Antique hun krabog puppet heads. Their fangs identify them as demons, and their spired crowns denote vice regal status.
Also within the compound of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, among the soaring gilded chedis (pagodas) are twelve statues of protec- demons known as yaksa in Thai. All twelve of the demons are denizens of Longka, the underworld in the Ramakien, including Totsagan, Rama's archenemy. Clad in colored mirror tiles in the blazing sun, they bedazzle more than frighten.
Antique hun krabog puppet heads. Their fangs identify them as demons, and their spired crowns denote vice regal status.Another visual art reflecting the Ramakien theme is gilded lacquer ware. This art form, that began in the Ayuthaya period and continues until today, employs gold leaf designs on a black background. Indeed one of the treasures of the National Museum in Bangkok is the restored Buddhaisawan Chapel that contains ancient manuscript cabinets for holding Buddhist scriptures that are elaborately gilded with scenes from the Ramakien. This art form not only continues, but has been highly commercialized, with a plethora of small plates and boxes sold to tourists usually employing imagery based on the Ramakien.
Reading of temple art and court performances, one could conclude hat the Ramakien exists only in rarefied elements distant from the worlds of the average Thai today, much less the visitor. Fortunately, this is far from true. Every Thai child hears the tale of the brave Phra Ram, his loving brother Phra Lak, the loyal monkey and general Hanuman, and their struggle to free the lovely Nang Sida from the evil Totsagan. The story is told in schools, and children's books relate the tale both as didactic literature and in the entertaining form of comic books. The National Theater and the Fine Arts Departments of regional universities regularly schedule khon performances that are well attended.
The hun Luang puppets of Rama II's time are now found only in museums, but a vibrant tradition of puppet theatre still thrives. A Thai National Artist, Sakorn Yangkiosod, popularly known as Joe Louis, has
Hun lakorn lek puppets are a modern adaptation of hun lakorn puppets. The modern version is less complex to maneuver by the puppeteers. Traveling shows like this one entertain crowds at temple fairs across Thailand.continued a tradition of puppets known as hun lakorn lek, which were first created during the reign of Rama VI (1910-1926). Similar in size to the hun luang marionettes; three puppeteers stand behind the puppets and use rods rather than strings to manipulate them. Sakorn's new Joe Louis Theatre located in the Lumphini Night Bazaar holds nightly performances of these puppets, performing various episodes of the Ramakien. Magnificently designed and executed puppets are on display in the theater, as are a selection of khon masks and Ramakien dolls. The troupe also makes public performances at venues in other cities throughout Thailand.
Yet another form of puppet that tells the Ramakien tale to the masses is the rod puppet or hun krabog. These are small, half body puppets which are based on a design which originated in China. Although the original Chinese characters and their operas are still popular, the hun krabog also have been constructed to portray Ramakien characters and perform in the classical style of the khon.
20A subject as known and loved as theRamakien could not help but finding its way into a most fundamental aspect of culture; language. Colloquial expressions in Thai abound that relate to the tale. A particularly complex or detailed task may be described as yung yang kap Ramakien, or 'as complicated as the Ramakien'. Someone who has undergone much hardship will be described as ngom Phra Ram, or 'as bruised as Rama'. Place names based on the Ramakien abound as well, such as the lake in Lopburi Province known as thalae chub sorn, or the lake where the arrow was dipped' in reference to the belief that Rama consecrated a magic arrow by dipping it in this lake. The supernatural
21is never far away in Thailand, and fragments of the magic arrow found nearby have been ground and made into amulets that make the bearer as powerful as Rama himself.
Yet another uniquely Thai cultural tradition that has been influenced by the Ramakien is the ceremony known as wai khru, literally `paying respects to the teacher'. At its most basic level, this ceremony allows students to pay homage to their real, i.e., human teachers, but the tradition also honors deceased masters and spiritual teachers, including Buddhist, Hindu, and animist spirits. The Hindu spirits are represented by a display of khon masks. This ceremony takes place on an annual basis at the institution of learning, and by tradition always on a Thursday. An abbreviated ceremony paying respects to the deities resident in the khon masks takes place before all dramatic performances of Ramakien origin, and on other special occasions as well. Indeed all khon masks are believed to possess a spirit are treated with great respect. It is testimony to the power and versatility of this ancient epic that 'it can serve such a multiplicity of functions. As a dynastic genealogical mythology, a means of teaching children ethics, and a form of entertainment for all from prince to pauper with its tales of true love and bravery overcoming all odds, the Thais have built themselves an edifice they call the Ramakien, nurtured it, and it has repaid them many times over.
