Children's Education by Folklore in Thailand Historical Background of Education in Thailand

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Children's Education by folklore in Thailand Historical background of Education in Thailand

by Khunying Maenmas Chavalit

ducation of children in Thailand, before the were oral explanation, demonstration and supervi- reformation of its educational system, was sion on the child who was taught to listen, E under the responsibilities of three institu- memorise and practice. The child was also ex- tions; namely the family, the temple, and the King. pected to ask questions, although this activity was The education system was reformed in Buddhist not much encouraged. Era (B.E.) 2411-2453 (A.D. 1868-1910) during the Four activities were required for learning: reign of King Chulalongkorn, who initiated the Suttee (listening);Jitta (thinking); Pucha (inquir- modernization programme of the country's socio- ing), and Likhit (writing). economy and political infrastructure. Before then, The subjects taught were mainly spiritual, there had been no schools in the modern sense; vocational and literary. Girls were given instruc- neither were there a systematically prescribed tions at home, by the mother, the grandmother curriculum and teachers trained in teaching meth- or female adult relatives. They learned etiquette, ods. Knowledgeable persons who were willing to cooking, household management, grass or cane teach, would apply and transfer their knowledge weaving, and most important of all, textile weav- which they had acquired through years of prac- ing. Textile weaving was not only to provide gar- tice, observations, analysis or which they had in- ments for the family, but was also regarded as a herited from their parents. The methods used prestige, and a requirement for respectable women.

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As for religious learning, they ment, embroidery, etc.. This temple was specialised such as were taught by elders in the fam- training is reflected in the edu- building, carving, gilding, ily as well as by Buddhist monks. cation of Lady Nopamas of the mother-of-pearl inlaiding, medi- During the Buddhist sacred days Sukhotai court (13th Century cine, astrology and astronomy. and festivals, children accompa- A.D.), as described in the book The knowledge and skills ac- nied their elders to the temple entitled "Nang Nopamas". quired would be applied for earn- and listened to the preaching of As for boys, their education ing a living. the monk. Daily, at home, they was mainly provided by the In the past, the temple was were taught to make merit by temple. After their early age, a actually a community resource getting up early in the morning boy of about 6-7 years would be centre for education of boys. to prepare food for the monk, sent to the temple, and some of Similar to girls, the sons of noble and in the evening before family were also sent to the going to bed, they would re- court to obtain knowledge re- cite the Buddha's teachings, quired for royal and state especially the Five Sila, or services. precepts which they were expected to observe strictly. The invention of Thai Prescribed education for girls, alphabets as being understood by the Concerning the encoding of society, was in the spheres of information for preservation religions, respectability, obedi- them would stay in the temple and dissemination of knowledge, ence, house-hold management until they finished the required the King had a significant role to skills (which to an extent include training. Common subjects for play. King Ramkhamhaeng the property management, arts and boys and girls are etiquette and Great invented the Thai script in crafts, in particular textile weav- religious learning. Boys also B.E. 1826 (1383 A.D.). Oral his- ing). In many parts of Thailand, learned arts and crafts from the tory began to be recorded in girls were also expected to be temple as well as from their fam- written words, even though dur- economically self-reliant. This ily or elders. For religion, boys ing those time religious text had been observed by a number were taught deeper knowledge were actually written in the Pali of foreign visitors to Thailand in and were required to observe language and ancient Khom the past more strictly the precepts and script. It took a few hundred Daughters of the noble or other disciplines, including years for the Thai language and courtier family, after a few years grammar, reading and writing of script to be fully used for reli- of training at home, would also the Thai language. They began gious purposes, and especially be sent to the queen, the ladies with learning the alphabets - in to record Thai folklore for educa- in the court or the female roy- both Thai and Pali scripts - which tion. Nevertheless, Thai folklore alties to learn the more refined girls were normally not allowed has been, since the past, one of arts or engage in higher literary to learn. The boys were also the resources for education of activities such as writing poetry, taught other skills and knowl- children. complicated flower arrange- edge in which each particular

