Definitions of Lao Folklore Before

Definitions of Lao Folklore

Before discussing definitions of Lao folklore, one needs to look at terms of folklore in Lao. There is no precise term in Lao to refer to folklore, although plenty of folklore materials exist in Laos. Kongdeuane Nettavongs,1 director of the Lao National Library in Vientiane commented, "Concerning a Lao word for Folklore, I have used a similar term in French when I was in Canada. ' I went to see the Dance folklorique,' which means dance of the local people, or in Lao words, fon phuen muang. Thus I would say that the English word, "folklore" could be papheni phuen muang or papheni khong xaoban in Lao. However, the Thai term could be used." Art Crisfield2 in consultation with Than Kidaeng Phonkasemsuk, a Lao scholar, also agreed with the Lao National Library director's final comment that a Thai academic term could be used. For this course, "Lao Folklore," I would like to use a Lao term, "khati khong xaoban lao," which will include customs as well as other materials such as proverbs and sayings, songs and rhymes, riddles, games.

The history of the academic term in Thai for "folklore," "khatichonwitthaya," goes back as far as the 1960s. Such a word came to be recognized in Thailand only after the return of Dr. Kingkaew Attathakora3 from her Ph.D. studies in Folklore at Indiana University. A brief history of the word goes back to Phya Anumanrajadhon, the first Thai folklorist who suggested the word, "praphenii saat (science of customs)" for the word folklore. Later, Dr. Kulab Mullikamat,4 the first Thai Ph.D. graudate in folklore from Indiana University, used the word khatichaoban (ways of life of the local people or people from the old times) to refer to the studies of folklore. However, that Thai term was not, currently used in Thai folklore studies often, as the term folklore may cover more areas than just local or old time people. Dr. Kingkaew Attathakora, the second Thai folklorist, suggested the term khatichonwitthaya (the study of ways of lives according to the customs of the ethnic groups). The latter term has been adopted in Thai folklore studies as it has a broader meaning while the former might be misleading. Some people might think that folklore only refers to local people in rural areas, not other groups of people.5 For now, we can use the Thai term for folklore in Lao, "khatichonwitthaya" to refer to "folklore" in the broadest sense. Saowalak Anantasan, one of the most recent Thai folklorists, gives a comprehensive definition of the Thai term, "khatichonwitthaya." She defines the Thai folklore in the following words; "an academic term relating to the study of ways of life, thoughts, and works of the collective people. The people of all levels and statuses in a society are important to folklore study."6