Antique hun krabog puppet heads. Their fangs identify them as demons, and their spired crowns denote vice regal status.Another visual art reflecting the Ramakien theme is gilded lacquer ware. This art form, that began in the Ayuthaya period and continues until today, employs gold leaf designs on a black background. Indeed one of the treasures of the National Museum in Bangkok is the restored Buddhaisawan Chapel that contains ancient manuscript cabinets for holding Buddhist scriptures that are elaborately gilded with scenes from the Ramakien. This art form not only continues, but has been highly commercialized, with a plethora of small plates and boxes sold to tourists usually employing imagery based on the Ramakien.
Reading of temple art and court performances, one could conclude hat the Ramakien exists only in rarefied elements distant from the worlds of the average Thai today, much less the visitor. Fortunately, this is far from true. Every Thai child hears the tale of the brave Phra Ram, his loving brother Phra Lak, the loyal monkey and general Hanuman, and their struggle to free the lovely Nang Sida from the evil Totsagan. The story is told in schools, and children's books relate the tale both as didactic literature and in the entertaining form of comic books. The National Theater and the Fine Arts Departments of regional universities regularly schedule khon performances that are well attended.
The hun Luang puppets of Rama II's time are now found only in museums, but a vibrant tradition of puppet theatre still thrives. A Thai National Artist, Sakorn Yangkiosod, popularly known as Joe Louis, has
Hun lakorn lek puppets are a modern adaptation of hun lakorn puppets. The modern version is less complex to maneuver by the puppeteers. Traveling shows like this one entertain crowds at temple fairs across Thailand.continued a tradition of puppets known as hun lakorn lek, which were first created during the reign of Rama VI (1910-1926). Similar in size to the hun luang marionettes; three puppeteers stand behind the puppets and use rods rather than strings to manipulate them. Sakorn's new Joe Louis Theatre located in the Lumphini Night Bazaar holds nightly performances of these puppets, performing various episodes of the Ramakien. Magnificently designed and executed puppets are on display in the theater, as are a selection of khon masks and Ramakien dolls. The troupe also makes public performances at venues in other cities throughout Thailand.
Yet another form of puppet that tells the Ramakien tale to the masses is the rod puppet or hun krabog. These are small, half body puppets which are based on a design which originated in China. Although the original Chinese characters and their operas are still popular, the hun krabog also have been constructed to portray Ramakien characters and perform in the classical style of the khon.
20A subject as known and loved as theRamakien could not help but finding its way into a most fundamental aspect of culture; language. Colloquial expressions in Thai abound that relate to the tale. A particularly complex or detailed task may be described as yung yang kap Ramakien, or 'as complicated as the Ramakien'. Someone who has undergone much hardship will be described as ngom Phra Ram, or 'as bruised as Rama'. Place names based on the Ramakien abound as well, such as the lake in Lopburi Province known as thalae chub sorn, or the lake where the arrow was dipped' in reference to the belief that Rama consecrated a magic arrow by dipping it in this lake. The supernatural
21is never far away in Thailand, and fragments of the magic arrow found nearby have been ground and made into amulets that make the bearer as powerful as Rama himself.
Yet another uniquely Thai cultural tradition that has been influenced by the Ramakien is the ceremony known as wai khru, literally `paying respects to the teacher'. At its most basic level, this ceremony allows students to pay homage to their real, i.e., human teachers, but the tradition also honors deceased masters and spiritual teachers, including Buddhist, Hindu, and animist spirits. The Hindu spirits are represented by a display of khon masks. This ceremony takes place on an annual basis at the institution of learning, and by tradition always on a Thursday. An abbreviated ceremony paying respects to the deities resident in the khon masks takes place before all dramatic performances of Ramakien origin, and on other special occasions as well. Indeed all khon masks are believed to possess a spirit are treated with great respect. It is testimony to the power and versatility of this ancient epic that 'it can serve such a multiplicity of functions. As a dynastic genealogical mythology, a means of teaching children ethics, and a form of entertainment for all from prince to pauper with its tales of true love and bravery overcoming all odds, the Thais have built themselves an edifice they call the Ramakien, nurtured it, and it has repaid them many times over.