The Role of Beliefs Related to Tea Culture Among Thai People of Chinese Descent: A Case Study of Santikhiri Village, Chiang Rai Province
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Abstract
This article aims to examine beliefs related to tea culture and the cultural functions of tea among Thai people of Chinese descent in Santikhiri Village, Chiang Rai Province. The study employs a qualitative research approach combining documentary research and fieldwork. The key informants consisted of 15 participants, including members of the Chinese-Thai community and tea entrepreneurs. Field data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews using a semi-structured in-depth interview guide and an observation record form. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis based on the theoretical framework of functionalism.
The findings reveal that Thai people of Chinese descent who settled in Santikhiri Village (Doi Mae Salong community) introduced and disseminated tea culture in the area. Tea-related beliefs have consequently become widely embedded in local ways of life and are manifested in various contexts, including daily rituals, festival rituals, life-cycle rituals, and government-supported activities promoting the community economy. Based on the analysis of the roles of tea-related beliefs in the local community, the researcher identified five major cultural functions: serving as a spiritual anchor; reflecting the Chinese cultural identity of community members; preserving and transmitting the community’s social norms; serving as a mechanism for preserving and continuing ritual traditions; and strengthening harmony and positive relationships within families, the community, and among visitors. The findings also indicate that tea culture plays an important role in sustaining social relationships and the community structure through beliefs that support social relationships, extending beyond its economic and tourism-related roles. Furthermore, tea-related beliefs constitute dynamic folkloric knowledge that can adapt to contemporary social contexts while preserving its core traditional values.
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