CULTUTRAL CAPITAL OF THE THAI SONG DAM AND TRANSFORMATION OF THE COMMUNITY

Abstract

This article is a part of the study entitled “Cultural Capital and Thai Song Dam Ethnic Group’s Development in Nakhon Pathom Province”. The focus of the study was on the inheritance of Thai Song Dam Community’s cultural capital through chronological transformation, starting from the early period of immigration into the study area. According to the field survey conducted in the four villages, namely Ban Ko Rat, Ba Phai Hu Chang, Ban Don Khamin and Ban Laem Kachao 2, it was found that the economic, social and cultural factors in the chronological contexts resulted in adaptations and changes to the Community’s cultural capital in two different aspects. That is, a higher level of adaptation and change was identified in the rice culture, the consumer culture, the dwelling culture, the clothing culture and the linguistic culture among the new generation. On the other hand, culture related to ancestral spirits, families and kinships, worldviews and attitudes, and language underwent a lower level of adaptations and change among the older generation. Therefore, the latter generation continues to outstandingly represent their ethnic identity up to the present time, and is regarded as the Community’s strong cultural capital that has enhanced value, power and happiness for further chronological transformation.