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The role of folklore in in a word to teach directly or to put a 3 or 4 years-old child in children's education indirectly through, for example, the cradle, and sing lullabies to Before and even after the educa- lullabies and rhymes to console ease them into the state of tion reform, folklore has had a children. sleepfulness. By repeatedly sing- great role to play in Thai ing to them, the child therefore, children's education. Folklore The lullaby and nursery more or less, learn some facts such as nursery rhymes, lulla- rhyme about the environment in which bies, folk tales, legend, myth, The direct function of the lullaby he or she is being brought up. proverbs, sayings, beliefs, reli- is to soothe children to sleep. A number of the Thai lulla- gious rites and festivals etc. have The benefits of sleeping well bies for babies or small children been parts of everyday life. A contribute significantly to contain ideas and teachings children's health and growth. which are actually not at all Sang in soft and smooth understood by children. Thai melody, the Thai lullaby con- folklorists such as Pongpan sists of words which express Maneeratna, Pinyo Jittam, and love and care. This helps a Kingkaew Attakorn pointed out child to feel secure, and indi- that these lullabies are meant for rectly it fosters self-confi- adults i.e. elder sisters or young dence which is necessary for mothers who sung the lullabies learning. The baby learns to to teach themselves, and to ex- appreciate melodious sound press their own frustration or child in Thailand would normally and to recognise words. Mod- hope. be brought up in an environment ern child psychologists and spe- The intention to use lullaby containing these elements of cialists, in promoting reading, for education purposes, perhaps, folklore. suggest that, even at very early took place in the reign of King Naturally, after the educa- age, the baby should be in- Rama III (B.E. 2367-2393 A.D. tion reform, formal schools were troduced to words which are nec- 1824-1850) when His Majesty, established. The national edu- essary for developing reading desirous of educating his people, cation plan was formulated to skill even before the child goes ordered that all masters of meet changes in society, and sys- to school. knowledge, technical and artis- tematic knowledge were im- Another characteristic of tic skills, including those knowl- ported to broaden the child's Thai lullabies is that they con- edgeable in folklore, transferred world view. Nevertheless, certain words about nature. The their knowledge. This was done tain types of folklore were se- opening line, in general, consists by inscribing their knowledge on lected and adapted for inclusion of words about flowers, birds of stone slabs fixed to the pillars in classroom teaching. different kinds, trees, stars and and window panels of the temple In the past, folklore in gen- the moon. Some are about folk and balconies of Wat Phra eral were meant to impart some tales, description of places and Chetupon (annexed to the Royal knowledge, to stimulate think- the parents' occupation. In the Palace). In those days, the ing and to maintain self-control, old days, it was quite customary temples were still the centres of

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learning, and the majority of the scholars, Pay Sergeant Mora 1921). The purpose then was Thai people were illiterate. The and Prince Damrong Rajanu- mainly to preserve them, with King ordered that pictorial pre- bhab. copies distributed to schools. sentation should be made along In the year B.E. 2427 (1884 Later, after having considered with written words. Thus we A.D.) Pay Sergeant Mora began that some of the verses did not have a few lullabies, particularly to collect nursery rhymes for contain substantial content suit- the popular ones, such as Chau the purposes of rewriting and able for teaching children, he ar- Khun Thong (the talking myna), adapting them to stimulate ranged to have them rewritten, and Ching Cho (a mysterious children's interest. He took a using words and a systematic animal), inscribed with illustra- few initial lines from the nursery style of writing Thai poetry, and tions so that children could see rhymes and added stories which added moral lessons. These and read them. were his own creation, in order were put together in one book

Other types of folklore such to entertain and teach children. entitled "Doksoi Subhasit - as folk tales, proverbs, rites and The title of his book is Verses on Proverbs". Doksoi is festivals, riddles, history, medi- "Yawaphot - Words for Chil- one of the versification style cal treatises, and classical litera- dren". which can be easily remembered ture were also engraved on stone Prince Damrong Rajanu- by children. For example, the slabs in Wat Phra Chetupon. bhab undertook the task of col- original rhyme called "Black It should also be mentioned lecting nursery rhymes from all Crow" which contains some lines here that the credit of transfer- over Thailand during his chair- about catching young birds was ring the lullabies and nursery manship of the National Library changed into "Friendly Crow" to rhymes from oral tradition into Board. After verifying some of indicate the crow's selflessness. modern book form for the first them, he had the rhymes printed This book was used for the first time should be given to two in a book in B.E. 2464 (A.D. time in teaching orphans in the

