My Elephant and Me (by Erin)
Trip Start
Sep 17, 2007
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193
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Trip End
Oct 08, 2008
Lampang,
Thailand
Sunday, June 8, 2008
I'd never spoken to Supat, and I didn't talk to him much at our first meeting. I was handed a mahout suit and told to change in 1 minute. I didn't know we were that late
Baby elephant games
! Neither Travis nor I could figure out how to put on our pants, so it definitely took more than one minute, and when we emerged from the bathrooms everyone else had already gone to the show grounds. At this point I was mildly stressed and hoping that I hadn't caused too much trouble. We arrived at what was effectively the "mahout spot" and the other mahouts-in-training were standing about waiting for their elephants, so I really had nothing to worry about. One after the next, a real mahout would bring his elephant up to us and we were slowly adopted. Then I was the last mahout with no elephant in sight except one that was securely chained to a wooden structure and she didn't look too inviting. Supat told me my elephant would come, so I waited and watched this elephant whom I had decided must be all chained up because she was naughty. I looked into the grounds, watching all the other mahouts meeting their elephants and getting on and off them and when I looked back, sure enough, the naughty elephant was being led toward me. My mahout was certainly the oldest of all of them, and I think this turned out to be a good thing. "Look Khong," he pointed to the elephant. I repeated, he nodded. He grabbed a bag of sugar cane bits. "What's your name?" I asked. "Mahout!" said he with amusement. Then he said some name in Thai, and it was completely unintelligible except that it started with a P, so Mahout it would be
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. Then I was ordered to climb up on my elephant. Just like that. Here's a giant beast, please climb on. Look Khong, unlike some of the other elephants, was trained to make her leg into two steps rather than just one, so first I climbed onto her ankle and then onto her knee. Then I somehow had to get from her knee to her neck. I never fully figured out how to do this without much ado, even though I watched everyone else's techniques as the days passed. This time I think I managed to swing one arm over her neck, tugged her ear with my other hand, threw up a leg, and scrabbled the rest of the way. Most of the time my arrival on Look Khong from this direction resulted in me laying flat on my stomach on top of her with my arms and legs flailing for balance as the well-trained elephant began to move the minute I was supposedly on her neck. Then I had to try not to fall off as Mahout grabbed her ear and led her into the grounds. You would think that sitting on the neck of the elephant would be the easiest perch, but in fact the skin there is quite loose and the rolling motion of the shoulders makes for a swaying ride. If you're not used to this it can feel like you'll certainly fall off, which would not be a fun thing, as female Asian elephants can get to be eleven feet tall.
Our first exercise was elephant training
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. That is to say, the elephants trained us, because they already knew everything and we didn't even know how to correctly pronounce the Thai words. The training wasn't too rigorous, and most of it was fun. My least favorite part was the order to crawl down the side of the standing elephant. She still made a little step for me, but the only really useable one was her ankle, and it was far from my legs, and most of the time I just slid off and fell on the ground. The last day I got an elephant burn on my stomach as my shirt rode up. But I also finally was able to dismount with some semblance of grace after three days of practice. The routine went like this: climb onto the elephant, march to the show ground, climb off the elephant, climb onto the elephant, slide off the elephant's head from the front, jump over the elephant's head to remount, throw the hoop on the ground and ask the elephant to pick it up, make the elephant sit and pick up the hoop, make the elephant lie down on her belly and pick up the hoop, make the elephant stand up, make the elephant lie down all the way on her side (including pause for ground-level dismount), pat the elephant, tell the elephant to get up on her belly, climb onto the elephant from ground level, tell the elephant to stand up, make the elephant walk.
Once the elephant was walking, Mahout led her around and showed me all the tricks she could do
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. She clanged a bell with her trunk, raised and lowered a flag, played a xylophone (although not with any great skill), turned on a water tap, and ate. She ate a lot. That first morning we also did a couple loops of the show ground so I could get accustomed to sitting on my elephant. Before long I was no longer gripping her with both my hands and feet, and by the end of the day I could just sit back and relax. Mostly. In the morning we repeated this exercise three times - twice immediately with sugar cane snacks, then a food break (generally involving more treats like sugar cane and juicy palm stocks), then one more go at the commands. Then our mahouts led us down the road and straight into the bathing show. Walking your elephant unwittingly into an audience is a bit of a shocker, but I think everyone was pretty well convinced that we knew what was happening. Besides, the elephant bath degenerated into some water squirting melee, so the audience didn't really matter in the least. Sopping wet we moved out of the bathing pool and onto the road. The audience walked by and exclaimed on their way to the show ground. Then our elephants began their walk back to the show ground.
