We woke up early, but it was so worth it. To make it to the Akha thanksgiving we were up by 5:30am and riding the back of a truck into the mountains by 6:30am. I think this day was the highlight of this trip to the north for me. The bumpy ride in the back of the truck led us through beautiful sunrise mountains and treated us to refreshingly clean air. I can't describe the beauty of dawn falling on a rice field, or the simplicity of people up early to work the land which gives them life.
The ride in the truck was long and deep into the hills. I really felt that I was only appropriate in this place by invitation, this was their home and their land - not a tourist destination and not Thai society.
When we arrived to the village we were sharing this day with they welcomed us and sat us down to eat. This is my first experience of Akha food, it was so delicious. The vegetables were abundant and so tasty. I enjoyed unwrapping my rice that had been steamed in a banana leaf - I can't think of a better plate to enjoy a meal on.
After the small meal we were treated to coffee. This is Doi Chang. Elephant mountain. Lots of coffee is grown in this area and one company has made the name famous for coffee around Thailand. There were many people in this community that grew coffee. This was one of their agricultural products, they grew it, and they were sharing a brew with us - again, so great. I love this connection to life that is so entirely real. These people eat what they grow, they sustain themselves in the soil of the mountains. They work and they live. There is no grocery store, they don't work in an office and buy food that they don't understand. They know how it grows, whether the harvest was good or poor. They kill their own animals for meat, it doesn't come in Styrofoam and saran wrap.
There is something refreshing about all of this to me. Necessity is reality, you must labor for your livelihood in community.
The ride in the truck was long and deep into the hills. I really felt that I was only appropriate in this place by invitation, this was their home and their land - not a tourist destination and not Thai society.
When we arrived to the village we were sharing this day with they welcomed us and sat us down to eat. This is my first experience of Akha food, it was so delicious. The vegetables were abundant and so tasty. I enjoyed unwrapping my rice that had been steamed in a banana leaf - I can't think of a better plate to enjoy a meal on.
After the small meal we were treated to coffee. This is Doi Chang. Elephant mountain. Lots of coffee is grown in this area and one company has made the name famous for coffee around Thailand. There were many people in this community that grew coffee. This was one of their agricultural products, they grew it, and they were sharing a brew with us - again, so great. I love this connection to life that is so entirely real. These people eat what they grow, they sustain themselves in the soil of the mountains. They work and they live. There is no grocery store, they don't work in an office and buy food that they don't understand. They know how it grows, whether the harvest was good or poor. They kill their own animals for meat, it doesn't come in Styrofoam and saran wrap.
There is something refreshing about all of this to me. Necessity is reality, you must labor for your livelihood in community.
No comments:
Post a Comment