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newly established school for programme and contest for nurs- and to practise their language orphans. It is now included in ery rhyme singing. Selected skills in verbal expression and the elementary school list of rhymes are tape-recorded for communication. On the use of supplementary reading materi- wider dissemination. folktales to promote aesthetic als. skills and creativity, children are To foster aesthetic apprecia- Folktales also instructed to dramatise the tion of the nursery rhymes, Folktales, on the other hand, tales as well. Contests among musical melodies were ar- have been much more used for schools for story-telling and ranged education purposes, in particu- dramatisation have been lar in imparting moral values, re- organised occasionally. ligious concepts and worldly wis- In promoting reading habit dom. They have been collected, and introducing children to the verified, and rewritten in prose, contents of subjects prescribed verse and drama forms. Some in the primary and secondary are prescribed as school text- school curriculum, the Depart- books or supplementary read- ment of Curriculum and Instruc- ing materials for the study of tion Development, Ministry of Thai language. King Rama Education, conducts workshops II rewrote the folktale Krai- for school teachers on tech- for Thong into drama form, which niques of utilising folktales to the verses to be sung by proves to be very popular to date. teach such subjects as history, school children. arts skills, moral values, envi- Nowadays, nursery ronment and natural studies, rhymes are disappearing. etc.. Folktales can be inte- Cradles are hardly used for grated into the teaching of babies to sleep in, and west- many subjects. In connection ernised songs from radio- with teaching arts skills, and broadcasting replace lulla- encouraging creativity, bies. Surveys and collection folktales have also been used of folk rhymes are conducted as themes for drawing, paint- by universities and teachers' ing, poetry writing and training colleges which offer dramatisation. courses in folklore studies. As Recently, in order to stimu- there is quite a large collection, late children's interest in Folk games attempts are being made to re- folktales, the Office of the Na- Folk games and sports have vive the application of nursery tional Commission for Culture been given consideration for use rhymes for bringing up children. organised a contest on story- in physical education. The De- For example, the Institute of telling. It was aimed at helping partment of Physical Education, Language and Culture, Mahidol children to make their own judg- Ministry of Education, collected University organises a television ment for the selection of tales, folk games and sports, and pub-

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lished them in book form (to be decorations, for floats on land 14 January was proclaimed as used as manuals by physical edu- and in the river and so on. The the National Teachers' Day cation teachers). Schools nation- mass media contribute by giv- when celebration was organised wide conduct training in some ing much publicity to these ac- on a national scale. folk games and sports such as tivities. In conclusion, it can be said Ta Kraw (cane woven ball), Thai One traditional rite that has that folklore in Thailand has long boxing, etc. as compulsory or been observed regularly in been used for children's educa- selected subjects. school is that of paying homage tion, both formally and infor- to teachers. On a Thursday at mally, in order to promote lan- Rites and rituals the beginning of each education guage skills, aesthetic appre- Religious rites and rituals have year (believed to be the day of ciation and creativity in physi- been living forces which unite the Kuru god teacher), children cal, civic and spiritual develop- the community members to- bring flowers to pay homage to ment. Through activities in con- gether, and provide opportuni- their teachers during the school nection with folklore, children ties for school children to be assembly. Special kinds of flow- also learn to work together, to involved in extra-curricula activi- ers are presented, i.e. the needle share experiences and to build ties. They work together to flower (to signify that they up community conscience. • study the significance of rites should be as clever, as sharp and and rituals as observed and prac- keen as needles), egg-plant flow- ticed; to use their artistic cre- ers and special kind of grass Sources of information ativity and skills to make displays which grows very quickly, and of carved figures; and to make signify rapid spiritual and physi- Anek Nawiggamun. Songs flower arrangements for temple cal development. Decades ago, outside this century.

The role of CIOFF in children's education by folklore

In pursuance of Unesco's Recommendation Section CIOFF pointed out, in his inaugural speech on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and (delivered at the International Conference on Folklore, The Council International des Organi- Children's Education by Folklore, held at Zielona zations de FestivalsdeFolklore Góra, Poland, 9-14 August 1993). et d'Arts Traditionels-CIOFF has He informed the Conference that obliged itself to "design and in order to fulfill the Recommen- introduce into both formal and dation, the CIOFF General As- out-of-school curricula the teach- sembly in 1992 endorsed the ing and study of folklore in the CIOFF Executive Board to : appropriate manner, laying par- 1. prepare a project of general ticular emphasis on reports for CIOFF activity all over the world folklore in the widest sense of in the domain of children's edu- the term..." Mr. Jerzy Chmiel, President of Polish cation by folklore, taking into account the existing

