This bamboo tobacco pipe is an indigenous traditional smoking pipe among the Shan an ethnic group residing mainly in Manipur, India; Myanmar, Thailand; and Southern China. The bamboo pipe, made from local sources completely, is a handmade pipe.. Long and cylindrical in form, the pipe has a curve at one end to make handling easy. The two ends of the pipe are open but one end is narrower than the other to allow smoke to flow.
Among the Shan peasants, this tobacco pipe is an all-time companion for leisure and socializing. Smoking has been a tradition among the Shan community, done during leisure, social gatherings, and agricultural breaks. The pipe, rugged and unrefined, stands witness to the symbiotic relationship the Shan people share with nature, cleanly articulated through their utilitarian craft using lobelyana.
The bamboo pipe is not only a tool for smoking but also an artifact of the rich cultural heritage of the Shan tribe representing their age-old traditions and sustainable way of living.