Zayatkyi Local Customs

It was very cool to watch a hunk of metal being pounded on by 5 guys that were all in synch with each other pounding away on the Red Hot hunk of steel! And of course they were barefoot with bits of the molten metal falling onto their feet! OUCH! I don't think that their footware would pass OSHA standards here in the west.

All over the lake you can see weed gatherers. It is used to build floating gardens and also to add to the size of the property. It also serves a double pupose of keeping the boating lanes clear of motor tangling weeds!

After the paper making process you can see how they made umbrellas. It was a very interesting process. The umbrellas were made with 2 sheets of the handmade paper with real flowers placed between the 2 sheets. They were treated with some sort of resin and looked very beautiful when they were finished. For the price it was quite cheap as everything was hand made. All of the bamboo structural pieces were hand-cut too and they worked perfect! I tried a couple of them. The bamboo slid perfectly in the grooves. Oh well...If I ever make it back I'll certainly buy one!

Here you can see the paper being removed from the frame. The paper is very nice and soft. But seemed quite strong. They also make lot's handicraft items from the paper. Such as Umbrellas and fans. I didn't buy an umbrella and I'm kicking myself now as they were quite beautiful. I didn't feel like carrying it!

In the area you can find people making paper that comes from the bark of a local tree.
The process as I remember it:
1)Gather the bark
2)Soak it in water to soften it
3)Smash it into a pulpy mixture with a wooden mallet
4)Soak it in water again
5)Place a square mesh box in the water
6)Carefully spread the pulpy mixture over the mesh to the desired thickness
7)Remove the box from the water
8)Place it in the sun to dry
9)Remove paper from the box frame
10 Now you have paper!

Here in the picture you can see the lady smashing the pulp.

These guys can also do custom work if you are going to be spending any amount of time in the area it might be nice to get a special piece made just the way you like!
These guys are very friendly and love to explain the process of what they are doing and there isn't any charge for the explanation! Of course they would appreciate a purchase or 2 . hahhaa

In a nearby village called Ywama you can find silversmiths that operate of their homes and there are a couple of small shops established if you would like to make purchases. The work seemed quite nice and very affordable with a little bargaining.

Here you can see the Umbrellas in various stages of assembly. Quite a process! But the final product is beautiful!