7th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences “ASEAN 2015: Challenges and Opportunities” (Proceedings) Mon Diasporas in Thailand and the Notions of “Home” 1. Pakawadee Thongchompunuch: [email protected] M.A. in Mekong Studies at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, KhonKaen University, Thailand. 2. Patcharin Lapanun, Ph.D: [email protected], Lecturer in Mekong Studies Program, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, KhonKaen University. Abstract This article aims to explain meanings of “home” given by Mon living in Thailand. It employs the concept of “home” of diasporas as the analytical framework. Qualitative research methodology is used in this study. The study indicates that Mon diasporas has been living in Baan Wang Ka, Kanchanaburi Province since AD.1949. The ethnic suppression policies in Myanmar are the major cause of transnational mobility of this ethnic group, although, in the later periods, some of them left their homeland to go to Thailand for trading and eventually resettled at Baan Wang Ka. Currently, Mon people in Baan Wang Ka include four generations. Although they are from Myanmar and heirs of those from Myanmar, Mon in the village gave definitions of their “home” differently. Those of the first generation define their homeland as their “home.” The second to fourth generations refer to their “home” in association with the place where they live in Thailand or their homeland. The diverse notions of “home” have to do with not solely generation differences and causes of migration, but also an individual’s experiences, economic opportunity, legal status as well as social status in Thailand and assimilation to Thai society. Thus, this paper shows that the definitions of “home” are constructed and multiple – rather than fixed and specific – and such definitions relate to their contexts as well as migration periods. Keywords: Notions of “home”, Mon ethnic group, diaspora Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University, June 5-6, 2015 595 7th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences “ASEAN 2015: Challenges and Opportunities” (Proceedings) Background Home” has a wide range of meanings. It could refer to a tangible residence or convey the feeling of family members, closeness to a certain area, or the origin of a person when we talk about “homeland”. The varied meanings of “home” are inevitably related with conditions at an individual level at which the meanings are defined. For this reason, “home” is not defined without a solid ground. This article aims to investigate the concept of “home” in studies about diasporas and its meanings, and the factors that contribute to such meanings given by Mon diasporas at Baan Wang Ka1, who emigrated from the State of Mon, Burma2, and have settled down in Sam Prasop Area3, Sangkhla Buri District, Kanchanaburi Province since 1948. The ethnic suppression policies in Burma are the major cause of transnational mobility of this ethnic group. In addition, it was found that some of Mon diasporas left their homeland to resettle at Baan Wang Ka for economic reason as they consider Thailand as a better place for trading opportunity than the motherland with economic recession. Even though Mon diasporas left their homeland for different reasons, they are identified by Thai government as “Myanmar diaspora4”. Mon diasporas currently living at Baan Wang Ka emigrated to Thailand on 3 major occasions5; the first in 1949, the second 1950, and the last 1951. Each flow of migrations was caused by the war between Myanmar Government and ethnic group armed force. In addition, Sangkhla Buri is a district near the Myanmar border, far from jurisdiction of the Thai state. The area is also abundant in resources and a suitable 1 The name of the village “Wang Ka” means a land full of fish. “Wang” is a Thai word, meaning an area underwater with suitable depth for variety of fish species and “Ka” means fish in Mon language. This name is common among villagers in the village and surrounding areas though the official name of the village is “Mu Baan Phaen Din Tham Phaen Din Thong”. 2The informants often used the word “Burma” to refer to Republic of the Union of Myanmar – the official name which is not common among Mon people I talked to. Thus, in this article I uses “Burma” when referring to Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The use of the term “Burmer” also conveys the feelings and stories better than the term that the informants are not familiar with. 3 Sam Prasop Area is where three rivers meet i.e. the Song Kalia River, the Bikhli River, and the Ranti River. The Mon diaspora choose this location to settle down and build their community. 4 When they move to Thailand, these Mon people have the status as Mon diaspora with Myanmar citizenship. According to the announcement of Ministry of Interior, Myanmar immigrants who had fled the war to Thailand before 1976 are Myanmar diaspora. (Orawan 2003) 5 The 3 flows of migration are the major flows. More than 60 families of Mon people fled to Thailand and the migration is still remembered at Baan Wang Ka. At the meantime, it was found that the migration of this group has continued recently, only in a smaller group of people, not the whole family. Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University, June 5-6, 2015 596 7th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences “ASEAN 2015: Challenges and Opportunities” (Proceedings) trading opportunity between Thai and Mon people. These factors attracted Mon diasporas to Thailand. Presently there are 4 generations on Mon diaspora. The first generation includes those who migrated to Thailand due to ethnic suppression policies in Myanmar. Some of them escaped to Thailand for a better economic opportunity as mentioned earlier. Departure from home with pressing situation and loss has reflected the feeling of yearning for home of the diasporas because home has more implications than being only a place, but also heart and soul, a place of learning about life experience. When they, with the feeling of loss, were forced to live in a foreign land, it is normal to form the feeling of being alienated, having common yearning and imagination to go back home. However, this explanation is debated; scholars pointed out that many Jewish diasporas in the United States did not wish to go back to their motherland. But they want to live their lives and die in America. (Rattana 2012) The second to the fourth generations are the heirs of the first generation. Some of them have received Thai citizenship but they maintain consciousness of being diasporas and passed this on from one generation to another, through stories and beliefs. The stories and beliefs mirrored the origin of families, communities, and ethnic self-awareness of which group they belong to. Some scholars proposed that the connection between each generation of diasporas is formed through memories, memorization, and commemoration to the events that drove their ancestors to leave their motherland through the stories about ancestors told to the newer generations. (Barh 1996 cited in Bundit 2006:6) This study aims to explain the conditions influencing the definitions of “home” given by Mon diasporas residing at Baan Wang Ka. Data collecting was conducted through interviewing and reviewing related literature. The results presented in this paper include the discussion on the concepts of “home” in the literature about diasporas and the notions of “home” defined by Mon diasporas at Baan Wang Ka. Objectives/Research Questions 1. To survey the concept of “home” in studies about diasporas 2. To explain the meanings of “home” defined by Mon diasporas and the conditions influencing such definitions Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University, June 5-6, 2015 597 7th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences “ASEAN 2015: Challenges and Opportunities” (Proceedings) Research Methodology Baan Wang Ka was selected as the research site because this village has been residential area for the Mon diasporas who moved to Thailand for more than 60 years. Also, they can still maintain the transnational relationship between their motherland and the asylum without disconnection from the cross-border relative, economic, social, and cultural relationships despite their status of diaspora. This research applies qualitative research approach; data is collected through participant observation, non-participant observation, and in-depth interview. The in-depth interview was conducted with 9 Mon diasporas from generations 2-4. Stories about the first generation were collected from their heir since most people of the first generation have passed away. Triangulation method – such as comparing the data in the same topic with the information obtained from other informants - was used. Findings 1. The notions of “home” in studies about diasporas The term “diasporas” comes from a Greek word “diasperin”. Its meaning is about sowing seeds so that they grow up and settle down with roots (Kasem 2009). “Diaspora” first appeared in the Hebrew bible translated into Greek (Septuagint) during the 2-3 centuries B.C. (Evans 2009: 1-3 cited in Monchai and Manimai 2013). In 1973, the term was developed to use for a social concept. “Diaspora” was used in a social encyclopedia to refer to the exile of Jewish people from the holy land. It has the implied meaning of uprooting, suppression, and pain in adjusting to a new environment until they could create and maintain their own cultural center continuously, refusing to leave their identity (Monchai and Manimai 2013). This article emphasizes the definitions and discussions about the concepts of “home” which many scholars have proposed to explain the traditional diasporas and the modern ones. The term diasporas appeared in the literature in 1980 - 19906. It refers to victims who were forced to leave from an area or a specific place that they considered homeland (Thirawut 2007:11).