|
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this research were to 1) study social and cultural features of the Tai in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar, 2) to study problems and changes of social and cultural features of the Tai in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar, and 3) to study suggestions on preservation of the Tai culture and ways to social development in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar.
Results of the research were summarized as follows:
1. The Tai social and cultural features in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar in overall picture was found that they were semi-subsistence society. Most of people were engaged in farming and trivial trading; they lived simple and sufficient lives. Therefore, the Tai in Chiang Tung were able to live a social life together with mutual dependence in a big family and in peace and happiness. Moreover, the Tai community in Kengtung had strong faith in Buddhism and observed indigenous culture so strictly that Kengtung has remained an ancient peaceful and beautiful city up to the present time.
2. The problems and the Tai social and cultural changes in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar were ranked by aspect as follows: 1) in terms of family problem, it was found that intimacy and warmness in the family vanished, and it became a single family and increased in divorce, 2) in terms of education, it was found that education system was rather poor in quality, and the most important was that it was not widely implemented. In view of the Sangha education, it was not recognized and supported with scholarship funds from the central government.
So education was carried out simply for maintaining the Tai identity and teachings
of Buddhism, 3) in terms of religion/language, it was found that there were conflicts between different sects, which was due to lack of the ultimate reality of religion, and in terms of language, the language of ethnic groups began vanishing through being absorbed into Burmese language which the ruling state made a campaign in using it in all area, except that the Sangha society was still studying, teaching and preserving the ethnic dialect, 4) in terms of economics, it was found that the people earned incomes not enough for expenditures; cash income was depressed because occupation and income were limited; economic conditions were not extended and grown up as it should be; the ruling state was not interested in developing Chiang Tung truly in economic sphere, so resulting in simple and contented lifestyle of the people, 5) in terms of government, it was found that the people were not educated about the knowledge on political right and duty, which it turned out that the politics was a duty of the ruler but not the ruled; the people had no power to interfere with or to change anything, 6) in terms of environment and health, it was found that there was still lack of knowledge on good management of resources; with regard to health, it was rather poor because medical equipment and medical supplies had poor quality and not sufficient to the demands, 7) in terms of Tai culture, it was found that there was still underground preservation for fear of conflicts between the ethnic groups, and seemed to be contrary to the ruling state that focused on creating Burmarnization in all area, leading to younger generations ceased to think of essence and value of culture but instead preferring materialism to the study of valuable history and traits of the ethnic group, and 8) in terms of ethnic identity, it was found that there was a lack of identity expression and lacking understanding in true identity of their own, which would enable the Tai identity to regress and disappear in the future.
3. Suggestions on the Tai culture preservation and social development in Kengtung, Shan State, Myanmar were that to preserve the Tai culture and to develop the Tai society and culture in Kengtung had to rely on cooperation of all sectors such as government agency, social institutions, monastery and school, including the public cooperation in creating an awareness in cultural value and building up development dynamics in all aspects of society as follows: 1) in terms of family, there should be application of fundamental teachings of Buddhism and principle of Sufficiency Economy to the family, 2) in terms of education, the government should manage education system effectively and widely, and allow inclusion of ethnic curriculum according to social conditions and people interests, 3) in terms of religion/language, the government should promote religious institutions such as restoration of monastery and ancient monuments, and promote the education of monks and novices, both qualitatively and widely, including the supporting of people in studying Buddhism, which was considered as an important alternative for reducing social problems, 4) in terms of economics, the government should add a diversity of occupational alternatives for the people and promote traditional occupation of Chiang Tung to have sustainable development by supporting the funds for developing occupations of different ethnic groups, and adding or finding more outlets to prop up economy and finally spread far and wide, 5) in terms of government, the government should move forward the country through peaceful means, thinking of being a Buddhist country, listening to opinions of, and giving opportunity to, all ethnic groups to participate in politics and government, 6) in terms of environment and health, there should be public health improvement
to cover all area; the authority should not give patent to the capitalist who run the business destructive to natural resources, and at the same time make
an environment conservation campaign to educate people in order to reduce the nature problem and to create immunity for the people to have good health and live a happy life, 7) in terms of Tai culture/tradition, the ruling state should give the people opportunity to acquire overtly the knowledge on culture/tradition of each ethnic group, and those who had social roles should install the value in preserving and transferring valuable tradition and culture, and 8) in terms of Tai ethnic identity, it was such an important matter for the Tai people that they should be aware of its value and significance, and then join hands in transmitting and preserving good things that had ever existed to remain sustainably, not leaving them amalgamated
or destroyed by world society influences to the extent that it was devoid of identity.
Download |
