Creative Folk Dance for Lai Kom Long Kong, 12 zodiac

Abstract

This research aims to 1) study the history and the style of lantern-floating festival of the villagers of Ban Dan, Khong Chiam Sub-district, Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province; and 2) to create a performance, Lai Khom Long Khong Sibsong Nakkasat (Floating 12-zodiac signs lanterns along the Mekong). Qualitative research is conducted using the observation and interview forms as research tools. Data are collected from documents and the fieldwork. The informants are academics, community leaders, local scholars, and general people. The results of the research are shown as follows.  

1) Ban Dan, Khong Chiam Sub-district, Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, has inherited the craft of floating lanterns since ancient times. It has a distinctive style with a local identity. It is organized as a lantern-floating festival during the New Year's Eve. To float the lanterns, paper lanterns in the shape of the 12 animals of the zodiac signs are created and are floated down the Mekong as if floating away bad luck or bad things in the past year with the river.

2) The history and the style of lantern-floating festival are created as creative folk dance performance. The elements of the performance are presented as follows. Dance postures are studied from local wisdom and local culture of Ban Dan villagers, including the patterns of the dance from Mae Bot Isan and Mae Bot Yai. The styles of lyrics discuss the history of the lantern-floating festival, prayer to ask for forgiveness from Goddess Ganga, characteristics of 12 animals of the zodiac signs, and the enjoyment, beauty and grandeur of the lantern-floating festival. The music is a combination of Isan folk music of Soraphan and Lae Isan. The costumes of Ban Dan villagers are re-applied to be the costumes of the performers to suit the performance.