SPAFA Journal 1993, Vol 3, No 2
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Southeast Asian Performing Arts: Issues of Cultural Identity ASSOCIC1ATE PROFESSOR DR. CHUA SOO PONG Lecture delivered at the Seoul National University Korea, on the 12th November 1992 Music and dance events in traditional Southeast Asian societies were not simple theatrical events for a paying audience. They were usually organized for several functions simultaneously. Subli in the Philippines, Chinese opera in Singapore, Mak Yong in Malaysia, Wayang Punva in Java, Lakorn Chatri in Thailand, all demonstrate the fact that in this region theatrical events or rituals which Iwve music and dance elements serve a variety of social, religious or political purposes much more explicitly tlian the performing arts termed in the west. 2 6 SPAFA JOURNAL VOLUME THREE NUMBER TWO Anthropologists of the arts and indigenous values, morals and cultures all provided opportunities for expressive culture recognize the in the waves of westernization and exchanging ideas and information. importance of the studies of globalization. These issues, whether it performance in relation to social is nationalism or national integration, What then are the similar concerns in function and cultural development urbanization or multiculturalism, the question of cultural identity? processes. Their interest is not only mass culture transmitted by electronic confined to the creative processes media, are invariably related to the Amongst the Southeast Asian and institutions of art, but also to all key issue of cultural identity and countries, Thailand has never been aspects that are related to patronage ethnicity. colonized by any western power, systems, social institutions, mediators, largely due to the clever economic structure, technology and It is my intention to review these manipulation of the situations by the political environment of art products. issues, in the variety of ways they kings. Court arts in Thailand, In the last decade. Southeast Asian are reflected in the performing arts of including dance, masked play, Khon, countries in varying degrees Southeast Asian countries. For the music, and large shadow play have experienced rapid changes in convenience of discussion, I will been patronized by the kings while economic development, urbanization generalize the common concerns of folk performing arts have been and westernization. Industrialization these societies and then examine the organized mainly for religious and mass communication technology different preoccupations and functions. In those days, dance and have dismantled the traditional social particularity of each of the six music training and the imparting of structure and have changed the life countries I have chosen to discuss: performing arts knowledge took styles of the masses. Regional Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, place mainly on the palace grounds imbalance in political power and Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and or in the households of the ruling economic development have further Thailand. These six countries, since class. Producing court theatre events created social and cultural problems. 8th August 1967, form the enhanced the social prestige of the Unlike the traditional societies where Association of Southeast Asian members of the households of the cultural unity was expressed in local Nations. Through its Committee of ruling class. The masked dance and communities, contemporary Southeast Culture and Information (COCI), it dance drama in the early period Asian societies, demarcated by new organizes numerous projects in (14th-18th century) were the sole political boundaries, are characterized literature, performing arts and visual property of the kings. They were by the dichotomy of indigenous art. These activities are funded by the regarded as the symbol of power culture and imported culture, dominant ASEAN Cultural Fund with financial similar to other royal regalias such as group and periphery group cultures, resources supplied by Japan. The crown, sword and throne. These nationalism and globalization. chief objective of the ASEAN COCI, court performances were state rituals is to promote intra-ASEAN cooperation that displayed and confirmed the Faced with such encounters of in the field of culture and information. political legitimacy of the kings. The cultures and cultural forces, Southeast The cultural activities of COCI and form and contents of these court Asians are compelled to search for a other non-government organizations performing arts manifested the path that is suitable for them. What have indeed promoted greater ideology of kingship and offered a kind of culture do they want? Each understanding amongst the peoples model of behavior. Gradually, these Southeast Asian country has its own in these countries. The continuous court art forms were secularized but agenda and priority. efforts made by the governments and continued to be used at state the media has to a great extent organized activities and functions as Issues range from identity crisis, projected a strong symbolic solidarity the refined dance and music became creation of a new national culture, in cultural expressions. Regional important cultural symbols of the conflicts derived from regional theatre festival, dance festival, song Thais. imbalance in economic development festival, music workshop and music and power sharing, fear of erosion of camp and publications of plays have The School of Dramatic Arts was set SPAFA JOURNAL VOLUME THREE NUMBER TWO 2 7 Touristic dance at its best at Rose Garden, Thailand 2 8 SPAFA JOURNAL VOLUME THREE NUMBER TWO up by the Department of Fine Arts in the traditional folk theatre, music some, like Mattani Rutnin and of the Ministry of Education in 1934, and dance would have acquired some Pornrat Damrung are very concerned to teach traditional and folk music, basic knowledge of appreciation in with the need for expressing the dance, and drama. Today many more their school days where simple Thai emotions of contemporary Thai such schools have been established. dance and music are compulsory society. Thai culture is not all Thai They are in Chiang Mai, Nakon Sri subjects at primary education level. classical dance, music and puppet Thammarat, Angthong, Roi Et, shows. Their cultural identity thus Sukhothai, Chantaburi and Patalung. However, the National Culture cannot be interpreted in only the In addition there are thirtv-six Commission's recent Puppet Theatre motifs of temple paintings or Thai teachers' colleges offering diploma Festival failed to attract audiences at classic dance postures. and degree courses in traditional the Thailand Cultural Centre, which performing arts. contrasted with the great successes of The modern dance pieces staged by a local pop star's week-long concert Chulalongkorn University in Also under the Ministry of Education and the Russian Bolshoi's steeply February 1992 and the dance that is the National Culture Commission, priced ballet, alarming the cultural was created to depict the military created in 1981 to promote cultural agencies and education institutions. oppression of democratic movements activities as well as cultural cooperation The worry is, if Thai cultural shows by Russian trained ballet among neighboring countries. It continue to lose out in their choreographer Bancha Suannanonda organizes national festivals for puppet competition for audiences with pop are examples of cultural dynamics in shows, dance and drama and plays an shows and foreign shows, does it contemporary Thai society. There are, important role of disseminating cultural mean that they will gradually lose admittedly and quite naturally, some information. The National Culture interest in their own culture? The 40 poor imitations of American modern Commission also manages the drama productions staged by mainly dance which have been staged by showpiece performing venue, the amateur theatre groups yearly are amateur dance groups where both Thailand Cultural Centre, which was mostly translations or adaptations of form and content have no relevance actually donated by the Japanese western plays while ballet schools to the Thai society. Such experiments Government. The national anthem is often stage much simplified versions are part of the process of cultural played at the beginning and at the of western popular ballets such as borrowing and it takes time for locals end of theatre performances. At "Nutcracker" or "Coppolier". Does to indigenize foreign cultural forms. government organized theatre events, this mean that they are dominated civil servants of all ranks are by western art products? Among Southeast Asian countries, expected to be in uniform and line the Philippines is arguably the most up according to protocol for the Further investigation reveals the experienced in indigenizing foreign dignitaries, whether princesses, contrary. Leading directors Rassami music, dance and drama. The prince, Queen or King. These Paoluengtong and young director Philippines was colonized by the practices are cultural expressions that Damkerng Thitapiyasak as well as Spanish from 1565 until 1898. When enhance loyalty and national identity. other serious minded dramatists are Spain and America were at war over making efforts to write and stage the right to rule Cuba the Spanish With strong support from the royal local plays which reflect social reality. ended its conflicts with America by family and the government, Some of these attempts might fall ceding the Philippines, Puerto Rico traditional court performances and short in their aesthetic merits but and Guam to the United States. It