Chulalongkorn University regularly carries on new initiatives and ongoing projects to record and preserve cultural heritage every year. These targeted cultures include folk and regional culture, national culture, and the culture of displaced communities in the country. Our undertaking during 2021-2022 are exemplified as follows:
Folk and Regional Cultural Heritage:
One of the most prominent and ongoing projects by Chulalongkorn University to preserve and continue regional cultural heritage is Daraphirom Palace Museum, Amphur (District) Mae Rim, Chiangmai. The culture of interest is of the Northern Thailand, also known as Lanna. The task is to record the cultures and traditions from the old times since the time of Princess Dara Rasmi (1873-1933), who dedicated her life in what people in the modern day would call a vocational training for people in her area, and to better the life quality and the economy of people in Northern Thailand.
A traditional and cultural fair is organized every year on December 9th to commemorate the day of Princess Dara Rasmi’s passing. The last event to date was on December 9, 2021, when the Covid-19 restriction was laxed and events were allowed to take place. The activities in every event at Daraphirom Palace Museum includes Northern-styled market, exhibitions, folk music performances, and Northern traditional dance and music contest, for instance, contests on Forn Leb dance and Klong Sabatcha, a victory drum dance by male dancers. Both dances are characteristic exclusively of the Northern Thailand. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of, and pride in, the ancient traditions and cultures and pass them on to the next generation. The targeted cultures to preserve and continue are local traditions, music, foods, and language. The details of the event are recorded and disseminated in forms of online and offline documents.
National Cultural Heritage:
Thailand possesses extensive and varied invaluable cultures. One of them is Thai traditional music and dance. Chulalongkorn University is fortunate enough to receive the royal guidance from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on preserving these cultures. Chula Inscription initiative, therefore, was initiated as a fruit of her royal guidance. The initiative is divided into three main projects, aiming to systemically continue the teaching of Thai traditional music masters to facilitate learning and passing on the skills and knowledge on the Thai traditional music through accessible means both online and offline. Information is collected in a form of database, true to each master, and archived in a digital database at Thai Music Library, Chulalongkorn University.
Tasks on Chula Inscription Initiative:
(1) Revered Thai Traditional Musician Archive to Preserve Thai Musical Heritage, Phase 4-6, Fiscal Year 2021-2022 collects information for Thai traditional music masters and experts through interviews. The priority is given to the oldest living masters. Data and information collected are biography, teaching approaches, and their body of knowledge, and is recorded in digital forms. The masters’ musical performances are also recorded with cooperation of Thai music ensembles under the Department of Arts, Ministry of Culture, Thai traditional ensembles under the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Department, The Public Relations Department, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Independent Thai traditional musicians also volunteered. This is an ongoing project since 2018, and continues on into the future. Up until September 2022, information on 153 masters has been recorded and made available for retrieval at Thai Music Library under Office of Art and Culture, Chulalongkorn University.
(2) Chula Inscription: Miscellaneous Knowledge of Thai Traditional Music, Phase 1 records Thai traditional music instruments and their accessories building and maintenance methods, which are secret of the trade that differ from musical house to house and continued by mere oral tradition. The purpose of the project is to prevent the bodies of knowledge from disappearing. The methods are recorded in a form of videos and published online. Six episodes have been broadcasted to date online, with over 35,000 views and can be accessed via the following links: (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyuS0r-5J9a1uP9ZVRDgKaPcu7CbNjBuN / https://www.facebook.com/watch/1419355448288448/5275055999259484). The initiative is projected to continue every fiscal year.
(3) Recording of Chulavatid performances taking place on the first Friday of every even month, totaling six performances a year. The purpose of Chulavatid program is to provide a venue for Thai music ensembles in the original tradition to perform, gain experience, and pass on their knowledge to the younger generations. Its formal performances take place at Music Hall. Art and Culture Building, Chulalongkorn University, and are broadcasted live on Facebook page and YouTube channel. The recordings from the first performance in 1988 have been archived. There are 233 performances up until the time of writing this article in October 2022.
Cultural Heritage of Displaced Communities
Cultural flows in the Asia have been in existence before the continent was divided into countries. People in the continent congregate and form community according to their cultures and traditions, which are similar to those of others to various degrees. People of different ethnicities carry their cultural heritage and tradition as they move and settle down in certain areas and their culture may continue in their new settlement or assimilate with the existing culture in the area. The same cultural phenomenon occurs in Thailand.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Pornprapit Phoasavadi, a faculty member of Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, who works closely with Office of Art and Culture, and her team identified fifteen ethnic groups in Thailand, for instance, Tai Lue, Gouñhyàñ, Hmong, Xishuangbanna, Mlabri, Lahu. Phoasavadi and her team collect the history of each ethnic group and their musical culture, especially types of musical instruments emphasizing community ensembles and musical genres. Interviews are conducted. Videotape and sound are recorded of performances by Salor, Sor and Pin band, Tai Lue songs, Krung, Preh, Pad Mueang band, Kum Drum band, Puja Drum band and Tob Song Drum band which accompanied the dance Forn Hang Nok Yoong ensembles.
The data collection on the musical cultures of the said ethnic group has been ongoing since 2009 to date and projected to continue. Significant amount of information on cultures, traditions, faiths, and music of these displaced communities has been collected for the purpose of preserving and continuing their cultural heritage as part of world heritage.
