The Hidden Village

Life is journey and this trip was the longest path, I had walked. This village was hidden by mountains. My friend and I went to “Kor Sa deong”, a small village in Kanjanaburi, Thailand for a research about the local Karean music. After walking in the wild for hours, we arrived to the village at night. Chang, the father of family and our host welcomed us with warmly smiles. I took a bath at the river near the house. Then we were all sit together in the small wood house. Chang said “In the jungle, we don’t have any TV or fancy furniture; so we love to sit here and talk.”

Next morning, I woke up so early and the weather was so nice. You could see the fog kissed the mountain as you looked out. Wat, the oldest son of family had just come back from the farm. He lighted up the cigarette and talked to me. Wat told me that he used to work as a laborer in Bangkok. After few months he came home to be a farmer. He said that “Even, I could earn more money at Bangkok, but I was not happy there. Sometimes, I did not make any profits from the farm and I had to work harder. Although, this is my place, this is my home and I was happier here.”

I stayed in the village for more few days. I walked to their farms, to a waterfall near the village and mostly spent time on talking to villagers. Before I went back, three little girls gift me a flower. I kept the flower and promised them that I will be back. My friend and I decided to go back by a raft, which made by bamboos tie up together. At first, we went so smooth but suddenly there was a cataract and our raft hit with rocks. I instantly felt into the rush stream; luckily my head was not hit with rocks but the bamboo pierce into my arm. However, I swam to the shore and went home safely. It had been years since I left the village. For me the local Karean music research is not only about their songs or their music instrument. The real melody is already in their culture, which is so perfectly harmony with nature and all living things.

Sadly, in the big city which has everything such as big screen TV or fancy furniture: but it seems to miss the simplest and the most important thing as time for family. Many forget their joy in life, and let the volume of money leads their life. I still keep the flower, which I have got from three little girls though it was death. It always reminds me of another way of life and good people who have a different point of view; that we may not ever know or overlook.