And then there was no dismount. Well, Mahout dismounted, but I was left on Look Khong and sent directly into my first show
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. So much for watching! "Well," I thought, "We'll just introduce the elephants and then leave, since we've never even seen the show." No, no. After all the elephants were introduced and took a bow, we lined up to march all around the grounds so the audience could see the elephants close-up. Then we were sent into the center of the grounds to demonstrate those commands we'd only heard for the first time about an hour before, and then only about three times.
Of course, I was so lucky that I got the stubborn elephant. At 16, Look Khong was just a year younger than the center and one of the first elephants born there. She was hand-reared by the current director, and some stroke of fate said that he should be there and talking to the crowds on my first day. After the first couple of commands she just wouldn't listen. Mahout walked her off the grounds and got me off her, then led her away. My thinking reverted to that she was, after all, a naughty elephant. Then the director appologized and explained that when he's around Look Khong thinks it's a holiday and refuses to work. So she is stubborn, but she's just hobbled because that's the way Mahout secures her. After all, I hadn't seen how the other mahouts secured their elephants yet.
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We all watched the elephants lift and pull logs. Rather than doing a lot of silly elephant tricks the center demonstrates how elephants are used in industry. Or at least how they were used until logging was ended and cars came to be mainstream. Then the center shows some elephant tricks. Jojo, the large male who, at 17, is famous for being the first elephant born at the center, walked on a log. One of the elephants put a hat on Marisa. Then easels were brought out and two elephants painted while a third played the xylophone (again, not spectacularly). Elephant paintings are for sale at the center, as well as at many places in Chiang Mai, and some of them are really quite good, though they all look a little like something a child might paint. Look Khong isn't the greatest painter, though. Then we unwitting mahouts were all ordered back on our elephants for the final bow. Look Khong was behaving again, and I climbed on and we all walked into the show ground to take a final bow. Then the elephants surged forward as one to vie for the tasty treats the visitors could purchase and feed to them: bananas and corn. Apparently elephants really like corn.
Having been with Look Khong for only two hours (and being not fully able to remember her name), you might think that I would have been a bit dazed. On the elephant, show, bye
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! But as we all walked to the homestay to settle in and wait for lunch I was not only psyched about this totally amazing opportunity, but I also felt already like Look Khong was my elephant and she knew me even if I was new. As you may imagine, lunch was an excited chatterfest. There were ten of us present for the course, three two-day people and seven three-day people, and we all traded names and little snippets from the morning. What we all had in common was how thrilled we all were to have our own elephants. It started with "my elephant..." but as the days progressed we not only identified with "my elephant" but could also say the other elephants' names and knew to whom they belonged. Way cool.
At one we were sent down to the bathing ground and we did the show from start to finish once again, this time without practice before hand, but everything went really well. And we all learned how to order the elephants to squirt in self-defense. Jojo was a squirting monster, and Pratchida would blow whereever Jenny pointed her trunk. In this fashion I was completely soaked, and Look Khong decided she didn't have time for such silly games, so I really had no defense. Neither did Travis - his was the only elephant that really couldn't squirt.
After the show we stayed on our elephants and went behind the show ground
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. After running through the commands once more, Mahout laid a massive length of chain around Look Khong's neck and we set off for the jungle. It was time to say goodnight to the elephants. Leaving the road we had to cross a little stream, and Look Khong really didn't like the bridge, so she'd charge straight down the four foot canal and straight back up it. Fortunately I didn't fall off. All the elephants piled into the pond for a little drink before setting out through the woods. Watching the elephants march through the jungle was really neat, even if we were on them. After going up, down, up and down we ended up at a point where Look Khong decided she'd like to bed down and ran off the path. Mahout pulled the chain down and secured her to a tree, and then hobbled her. Not all mahouts hobbled their elephants, and I could only think this was due to Mahout preference or Look Khong's strength and naughtiness. Either way she didn't seem to mind too much. And before you think Mahout is mean please consider: he was the mahout who used his hoop the least, either the back or the front of it. Then our first day was officially over. We had a couple of hours to burn until dinner, so we decided to visit the baby.
