The Development of the Nang Songkran Dance Performance From Cultural Capital to Enhance Values in the Context of Contemporary Thai Society
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: The Songkran legend and tradition represent a vital cultural capital of Thailand. However, their profound meanings and moral principles have gradually diminished due to changing social contexts. This research aims to analyze cultural capital, beliefs, and moral values to develop the “Rabam Nang Songkran” dance performance as a cultural medium for preserving identity and promoting the value of Thai performing arts to international and contemporary audiences.
Methods: This research employed a mixed-methods research design. The qualitative research involved document analysis, fieldwork, and in-depth interviews with experts in Thai classical dance and Rabam Nang Songkran performances. Quantitative research was conducted through quality and appropriateness assessments of the developed performance by six Thai performing arts experts, using mean and standard deviation for data analysis.
Results: The evaluation results indicated that the performance quality was at the highest level ( = 4.60, S.D. = 0.52). The study found that the performance structure was redesigned to align with contemporary cultural contexts to enhance audience accessibility while maintaining core cultural capital from the Songkran legend. This integrates beliefs regarding time, cosmology, and the virtue of gratitude. The creative process involved synthesizing eight elements of performing arts: performance format, script, performers, music and lyrics, costumes, props and scenery, lighting techniques, and stage utilization.
Application of this study: This performance serves as an effective cultural medium to transmit traditional wisdom and beliefs to modern audiences. Furthermore, it provides a guideline for leveraging cultural capital to create value-added contributions to the creative economy while preserving the original identity and meaning of the work.
Conclusions: This research demonstrates that the cultural capital embedded in the Songkran legend and tradition can be effectively reinterpreted and transmitted through contemporary performing arts. The development of the Rabam Nang Songkran Dance integrates traditional beliefs, moral values, and cultural knowledge related to time, cosmology, and gratitude within a performance structure that is accessible to contemporary audiences. The findings reflect that performing arts serve not only as a means of cultural preservation but also as an important mechanism for communicating meaning, fostering learning, and connecting younger generations with the cultural foundations of Thai society. The development of the Nang Songkran Dance performance thus serves as an example of applying cultural capital to generate social value and contribute to the creative economy, while preserving the identity and continuity of Thai arts and culture in contemporary and international contexts.
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