasons affected the locals’ occupations, especially those in the agricultural industry. I was so used to Singapore’s sunny season all year round.

Later that day, we visited the Hill Tribe Village, a tourist attraction that emulated the living conditions and lifestyles of five different hill tribes. Upon entering, my first impression was that the whole thing was a ruse. The ‘villagers’ started to put on their tribal garments and headwear as we strode in, and their tribal performance was dismal, to say the least. I felt slightly awkward for these people, who looked as though they did not want to be performing for us. I felt even worse for the children who lived there, who grew up in a village that was not even genuinely theirs.

However, my impressions started to change as we started interviewing the villagers. I learnt that the villagers actually lived in the little huts that peppered the village. They made a steady income from performing and selling their handicrafts to tourists, and they were fully aware that the sole purpose of their village was to attract tourists and make profit. I began to understand where they came from – they were poor and were in need of financial stability. The Hill Tribe Village was able to give them that. However, it still felt as though their sole purpose in life was to be paraded around, and that made me feel somewhat uneasy.

I also learnt that most of the children who grew up in the village moved out to seek education and livelihoods outside. I was slightly consoled, as I could not imagine how unfulfilling life in the Hill Tribe Village would be, to live the entirety of one’s life as an exhibit for others.

I think I tried to be more understanding and reflective today. I understand now that the tourism industry is milking Chiang Mai for what it is worth, but in a way that manages to maintain its cultural identity. For example, however fake the Hill Tribe Village may seem, it still allows tourists a sneak peek into Chiang Mai’s genuine hill tribes while maintaining their privacy. I think Singapore could learn from this.