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Singing the Lives of the Buddha: Lao Folk Opera As an Educational Medium DOCUMENT RESUME ED 368 224 FL 800 756 AUTHOR Bernard-Johnston, Jean TITLE Singing the Lives of the Buddha: Lao Folk Opera as an Educational Medium. PUB DATE May 93 NOTE 351p.; Doctoral Dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. PUB TYPE Dissertations/Theses Doctoral Dissertations (041) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC15 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Acculturation; Buddhism; Culture Conflict; English (Second Language); Epistemology; *Folk Culture; *Land Settlement; *Lao; Native Language Instruction; *Opera; Refugees; *Teaching Methods; Uncommonly Taught Languages ABSTRACT This dissertation explores the role of Lao folk opera as a medium for constructively addressing problems of cultural conflict and acculturative stress that have risen among lowland Lao refugees and their children in urban America. The central focus of the inquiry is on the ways Lao folk opera currently functions as a learning medium in the resettlement context. The need for validation of such locally produced endogenous media has become increasingly apparent as long term resettlement issues continue to emerge as threats to linguistic and cultural diversity. The review of literature encompasses the role of oral specialists in traditional societies, Buddhist epistemology in the Theravada tradition, and community education in rural Lao culture. These sources provide the background necessary to an understanding of the medium's capacity for encapsulating culture and teaching ethical values in ways that connect past to present, distant to near. (Author) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** SINGING THE LIVES OF THE BUDDHA: LAO FOLK OPERA AS AN EDUCATIONAL MEDIUM A Dissertation Presented by JEAN BERNARD-JOHNSTON Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May 1993 School of Education U.& DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS (Deice al Educational Research and Imptovemonl MA ERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1-1 ms document has beenreproduced as 'Pecerved trom the person ororganaat1on originating it ,,S&C4NaV2ttPCM CI Minor changes have beenmade tO Improve reproduction quality Points 01 Vie./ or OpinionS stated inthus docu- repretent Official TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES men) do not necessarily INFORMATr'l CENTER (ERIC) OE RI position or policy BESI SINGING THE LIVES OF THE BUDDHA: LAO FOLK OPERA AS AN EDUCATIONAL MEDIUM A Dissertation Presented by JEAN BERNARD-JOHNSTON Approved as to style and content by: '''?.....,. CV Robert J. Miltz, Chair Member Member le ackso Dean ool of Education 0Copyright by Jean Bernard-Johnston 1993 All Rights Reserved 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank the members of my dissertation committee for giving me the initial confidence to set this particular cycle of inquiry into motion, and for their indispensible guidance toward its completion.I am also indebted to the Lao-American community of Providence, especially to the members of theMoh Lam LuangTroupe for their active participation in the planning and performance of YaadNamtaa,and to the family who welcomed me into their home as collaborator and friend. The field research project was carried out with the asistance of a grant from the Asian Studies Association, under the Southeast Asia Council Small Grants to Isolated Scholars Program.These funds were used to cover video production costs, travel expenses, and a performance fee for the troupe. In addition, the SEAC grant enabled me to engage the services of two research assistants, Thanongphone Chantharangsy and Bounthavy Khampangna, without whose insights this study could not have been completed. I am also grateful to Joel M. Halpern for providing access to resources on Laos and for sharing his extensive personal knowledge of Lao history and culture.Other supporters and friends who have made significant contributions to both the process and product of this study include Chanthava Chanthavong, Thongsavanh Phongsavanh, Phoutsady Chantharangsy, Jon Abdulla Yasin, Anne Rice, Barbara K. Halpern, Vuthy Som, Marianne Lorenzelli, Patrick Sullivan, and the late Josephine White Eagle. During the production phase of the project, Myra Lenburg, Director of Amherst Community Television, provided considerable moral and material support, while staff member Amy Loomis contributed expert technical advice.Crew members David Arkin, Mary Fitzhugh, Siddharta Tuladhar, and Peter Marvin performed with utmost efficiency and calm. To my parents, and to the memory of the Four Bernardinos, I gratefully acknowledge the inheritance of a proud tradition of American circus and vaudeville performers, who