Phun Leuang Muang Lao 9
In the old day before there was a rice mill, Lao people processed their rice using an ancient invention called Kok Mong. This is similar to the household kok and sark or mortar and pestle, simple in design but very effective in grinding rice or as a mixing bowl for making sen khao phoon or vermicelli noodles. Kok Mong is a very rare item in today’s time and I have only seen photos of it as a little kid in Laos since I lived in Vientiane and didn’t have a chance to venture out in the rural area of Laos.
In this episode of 1000 Stories of Laos, a group of students went to see Kok Mong to learn about this acient tool so they can pass on the story to future generations. Kok Mong is made from nature, using what is availabe in the area. It is usually made of mai dou, the strong and lasting tree. Kok Mong can last as long as 10-20 years. For such a simple machine to grind rice and getting hum to feed the animals, this simple system is very sophisticate. The mortar is about 50cm deep and 80cm wide. It is burried in the ground partially to prevent any movement and to absorb the impact that could crack the wooden bowl. The mair mong is about 3m and 50cm in length with the waist of 50cm. Attached to mair mong are three types of pestle for pounding and grinding at different stages. The pestle is about 70cm in length.
It takes two person to use Kok Mong, one to tum and one to stir. For greater impact, an area at the foot of mair mong is lowered so the pestle can go higher and get more strength when hitting the rice. Please view the entire video for complete coverage of the story.
Thanks Darly for this post, I saw it when I was little living in Thailand.
Here’s another video of an Akha woman doing the same.
Dehusking the rice
I hope the link works.
If you notice she has a very long stick in one hand, it’s to push the rice down from the edges of the koke into the striking zone of the saht. The sound of the foot powered koke and saht is ubiquitous in the upland villages off the road and “off the grid”. As universal as chickens and pigs. The chickens gather round waiting for the husks, or often the husks are added to the stalks of banana trees that have been prepared for the pigs. (by cooking if memory serves me right)
A big reason I go to Laos is to see these things before they are gone.