If you've been following, you'll know how I adore baby things
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. I'd been looking forward to seeing the baby elephant for ages. Some thought he was ugly, hairy, and not cute because he wasn't pocket-sized. I'd have to say he was adorable. He frolicked around playfully, had a big fro, and (considering that he was an elephant) he was so little! His name was Seven because he was born on 07/07/07 (same day Travis and I got married), and he and his mother were donated to the center because her owner couldn't care for a mother elephant with a nursing infant. Immediately we all disregarded the sign and stuck our hands in the pen to pet and play with him. Travis and I were first there, so we saw the playing go from rolling a tire to whacking unsuspecting Jenny. Seven's favorite game turned out to be tug-of-war with his trunk. This took some skill to perfect so that he could be entertained while not hurting us, but we managed. Untrained baby elephants can be quite dangerous because they want to play but don't know how strong they are. At one point Seven had my hand pinned between his trunk and a log and was pushing, and I had a little trouble getting it back. Then too, there was the period where he attempted to eat my skirt. Mmm, baby elephant slobber. Seven's mom didn't seem to mind us as she rocked back and forth in the pen, so we all entertained each other quite satisfactorily. Seven also climbed up to put his front legs on top of the pen to get better access to us, which was totally cute and puppy-like
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. Eventually, however, we had to go hom. Please watch the videos in Travis's and my entries to see the baby at play. The evening was a relaxed, story-exchage period. Supat told us loads of factoids about elephants, the center, and our own elephants' personalities. As I suspected, mine is stubborn. Trav's was the oldest, at age 30. Gernot's had a bun in the oven, but not due for another 10 months at the earliest. Elephants often gestate for 20 months. Jojo was the biggest elephant we played with, and he wasn't even full-grown. Elephants don't really stop/slow growing until they're maybe 22, and Asian elephants can get to be 3000 kilos. That's pretty big. But not as big as African elephants, who can grow to 5000 kilos. Jojo was just over 2000 kilos. Also, only male Asian elephants have tusks, and even then not all of them do. African elephants worked it so both male and female elephants have large tusks. And we learned that our elephants would eat for 16 hours per day and sleep for 4.
A lull ensued after this, and we mahouts-in-training sat back and chatted. The later it got, the more bugs appeared, and eventually a load of things that looked like wasps with no sting started buzzing around clumsily. They seemed to be harmless, but having something an inch long and a quarter inch fat is not something pleasant to have constantly buzzing around and running into you
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. We all complained about them. Then, all of a sudden, six Thais were greedily scooping them up and putting them into water bottles or any other container. Once they'd gotten all they could catch (which was pretty much all there were, since they were so clumsy) they took them off to fry them up for a tasty snack. Welcome to Thailand. This is when we knew there really wouldn't be another experience quite like this one. After all the work we'd done in one day, we went to bed early, looking forward to fetching our elephants out of the jungle, even if it was at 6:15.
The alarm was too far away to turn off, so I counted 62 beeps before it stopped, moaned, rolled over, and finally crawled out of bed. Since we were only going into the jungle I didn't have much to do but put on my grody mahout suit and have a cup of coffee (instant, bleh). On the road between the guest houses the mahout who'd been sent to fetch us was getting impatient, telling us to "Bai, bai, bai," the elephant command for "go." Also the Thai word for "go," but it's all about context, really. Finally he got us to the food barn where we all picked up 3 sticks of bamboo (some didn't follow directions and their elephants got a bit more) and then marched off into the jungle.
I must say that going up, down, up, down is much easier on an elephant
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. It wasn't yet 7 and I was sweaty. Sweaty Erin, damp mahout suit, dirty elephant. It was going to be quite a day. Watching an elephant come through the jungle after being called by a mahout is pretty cool. In the jungle the elephants seem so natural, but the mahout's calling also makes them approachable. Everyone had to wait a while before the elephants appeared, as the length of chain was quite long. Then the elephant helped the mahout gather all the chain up, pulling it with her trunk and holding it for a moment in her mouth if necessary.
Look Khong had covered her entire back with dirt to keep the insects off. Elephants are pestered with enormous horse flies, and while they're clean all day we the mahouts have to keep and eye out and swat. The minute we walk away the dirt flies. And I am personally convinced that Look Khong got dirtier than any other elephant. Whereas all the other mahouts managed to clean off most of the dirt before the morning's bath, we couldn't get anything off Look Khong until she was fully submerged in water.