have more than less in common with singers of /am. Finally, Michael Johnston has selflessly devoted his time and energy to the completion of this project both in a professional capacity as technical director of the studio performance and through a series of personal sacrifices that have allowed me the time and mobility to see it through. Our two children, Alysoun Noel and Eliot Luke, are also due recognition for having trusted that their parents' continuing education agenda would eventually lead to a house where they would be able to keep a pet. As a fringe benefit of this study, they have also become willing and welcome participants in the celebrations, ceremonies, and musical heritage of the Lao in America. ABSTRACT SINGING THE LIVES OF THE BUDDHA: LAO FOLK OPERA AS AN EDUCATIONAL MEDIUM MAY, 1993 JEAN BERNARD-JOHNSTON B.A., THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY M.A.T., ST. MICHAEL'S COLLEGE Ed.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS Directed by: Professor Robert J. Miltz Lao folk opera is a unique blend of popular theatre and sung poetry performed among Lao-speaking people of rural Southeast Asia for a wide range of social and religious purposes.As a traditional medium for popular education, its primary function has been to preserve the cultural identity of the ethnic Lao by re-enacting ancient myths, local folk legends, and morality tales based on the penultimate lives of the Buddha. This dissertation explores the role of Lao folk opera as a medium for constructively addressing problems of cultural conflict and acculturative stress that have arisen among lowland Lao refugees and their children in urban America. The central focus of the inquiry is on the ways Lao folk opera currently functions as a learning medium in the resettlement context.The need for validation of such locally produced endogenous media has become increasingly apparent as long term term resettlement issues continue to emerge as threats to linguistic and culturalidentity. vi 7 The review of literature encompas the role of oral specialists in traditional societies, Buddhist epistemology in the Theravada tradition, and community education in rural Lao culture. These sources provide the background necessary to an understanding of the medium's capacity for encapsulating culture and teaching ethical values in ways that connect past to present, distant to near. The field research, which was accomplished in collaboration with a Lao folk opera troupe based in New England, adapted the action research model originally proposed by Kurt Lewin to the principles of Buddhist community education. The videotaped performance of a drama based on the refugee experience and subsequent audience reactions formed the main body of qualitativr data. Group reflections revealed that the medium provides a viable context for performance artists to assume the role of critical culture makers with a potent educational agenda. Recommendations include the encouragement of local media producers to take advantage of community access facilities to counteract the homogenizing influences of the dominant media and the more active inclusion of elders in the transfer of language and culture across generational borders. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv ABSTRACT vi LIST OF TABLES xii LIST OF FIGURES xiii Chapter I . INTRODUCTION 1 What is Lao Folk Opera'? 1 The Cultural Context 1 The Medium 2 The Study 8 The Problem 8 Approach 13 Objectives 14 Applications 17 Traditional Media for Modern Purposes 17 Toward Recovery and Reconstruction 19 Literature Review 21 Field Research Design 25 Signif icance 28 II. SINGERS AND DANCERS OF TALES 32 Folk Drama as Educational Media 32 What is Educational Media') 32 The Oral Tradition 35 Learning in Traditional Societies 44 Features of Folk Drama 47 Folk Drama in Action: Three Examples 55 Pungwe in Zimbabwe 57 Boria in Malaysia 62 El Teatro Campesino in the U S 67 III. BUDDHIST WAYS OF KNOWING 73 Learning from the Asian Perspective 74 Principles of Buddhist Epistemology 78 The Buddhist Learning Cycle 82 viii Learning 83 Knowing 84 Teaching 85 Traditional Learning Modes 91 Knower-Learner Roles 93 Categories of Knowledge 98 Approach to Learning 100 Learning Media 102 Points of Contrast and Convergence 106 IV. COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN RURAL LAOS 113 Historical Background 115 Early Migration and Settlement 115 Enter the Yellow Robe 117 Lao Identity in Historical Perspective 121 French Colonial Period (1893-1953) 125 Legacy of Conflict (1954-1975) 127 Village Life and Customs 133 The Annual Cycle of Festivals 135 Community Based Educational Systems 139 Traditional Literacy 140 Religious Instruction 142 Apprent iceships 144 Government Schooling 146 Popular
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