The Geometry of Devotion: Master Bualai Kanapanya and the Lanna Lantern
The Kanapanya family in Nong Hoi (หนองหอย), Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่), preserves the creation of Lanna Lanterns (โคมล้านนา) and Ceremonial Flags (ตุง), essential…
In the quiet community of Nong Hoi (หนองหอย) in Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่), the preservation of Northern Thai identity is found in the meticulous folding of paper and the precise cutting of fabric. Here, the Kanapanya family, under the foundational guidance of Master Bualai Kanapanya (แม่ครูบัวไหล คณะปัญญา), maintains the tradition of Lanna Lanterns (โคมล้านนา) and Ceremonial Flags (ตุง). These crafts serve as the visual language of merit and spiritual devotion in the Lanna (ล้านนา) culture. These objects are essential instruments of Buddhist practice that have defined the region’s aesthetic for…