Having climbed back on the elephant we made our way down to the road. Then, because I had brought my camera, Mahout took it and hooked it on a branch, and ordered Look Khong to keep walking
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. "Hey!" I said. The water appeared. "Ooooh." It was bath time. The real bath was short and sweet, getting the elephant clean and scrubbed much more thoroughly than in the show pool. The water was dirtier, though. Look Khong dunked her head deep and I was almost fully submerged. So much for being dry at all. We walked back to the road and Look Khong knew to stop without being told so I could get my camera back. We marched up to the show ground and, after filling the treat bag with sugar cane bits, were sent away for breakfast. Here we discovered we would get dry mahout suits for the day! Never did you ever see ten happier people. The day progressed much as yesterday had, but I found I was able to anticipate the commands. Getting up was also getting a little easier, even if my short legs would never quite be up to the task of climbing an elephant. Look Khong was quite patient with me.
Our treat for the day was visiting the babies and the Elephant clinic. What we didn't know yesterday was that there are actually two babies at the center. The other baby is now old enough to go to the jungle with his mother, so he was already there when we went to visit Seven yesterday. He's only a few months older than Seven, and equally as cute. Stays a little closer to his mom, who is actually his "step-mom" since he was rejected by his birth mother
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. The clinic (not to be confused with the really big elephant hospital behind it) was rather quiet. There were three elephants. One had leg pain, so it was in a harness keeping its full weight off its legs and had a drip running into its ear. One had some foot infection issues. The last one had been a logging elephant and had dislocated its rear leg. For some reason the leg couldn't be fixed (probably delayed treatment), and on top of that he had a tusk infection. The most common ailment of elephants is emaciation, but they suffer from everything from infection to depression. To reduce stress levels the clinic alternates jungle time for the elephants. The center even has an elephant with a prosthetic leg - the original was lost to a land mine. We'd grown accustomed to these gentle giants, and I think the clinic made everyone a little sad. You want your friends to be happy and healthy, after all.
After lunch the three two-day mahouts had to say goodbye. But the show went on, and we'd all promised the exchange photos.
For the afternoon show I finally figured out that I shouldn't wear shoes on my elephant. It doesn't really matter, but climbing is much easier barefoot
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. I had to bring my shoes with me for the jungle trek, though, so I set them on the side of the road. After the bathing Trav's elephant grabbed my shoes, so I told Look Khong to grab his, and we arranged a swap. When the show ended we made our way up into the jungle again, this time taking a different path. Mahout found a mushroom and showed it to me. Supat told me later that if I ate it I'd have to go to the elephant hospital. Mahout also found me a flower. Very nice.
Returning to the homestay I was tired enough not to want to do anything, but I knew if I didn't go see the baby elephant again then I'd never get to again. After much deliberation and a cup of coffee, I decided to go. At first Seven paid no attention to me, and I watched him slide down the hill at the back of his pen. It was quite wet from the showers throughout the day. Then he decided to take note of me and we played for a while. He charged at me and whipped his trunk around and climbed the fence, and I feinted and tugged on him. At one point he swung his head back and forth like a charging bull elephant, which was very cute. But I knew he was just playing because he ran about about a tenth of his best speed, I'm sure. Then it began to drizzle a bit and I went back to the homestay. The rest of the evening was quiet and restful, which was nice, since the day had been so long.
The third day came. In the jungle Look Khong was dirtier than yesterday, I think I got wetting during the bath, and I was so sad thinking of leaving this lovely giant. I was surprised how attached I'd become in the space of three days
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. After the show we all got our training completion certificates, took photos with our mahouts and elephants, and shook hands all around. I'm not ashamed to say that I clung to Look Khong's trunk for longer than she probably appreciated. I'll miss her.
I hope I go back. Maybe we'll take our kids with us when they're old enough. It was definitely one of the best experiences of my life, short though it may be, and it'll be a cherished memory for the rest.
Erin
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Comments
Mahout crunchies
Great adventure Tin-horn Mahouts. Did you taste the 'wasps'? Would the staff share em? What insects are they? Besides corn and bananas, do the phants eat grass? You don't have really have to answer unless its raining, and feel like it. Much affection, >>> Dad