8 October
Coconut shell lanterns, which are a work of art, will sell well during the Thadingyut lighting festival, said Ko Pho Zaw, a coconut shell lantern artist.
During the lighting festival, people hang the lanterns in their homes.
“I learned the art three years ago. To create art on a coconut shell, we need to have artistic as well as sculpting skills. Most foreigners like to purchase lanterns with good-quality designs. They especially purchase coconut shell lanterns bearing paintings during the Thadingyut festival,” said Ko Pho Zaw, a coconut shell artist from Pazundaung Township, who is showcasing his paintings at the Bogyoke Aung San market.
Coconut shell art was first invented in Myanmar, he said.
“To create art on coconut shells, we first collect good-quality and hard coconut shells. Then, we clean the shells and draw paintings,” he added. There are over 50 types of coconut products sold in the market, including coconut shell rings, coconut shell combs, coconut shell kettles, and coconut shell cups.
The prices range from K5,000-K10,000 for coconut shell rings, K3,000-K5,000 for coconut shell combs, K70,000 for coconut shell lanterns, and up to K300,000 for coconut shell kettles and cups.
Myint Maung Soe
(Translated by Hay Mar)
