Lanna Tattoo (Sak Khalai): From Ancient Identity to Contemporary Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Abstract

          This article aims to study "Lanna Tattoo (Sak Khalai)," tracing its transition from an ancient identity to cultural capital within the creative economy, analyzed through Pierre Bourdieu's Cultural Capital Theory. The findings reveal that the historical "Lao Pung Dam" identity, based on mural painting evidence, can be classified into four main tattoo patterns reflecting social status and traditional beliefs. In the contemporary context, the patterns with the highest potential for value creation and Soft Power are "Mom" and "Belu," utilized through the mechanism of "Body Commercialize" to generate commercial revenue.

          However, traditional knowledge, which exists as "Tacit Knowledge," is facing the risk of disappearance. Consequently, this article proposes management guidelines by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform knowledge regarding ink formulas and scripts into a digital database (Explicit Knowledge), alongside promoting ethical commercial product design to sustainably elevate Lanna cultural heritage.

Keywords: Lanna Tattoo (Sak Khalai), Cultural Capital, Creative Economy, Identity, Artificial Intelligence (AI)