Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate Melayu people’s way of life through the ways they utilized their cloths. The data of this qualitative research were collected from related documents and research reports, ancient cloths and clothing, and in-depth interviews with cloths owners and weavers.The research found that in the 18th century Melayu people in Pattani Province used many types of clothing in their life. When women were at home, they wore plain cloths. They used checked cloths to cover the upper part of their body from the breasts down to the waist. When going out, they used Lima cloth and So Kae with a piece of Pla-nging cloth as a headscarf. For men, they wore a checked sarong as a lower garment, and wore no upper garment. However, when going out, they wore Puyo Potong. In addition, Melayu people used cloths in various religious rites, namely, the rite of putting a baby in a cradle, the Masoyawi rite, the Nikah rite, and the funeral rite. These types of cloths were related to the way of life of Melayu people from birth to death. They reflected the race, gender, age, social status, values, and beliefs in traditions that have been inherited.

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