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(Phleng Nok Satawat). 3rd Supervisory Unit, B.E. 2519 sity Press. B.E. 2525 (1982 printing. Bangkok: Muang (1976 A.D.), 366 p. A.D.), 233 p. (in Thai) Buran, B.E. 2527 (1984 A.D.), 791 P. (in Thai). Ministry of Education, Thai- Prapat Trinarong. Song for children p. 509-532. land. 100 years of the "Chesdabodin-Krommuen- Ministry of Education. (Roi Phrabat Somdet Phra Nang Anuman Rajadhon, Phya. Pee Krasuang Suksatikarn). Klau Chau Yu Hua, the 3rd Essays on Thai folklore. Bangkok: the Ministry of reign of Chakri Dynasty". In Bangkok: Thai Inter-Religious Education, B.E. 2535 (1992 Thai Encyclopedia Commission for Development A.D.), 358 p. (in Thai). (Saranukrom Thai), vol. 9, and Sathirakoses Nagapradipa B.E. 2512-13, p. 5542-5570. Foundation, 1988, 421 P. Ministry of Education. Pri- mary education curriculum Sumamal Ruangdet. Charuwan Thammawat. 1972 revised 1990. (Lak Phanomtuan folksong. Northeastern folklore. Soot Prathom Suksa B.E. (Phleng Puenmuang Chak (Khati Chauban I-san). 2521, Prabprung B.E. 2533). Phanomtuan). Bangkok: Mahasarakm: Centre for I-san Bangkok: Ministry of Educa- Department of Teachers Arts and Culture, Sri tion, B.E. 2534 (1991 AD), Training, Supervisory Unit, Nakharindrawirot University, 150 p. (in Thai) B.E. 2518 (1975 A.D.), 236 p. n.d., 153 p. (in Thai). (in Thai) Pongpan Maneeratna. An- Kingkaew Atthakorn. Study thropology and folklore Toth, Marian Davies. Tales of folklore. (Khatichon study. (Manut Witaya Kab from Thailand : folklore, Wittaya). Bangkok: Depart- Karn Suksa Kati Chauban). culture and history. 2nd ment of Teachers' Training, Bangkok: Thammasat Univer- printing, Vermont and Tokyo: Charles E. Turtle, 1982, 183 p.

experiences of this process in different countries, dren in the domain of folklore and traditional and the activity of existing children's folklore fes- culture; 2) methodology for working with children tivals; in the educational process connected with culture; 2. encourage the National Sections to stimu- 3) problems of selecting repertoire suitable for late children's groups to base their stage presen- children and youth folk group and their manner tations on the children's folk games and plays, at of presentation; 4) detailed programmes and ac- a level according to the children's abilities and companying activities during the presentation of perception. children's folklore festivals; 5) possibilities of in- corporating complementary programmes of activi- The First International Conference on Children's ties, especially for children, at the CIOFF interna- Education by Folklore deliberated on 5 main top- tional folklore festivals. ics: 1) programmes of aesthetic education of chil- ...continue on Page 25

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..continue from Page 24 the ethnic groups, as contrast to those of sophis- ticated classes, or royalties. Its creators are mostly Notes anonymous, and it is also ethnic heritage, handed down from generations to generations, orally or by The following are excerpts and resumes taken from means of demonstration and imitation. Only re- Unesco and WIPO documents pertaining to folk- cently, to a certain extent, has it been recorded by lore modern methods. Naturally, it belongs to the community, or the nation where it was generated. According to legal authorities on copyrights, Definition of terms folkoric rights, in particular its artistic aspects, are facing threats of being infringed upon for commer- According to the Unesco paper on "Recommenda- cial purposes; this is due also partly to its being tion on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture not documented properly. and Folklore", which has been adopted by the Joint Unesco and WIPO's (World Intellectual General Confer- Property Organisation) Model Pro- ence at its 25th vision for the National Laws on the Session, Paris, 15 Protection of Expression of Folklore, November 1989, (1983) provides definition of folklore folklore is defined arts as productions consisting of as "—the totality characteristic elements of the tradi- of tradition - based tional artistic heritage developed and creations of a cul- maintained by a community of (name tural community, the country) or by individuals, re- expressed by a flecting the traditional artistic expec- group or individu- tations of such a community, in par- als and recognized ticular :- as reflecting the (i) verbal expressions - such as folk expectations of a tales, folk poetry, and riddles; community in so (ii) musical expressions, such as far as they reflect folk songs and instrumental music; its cultural and (iii) expression by action, such as social identity; its folk dances, plays, and artistic forms standards and val- or rituals; whether or not reduced to ues are transmit- a material form; and ted orally, by imitation or by other means. Its (iv) tangible expressions, such as: forms are, among others, language, literature, (a) Production of folk art, in particular, draw- music, dance, games, mythology, rituals, customs, ings, paintings, carvings, sculptures, handicrafts, architecture and other arts." pottery, terracotta, mosaic, woodwork, Generally speaking, folklore characteristics are metalworks, jewellery, basket weaving, expressions of the folk or the common people, and needlework, textiles, carpets, costumes;

