Transformation, Identities, the Puja Drumming, Tai Lue People, Nan Province, Thailand

TRANSFORMATION OF THE PUJA DRUMMING AND IDENTITIES OF THE TAI LUE PEOPLE IN NAN PROVINCE, THAILAND

タイ王国ナーン県タイ・ルーのプージャードラムの演奏とアイデンティティの変容

This research will examine the transforming of the traditional puja drum in the Tai Lue community in Pua district, Nan Province, Thailand. The puja drum is the essential percussion instrument of the Tai Lue people which is traditionally performed in both Buddhist and animist ritual ceremonies. Also, the Tai Lue people play the puja drum to communicate as a sound signal to people in the local community.

The purpose of research to study the transformation of the puja drum in the Tai Lue community of Pua district in Nan Province, Thailand. In 2012, the resolution by the Council of Ministers meeting of Thailand approved the Special Area for Sustainable Tourism. As a result, the DASTA(Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration(Public Organisation)) announced the Special Area for Sustainable Tourism Nan Old Town in Nan province which impacted to a traditional music preservation and development in local community. However, the traditional puja drum as the sacred music in the Buddhist temple has been transformed for the entertainment purpose as the product of tourist business market.

This study will focus on the changes of the puja drum within the traditional style of performance and techniques of playing; learning process, the making of puja drum within the local beliefs on the drum; the changing the function of using the puja drum in the community; the historical changes and continuities of the traditional puja drum performance; and the relationship between the puja drum and Tai Lue people in the village.

This research will examine aspects of transformation of puja drumming and identities of Tai Lue people which are expressed through traditional knowledge and musical skill, the transmit knowledge of playing instrument, traditional music conscious preservation in a local community, the local belief in the puja drum, music aesthetic, cultural identity of traditional music, and the meaning of the traditional instruments within the community.

The principle of research methodology will focus on the ethnomusicological framework, which employs formal and informal interviews, participant observation, the collecting of field data recording including the ethnography, sound and video recording, photograph, and music transcription. The fieldwork will be taken in round one year from May 2018 to April 2019.

The tradition Puja Drum in Nan Province, Thailand.