Nov 08, 2003

Mon renaissance


The establishment of the Mon Study Centre aims to help bring one of Southeast Asia's most ancient civilisations back to life
The establishment of the Mon Study Centre aims to help bring one of Southeast Asia's most ancient civilisations back to life. Meng Nger La-ow _ the Mon greeting, echoed through the cavernous National Theatre where more than 2,000 people had gathered for performances and a panel discussion on Mon culture, led by well known historian Charnvit Kasetsiri. Meng Nger La-ow. Charnvit was teaching the audience this basic Mon phrase, and as they repeated it, the pride of one of the oldest civilisations in Southeast Asia once again flared to life. Among the audience were many direct descendants of the Mon ethnic minority, whose forefathers migrated into Thailand over successive generations. Also in the audience were those who believe that Mon blood most likely runs through their veins, suggested by historical circumstances (see box story). The sense of Mon pride was heightened as Thailand's renowned historians and scholars took to the stage to plead their full support for the promotion of Mon culture by announcing the establishment of the Mon Study Centre. The largest and currently the only one in the world, the Mon Study Centre is expected to shine a historical spotlight on the race and its ancient civilisation, which prospered in the lower Chao Phraya basin some 2,000 years ago. A week after the event at the National Theatre, some of these leading historians, together with a group of enthusiasts, made a pilgrimage to the Wat Muang temple in Tambon Ban Muang, Bang Pong district of Ratchaburi Province, to perform a ``krathin'' ceremony to help raise funds for the Mon Study Centre. At the temple stands a humble building housing the Wat Muang Folk Museum, established in 1992, where Mon artefacts, as well as documents, are on display for the public. One corner of this museum has been set aside for the new Mon Study Centre. ``Thailand has a good chance to establish a Mon Study Centre,'' said Dr Nithi Iosriwong, a renowned historian in his address to the audience at the National Theatre. ``It's here where the sources of information on the Mon are abundant, judging from the wide range of documents, artefacts and human resources in the many Mon communities across the country.'' The largest Mon community is, in fact, in southern Burma, yet the political situation in that country leaves little opportunity for the Mons to set up a Mon study centre in their country, he said. This, however, was not the first Mon study centre, according to centre's coordinator, Ekarin Pungpracha. The first was set up in the UK in the early 20th century by a British missionary, Robert Halliday, which became inactive after his death. A perfect site for Mon Study Centre, Wat Muang in the village of Ban Muang was chosen for an obvious reason: It is situated right in the middle of the vast Mon community that extends along the Mae Klong river. Their predecessors were the last batch of Mon immigrants escaping war in their homeland some 200 years ago. Blessed by its remote, rustic location, far from modern influences, the Mon community has maintained much of its culture, using the Mon mother tongue and dressing in traditional attire every Friday. They, and the other Mon communities, are living testimony to the existing Mon culture that came from Burma. As a start, the working group for the Mon Study Centre has gathered documents and references, which are abundant. ``So far, we have more than 300 academic references and documents from educational institutions across the country,'' said Ekarin, himself a university lecturer at Silpakorn University's Faculty of Archaeology. At the same time, the working group will take to the field to search for ancient documents and materials passed on by earlier generations of Mon immigrants. Most of these materials, Ekarin said, are kept in various Mon temples scattered across central and northern Thailand. ``Some are quite fragile and not properly stored in the temples where abbots have given little priority to these treasures.'' Once tracked down, these materials will be photocopied and archived at the centre. The most challenging task, though, is not digging up recorded materials, but uncovering the human side of the Mon culture. ``Most official records were the reflection of those in power, lacking a human dimension _ the human stories behind them would help to unveil other facets of the Mons,'' said Ekarin. This part of the task will take the working group to various Mon communities to search for elders who can still recall the Mon folk tales, fables and stories that were passed down to them. The human dimension, Ekarin pointed out, will broaden their perspective of the Mons with regards to their local wisdom, identity and their beliefs. ``These stories were once abundant and varied, but without proper records, have vanished with the times. We have to be quick if we want to gather this information,'' he said. While the centre will serve as an academic hub, international researchers will be able to witness real-life Mon culture in the Ban Muang community and beyond, along the Mae Klong river, in the various Mon villages and settlements. ``They can search the archive and at the same time see for themselves the Mon community and its activities, religious rituals and culture, and how that culture has changed with time,'' Ekarin explained. Unlike other study centres at academic institutes, this centre aims to empower the community and nurture their sense of participation. ``The Mon community will team up with the scholars. While the academics act as the brain, the people will take charge of running the centre,'' Ekarin said. The response to this initiative has been overwhelming, he added. Many in the 30-to 40-year-old generation have made a u-turn, learning to appreciate their own roots. Attempts to revive the Mon language among youngsters have been made, and the Mon tongue is now being taught at the temple. Meanwhile, on the academic front, the effort to understand the Mon language is challenging _ most ancient documents were written in Mon. ``Right now, we are working on a Mon-Thai dictionary project with a leading Mon historian, who has successfully published a Mon-English dictionary.'' If completed, the dictionary will help broaden knowledge on the Mon tongue as well as benefit both Mons and their Thai enthusiasts. ``I am so delighted that the Mon Study Centre has been set up here,'' said Chatlamoon Santhong, a villager at Ban Muang. ``This move will save our language and culture from extinction.'' Previous efforts to pass on their culture and language to youngsters were not well received _ the younger Mon generation is inclined to modern culture. ``But now we have our children learn the language for at least an hour a day,'' said Kamnan Boontham Kruekrua, the Ban Muang village headman. ``And we revive our traditional dress by asking the villagers to wear folk attire every Friday.'' And it's not just the villagers of Ban Muang who are enthusiastic about the centre. Ekarin said Mons in other communities wanted to jump onto the cultural bandwagon and have their own Mon study centres. While the centre will play a role in promoting Mon culture, it will not take any political stands, Ekarin said, referring to the political movement to free the Mon state from Burma. ``Our effort is to try to enhance cultural understanding in order to narrow the political conflict,'' he said. Junta is enduring the economic hardship by getting aid and loans from neighbours keen to protect strategic interests.