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(b) musical instruments; and yet within the same cultural or linguistic pat- (c) architectural forms. tern. 3. Those originated and developed at country level, with various outside influence, within and Folkloric arts have 3 different aspects, at outside community of similar geographic and cul- present: tural environment, sometimes acquired by the 1. Those originated and developed at village, or country people, sometimes politically imposed upon ethnic group level, without outside influence. They them. are made for everyday use, for decoration and religious ceremonies and ritual purposes; for example, woven basket, hand-made textiles, pottery, The needs to safeguard folkloric arts decorative wood carving. Folkloric arts are an integral part of ethnic, com- 2. T h o s e munal and national cultural heritage, and intellec- originated tual properties which constitute the basic elements and devel- of civilization, and national identity. oped at town On a worldwide scale, folklore is also consid- or city level, ered by the world community, through Unesco, as having some "part of the universal heritage of humanity and outside influ- that it is a powerful means of bringing together ence, because different peoples and social groups and of assert- of the contact ing their cultural identity. It is important for the with outside social, economic and cultural fields, and has a great community, role in the history of the people, and its place in contemporary culture. However, because of its traditional forms, particularly the oral tradition, it faces the danger of being forgotten or transformed, or exploited for commercial purposes by business enterprises, within and outside the country without rendering benefits to originators, who, in most cases, are anonymous and cannot be identified. It also hap- pens that tangible cultural objects have been sub- jected to illicit traffic, and thus impoverishing the national cultural heritage. It is therefore necessary to safeguard folklore against threats, to promote appreciation and to take actions for sustainable preservation and development for contemporary and future generations.

26 SPAFA Journal Vol. 7 No. 3 The Unesco Recommendation of the Safeguard by supporting their work in the fields of documen- of Traditional Culture and Folklore, adopted by tation, archiving, research etc., as well as in the the General Conference at its twenty-fifth session, practice of tradition. Paris, 15 November 1989 includes suggestions to be undertaken by Member States on:- c. Dissemination of folklore in order to draw the attention of the people to the importance of a. Conservation of folklore by documentation folklore as an ingredient of cultural identity, and of folk tradition and its objects; establishment of to safeguard the integrity of the tradition. Among national archives to properly collect, store and make other activities, Member States are recommended available; establishment of a central national archive to encourage the organisations of national, regional function for services purpose; creation of muse- and international events, symposia, workshops, ums or folklore sections at existing museums training courses, congresses, etc., and support the where traditional and popular culture can be dissemination and publication of their materials, exhibited and training of personnel concerned with papers and other results; broader coverage of folk- the conservation of folklore, from physical conser- lore materials in national and regional press, and vation to analytic work. other mass media; facilitation of meetings and exchanges between individuals and institutions b. Preservation of folk traditions and support concerned with folklore, and encouragement of for those who are the transmitters in the commu- the international scientific community, and ethnic nities which produce them; designing and intro- groups, by ensuring proper approach to and re- ducing in school curricula the teaching and study spect for traditional cultures. of folklore; proctection of the right of access of various cultural communities to their own folklore

Traditional Theatre in Southeast Asia

Traditional Theatre in Southeast Asia introduces many traditional forms of theatre that are not widely known outside their countries of origin. Edited by Dr Chua Soo Pong, Currently the Director of the Chinese Opera Institute in Singapore, the book discusses how traditional forms of theatre should be revitalised in the rapidly changing socio-economic environments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Traditional Theatre in Southeast Asia (US$ 10 ex- cluding postage cost) can be obtained from:

Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts SPAFA 81/1 Sri Ayutthaya Road Samsen, Theves Bangkok 10300, Thailand Tel : (66-2) 2804022-9 Fax : (66-2) 2804030 Email : [email protected]