Abstract
Khon is a Thai classical dance drama, which combines many art forms native to Thai culture to perform a spectacular show. These different art forms include elaborate masks, huge props and sets, graceful dances, and other art. This cultural heritage has been passed down since the Ayuttha period in Thailand, which was a monarchy which lasted from 1351 to 1767. An example of a very popular khon is the story of Rama, the human reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. This story is the Ramakien epic, a popular Thai epic adapted from Ramayan, the Indian epic. In these dances of the epics is the underlying belief that good virtues will always triumph over evil. It is this epic which the website will be based off of as it is the most popular khon with a strong history and deep-rooted tradition. As we have learned in our readings with Sims and Stephens, in Chapter 3 they discuss the importance of performance as a cultural form, and khon is no exception to this importance.
Famous Khon:
Ramakien
The Masked Dance
One of the most popular and visually stunning Khon
Dramasis the story of Ramakien. It is an epic about Rama, who in many Southeast Asian cultures represents the human reincarnation of Vishnu, a Hindu god. In Ramakien, Rama chases down and defeats the demon king Ravana with the help of his brother and monkey warriors. Below is a YoutTube Video demonstrating a scene from this Khon.
Masked Tradition
There are over 300 different masks that are used in khon, and many of the differences between them are only slight coloring or design changes. This makes the mask producing process a very fine and delicate one in which the artists will spend countless hours fitting, molding and painting the masks to represent the different gods and deities within the khon. These visually stunning works of art are inherent in the process of representing the fundamental nature of dances such as Ramakien, as seen in the video above.
Acrobatics
The acrobatics seen in khon are there to capture the audience's attention, reliving some of the more dramatic fight scenes or be a representation of the performance art itself. Actors train night and day leading up to each performance to be sure they can perform these athletic acts under the weight of the costumes and masks as well. The top acrobatic acts seen in Ramakien usually are in the monkey fighters and the main characters, as they must complete these dances with weapons in hand as well.
Educational Significance
Since the 1960's, Khon has been taught within the public school system as well as demonstrated to the upper class to allow for a stronger sense of cultural pride across all of Thailand.
Cultural Significance
Originally, Khon was meant to be a sort of religious representation and entertainment for the kings and queens of Thailand. In the past century as Thailand has gained its independence, khon is now recognized by people of all socioeconomic backgrounds within Thailand, bringing communities together for the full works of art.
References
Bock, Shiela and Borland, Katherine. 2011. "Exotic Identities: Dance, Difference, and Self-Fashioning". Journal of Folklore Research Vol 48(1), pp. 1-36
Handler, Richard, and Jocelyn Linnekin. "Tradition, Genuine or Spurious." The Journal of American Folklore 97, no. 385 (1984): 273-90. doi:10.2307/540610.
Kantavong, P. (2018). Understanding Inclusive Education Practices in Schools under Local Government Jurisdiction: A Study of Khon Kaen Municipality in Thailand" International Journal of Inclusive Education, 22(7), 767–786.
Sims, Martha and Martine Stephens. 2011. Living Folklore, 2nd Edition: An Introduction to the Study of People and Their Traditions. Utah State University Press
Wee, C. J. (2003). Local Cultures and the "New Asia" the state, culture, and capitalism in Southeast Asia. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.