Isaan Life - Harvesting Rice
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| BAN KU MUANG, UBON RATCHATHANI
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| Words and photos by Eli Sherman |
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| Last week I found myself hip-deep in the
sun-drenched rice paddies of northeast Thailand,
13,000 kilometers from the snow-covered
fields of my home in Vermont in the northeastern
United States. Overcome with curiosity about
the labor-intensive, harvesting process
that produces one of the world's most plentiful
crops, I decided to see how it's done first
hand. Well let me tell you, it's back breaking
work! I have a new found respect for everyone
that works in those rice paddies. It was
two of the more uncomfortable, difficult,
backbreaking days of work I have every experienced
in my life. |
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| Aidan Curley an English teacher here in
Isaan, contacted a family and asked if I
could work for a couple of days in Ban Ku
Muang, a small farming village encapsulated
by rice fields. They were more than happy
to have an extra pair of hands, even if
they were unskilled. I had no idea what
I was getting into. Waking up before seven
a.m. for school back home had always been
a struggle, but waking up at five a.m. to
harvest rice seemed like a suicide wish.
Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, I trudged
off to work at dawn and soon found myself
surrounded and submerged in a sea of tan
rice plants sticking up from the soggy earth.
I wore a pair of mud boots, unfortunately
too small for my feet, a hat to shelter
my pale face from being burnt to a crisp,
wool gloves to provide small protection
from the razor sharp sickle used to cut
the crop and a jacket to keep the sun off
my arms. |
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| My co-workers, all dressed
the same, were part of an extended family
including the mother, Youanji; father, Naiton;
son, Naicheng and a daughter, Nangdam. They
had twice the energy and resolve that I
had that morning even though they had been
working the fields for almost four months
straight, every single day! |
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| For the first hour of 'Gee
Ow Cow', as the rice harvest is known, Naicheng
guided me through the painstaking cutting
ritual that is repeated a thousand times
each workday. He spoke no English, but my
Thai is good as I spent a high school semester
in Ubon Ratchathani and studied the language
intensively back home as well. As a first-time
harvester my job was simply to cut the stalks
and leave them on the ground for others
to process. Using my sickle I would gather
the rice plants into my hand and then slash
the stalks just centimeters away from my
fingers. I would repeat the process until
my hands were full. Twice in the first hour
I cut clean through my glove taking skin
off of my hand. My co-workers were amused
but encouraged me in my effort. |
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| By the eight a.m. breakfast
break I was fully awake and beginning to
work into a rhythm. I was also exhausted.
Breakfast was enjoyable, it included a dish
called 'Sok Lek' which is raw meat soaked
in blood, and 'Lao Cow' a white whiskey.
Naiton explained: "The Sok Lek will make
you strong, and the whiskey will make you
forget about how hot it's going to get."
This sent the other three into a fit of
laughter causing me to feel nervous. |
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| Sure enough the blistering
heat came and so did a killing back pain.
Bending down for hours each day for months,
I wondered why my co-workers weren't all
hunchbacks. After only half a day I was
beginning to feel ancient myself. Naicheng
and his family had beautiful spirits; he
turned to me after a while and asked, "Does
your back hurt?" I returned his question
with a smile: "A little bit." He smiled
back and asked: "Are you hot from the sun?"
I laughed through the sweat pouring down
my face: "A little bit." Naicheng looked
at me knowingly and said: "That's why we
must talk to each other because talking
will make you forget about the pain in your
back and the heat from the sun." It was
a very sweet thing to say and he was a right.
After talking about my country and his,
his life and mine, I began to forget the
pain and heat. I was into the rhythm of
the harvest. The back pain was unbearable
however when we quit for the day at five
p.m. I dragged myself onto Aidan's motorcycle
and collapsed exhausted in my bed. I was
fast asleep by eight thirty. |
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| The following day was much
like the first however I moved a little
faster. I was confident but still a novice.
I was also foolish. I wore a short-sleeved
shirt and by mid morning I had a horrid,
painful sunburn. The conversation turned
to food. Youanji was very interested in
the foods I had eaten in Thailand. I love
Thai food and back home am considered an
expert by my friends. Even my brother, a
professional chef asks me questions about
Thai spices and cuisine. Youanji asked me:
"Have you ever eaten field mouse before?"
Thinking that she was joking I replied,
"No, but I'd love to try it." She seemed
excited and invited me to dinner the next
night. I was skeptical thinking perhaps
she was teasing me. |
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| To be polite I accepted but
sure enough as soon as I arrived to her
home a glass of whiskey and a big platter
of roasted meat was placed in front of me.
I could see it was a mouse or at least a
rodent; it had a long tail that Naiton snatched
and crunched into his mouth. My image of
a field mouse was the tiny creature that
hides in the lush green grass back home.
This mouse was more like an oversized rat;
it was the size of my forearm. Not knowing
what to expect I picked up a meaty looking
piece and slowly put it into my mouth. Bam!
Steak, chicken, beef all thrown together
into one delicious bite! I couldn't believe
I was eating mouse. I was converted from
a doubter to an addict in one bite. |
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| Harvesting rice is something
I will not choose as my life's work. I probably
wouldn't ever want to do it again; the long
hours are too much for too little. However,
the |
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| people
that do this everyday, some seven days a week,
are generous, hard working and fun loving and
I respect them deeply. |
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About the author:
Eli Sherman
is a graduate of Montpelier High School in Montpelier,
the capital of the state of Vermont, USA, and a "young
blood writer" living in Ubon Ratchathani, Isaan -
Northeastern Thailand. He's been to Isaan four times
in his short life. Once on a cross cultural exchange
with Montpelier to Thailand Project; once coming for
five months as an exchange student at Benchama Maharat
school in Ubon; and again coming as a guide for Montpelier
to Thailand Project. He now works as a volunteer at
the Institute of Nutrition Research Field Station,
Mahidol University in Ubon Ratchathani and is writing
to present Isaan Life to the world, and especially
KhaoSanRoad.com visitors.
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More by the author: Isaan
Life - Harvesting Rice | Isaan
Life - Graduation | Issaan
Life - New Year |