WHY STUDY THE MONS?

Why is understanding Mon culture significant for Thais? The answer is simple: To understand Mon culture is to understand part of our own past. According to leading historian Dr Nithi Eowsriwong, most Thais, as a multiracial population, have Mon blood in their background. The estimated Mon population around the world is four million. Two million live in Burma. Mon leaders in Thailand estimate that roughly two million live in Thailand, Dr Nithi said. The earliest traces of Mon civilisation can be found in the Chao Phraya basin during the Dvaradi period. Later, the Mons moved and prospered in the Irrawaddy and Salawin basins, where the Mon state was eventually founded before it lost its independence to Burma in 2301 BE (1858 CE). While some historians believe that the population of the Dvaradi period was Mon, Dr Nithi stands on the theory that the population was multiracial. It is undeniable, however, that Mon culture was one of the most prominent during this period, and the Mon language was considered prestigious. Dr Nithi believes that the Mons during this period must have assimilated with other races and eventually lost their identity. Meanwhile, Mon culture emerged rather prominently in the Irrawaddy and lower Salawin basin in Burma. From this perspective, Dr Nithi said the local population in the lower Chao Phraya basin which eventually became Thai must contain some Mon blood. Apart from the early assimilation of the Mon with other races from the Dvaradi period, there were successive population assimilations following a series of migrations of the Mons in the Ayuthaya and Rattanakosin periods between 2082 and 2357 BE (1539-1814 CE). Dr Nithi said the records show that between those periods, there were nine major influxes of Mons as they escaped a series of wars with Burmese invaders. Together with inter-racial marriages among trade travellers from the Mon state, it is believed that a large numbers of Mons settled into various communities across Thailand. Many of the artistocratic Mon immigrants would eventually serve in the Ayutthaya royal court, he said. Others were allowed to settle in the border cities in the west and the north. It was the migration in 2316 BE (1773 CE) during the King Taksin period which saw the Mon settlement of the present day communities across the central region. Nevertheless, the migration during the Ayutthaya period saw a significant increase in the Mon population, which became a major population segment in the ancient capital. There was a report in 2376 BE that most of the population in Ratchaburi at that time was Mon. Dr Nithi cited the political policy in Ayutthaya and Rattakosin periods that gave authority to Mon leaders to be in charge of their own immigrant people by rewarding them with artistocratic titles for serving the country. Through this political tactic, descendants of the Mon leaders followed the tradition to earn titles and serve the country. Some families had their daughters serve as royal concubines. The most well known example was the Mon concubine of King Rama III, whose son married an aristocratic Mon woman. Their daughter married King Rama IV and became the mother of King Rama V. The Mons brought with them their cultural heritage as well as artefacts and treasures that have made Thailand the richest source of Mon cultural heritage outside Burma, said Nithi.A huge collection of palm-leaf Buddhist scriptures could be found in the some 200 Mon Buddhist temples across central Thailand, Dr Nithi said. Unfortunately, more than half do not have monks who speak the language.As the Mons blended into Thai society, their language, too, was absorbed. Apparently, there are at least 700 Thai words that have traces of Mon roots, he said. Not only language, but Mon literature, thinking as well as music have all left their mark on Thai society.