Narratives of Thap Phueng People: A Study of Cultural Capital for the Creation of Cultural Identity in Thap Phueng Subdistrict, Si Samrong District, Sukhothai Province

Abstract

This research article aimed 1) to study the cultural capital of the Thap Phueng Subdistrict community; and 2) to analyze the community’s cultural identity. The study employed a qualitative research methodology using a participatory action research approach. The research instrument was a structured interview. The research findings revealed that (1) The Thap Phueng community possesses a total of 122 items of cultural capital, comprising (1.1) 114 items of intangible cultural capital, including local literature and language, performing arts, social practices, rituals, traditions and festivals, local knowledge and practices related to nature and the universe (such as traditional medicine and local cuisine), traditional craftsmanship, and folk games; and (1.2) 8 tangible cultural capital sites, which are designated as cultural spaces. (2) The community’s cultural identity encompasses four main dimensions: (2.1) an agricultural lifestyle that integrates traditional wisdom with modern farming practices; (2.2) local cuisine that reflects the area’s geographical characteristics; (2.3) traditional crafts adapted into contemporary products; and (2.4) cultural spaces that serve both religious and social functions, reinterpreted to preserve local identity in the context of modern society. These elements collectively contribute to the potential development of cultural tourism in the Thap Phueng Subdistrict.