Khon and Lakorn Khol

A Shared Cultural Performing Art

ไทย
Khon

Thailand’s Khon and Cambodia’s Lakhon Khol became an issue that causes arguments between Thai and Cambodian people upon submission by both countries their very similar masked dance performing arts to UNESCO for inclusion on its Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016 and 2017 accordingly.

Khon and Lakhon Khol are mask-dance drama performing the story of Ramayana. Both performances have the same main characters of heros, heroines, orges, and monkeys. The dances and costumes of each character are similar. Both also consist of narrators, chorus, and their similar traditional ensembles. This raised the question among people of the two nations as to who owns this cultural heritage.

Thai-Khmer cross-cultural history

The earliest indication of Ramayana plays in Cambodia and Thailand are the wall carvings on the Angkor Wat during the 10th century in Siam Reap, the great Khmer Empire in the past.[1] Khmer court believed in Brahmin religion that they took the story of Ramayana and carved the scene from the story on the wall. Ramayana was featured in Khmer shadow theatre and Lakhon Khol, the masked theatre, evolved from it during the Angkor period.

Whereas the earliest evidence of Khon in Siam is found in the record of Simon de la Loubère, a French diplomat to Siam (Thailand) who observed the stage play during the 17th century, King Narai period. However, one view suggests that Khon play has evolved since the early Ayutthaya period, from “Chak Nak Dukdamban” (pulling a giant serpent) – the ancient ritual performance where military and civil officials dressed as orges and monkeys in the Ramakien depicting the scene of the Hindu creation myth “Churning of the Ocean of Milk,” associated with the coronation ceremony since 15th century.[2]

“Chak Nak Dukdamban” was an influence from Khmer court rituals. The evidence is shown in the carving “Churning the Ocean of milk” on the southern wing of Angkor Wat depicting the battle scene from Ramayana. Apparently, during the 14th-15th century, the Siamese invasion of the Angkor Empire took not only Khmer arts and artists but also the system of thoughts and Khmer court rituals.[3] “Chak Nak Dukdamban”, the famous Siamese literature “Ongkarn Chang Narm” (An Oath of Allegiance), and other Siamese court rituals during Ayutthaya period were evidently adapted from Khmer court practices.[4]

Whereas Khon in Siamese court continued to develop since then, Khmer arts including Lakhon Khol suffered after the fall of Angkor in 15th century. Until the 19th century, Cambodia’s King Ang Doung revived Lakhon Khol on which he also brought influence of Khon in the early Rattanakosin (Bangkok) period. However, Lakhon Khol lost its popularity after the death of King Ang Doung and suffered time and again. It was even wiped out during the Khmer Rouge period.

The story, the dance, and the music

The only story used in both Khon and Lakhon Khol derives from India’s Ramayana. Each country has its own version and variations. Thai version is known as “Ramakien” which was composed by several people including King Thaksin, King Rama I, King Rama II. Whereas the Khmer version of Ramayana is known as “Reamker” dating back in the 10th century.[5]

One basic posture and movement of orges and monkeys in Khon and Lakhon Khol which is an extreme open leg position might have imitated from frog’s movement. For some 2500 years ago, people in the region worshipped frogs as a sign of rain relating to success in farming. The evidence of color painting of this posture on the walls are also found in the northeastern part of Thailand.[6]

The music in Khon and that in Lakhon Khon has great similarity. Khmer Pinpeat ensemble and Thai Piphat ensemble which accompany the masked dance drama are closely related.[7] However, observing details of the music in the performance, they are significantly different. Role of the instruments in the ensemble, instrumental performance practices, and styles and melodic are different. Each uses their own language. Thai language is tonal, while Khmer language is not. This difference makes the system and method of singing different. Also, the nature of the language when the narrators recite greatly affects performers’ body movement.

The functions

The function of Khmer Lakhon Khol during the Angkor period was related to court rituals and ceremonies as well as Thai Khon in the Ayutthaya period was a part of the court and had been developed through courts. However, Thai Khon later grew out of court and reached public audiences. Women started to take part in playing heroes and heroines. Also, Khon has been performed for public entertainment both in performance halls and outdoors and is supported by the Ministry of Culture of Thailand.

Whereas Khmer Lakhon Khol, which lost its place and role in court after the death of King Ang Doung later became reconstituted in the context of the villages[8] but has almost gone extinction during the Khmer Rouge time. Although Cambodia’s fine-art institutions revive and preserve Lakhon Khol, the only one troupe surviving from Khmer Rouge sustains the performance in the context of real villagers’ life.

Lakhon Khol of Wat Svay Andet belongs to performing art of monastery. It became an actual part of villagers’ life, performing for ritual purposes, linked to the cycle of rice farming and the needs of farming communities. Besides, it is still an all-male performance. Yet, the whole village community, men and women, are engaged directly and indirectly in the performance.

So, Khon and Lakorn Khol, are they the same thing?

Both Khon and Lakhon Khol have a shared history. The former was influenced by the latter during the long-past Khmer Empire. Centuries afterward, the latter received influence from the former. A single nation claiming ownership of this masked dance art form is thus irrelevant as it is a shared cultural heritage. Furthermore, this masked-dance performing art is not only a Thai-Khmer issue. This art form also appears in other countries of the Southeast Asian region.

In my opinion, Khon and Lakhon Khol share the same root but they are not the same things. Each of them has its distinctive identity and style. This shared cultural art form evolves through socio-cultural influences wherever it goes. One may liken this to the taste of rice that is never the same due to different climates and lands where it grows.

Lesson learned, why fight over for the ownership?

Fighting over the ownership of this masked dance drama reflects the way of learning history under the concept of nationalism. Nations’ confining with such elements as territory and history, which is often biased against one another, is problematic as it can deepen conflict in the ASEAN community. In reality, the region is culturally connected. One obvious example is Prasat Hin Phimai historic park in Nakorn Rachasima province, Thailand. Prasat Hin Phimai (ancient Khmer style temple) was obviously created with Khmer fine arts and architecture. There are also carvings from Ramayana during the 10th century.[9] The province, now a part of Thailand, was once under the Khmer Empire’s influence.

Southeast Asian Mask Dance

Instead, learning history by focusing more on how people, cultures, and civilizations that arose, expanded, or disappeared in the region makes more sense. So does the study of any musical arts of the Southeast Asian region and Suvarnabhumi civilization. In this, one should not neglect to try to understand the context of the whole region.

Conflict over UNESCO registration, media, and the future

Looking into details of Khon and Lakhon Khol registration, there is no point in claiming the ownership of this heritage. Thailand submitted Khon for the Representative List of UNESCO ICH[10] whereas Cambodia registered Lakhon Khol of Wat Svay Andet on the List of ICH in Need of Urgent Safeguarding as it risks extinction.[11] UNESCO itself did not grant ownership to any country but rather emphasized the importance of the art form to the world community.

However, similar case conflict might happen in the future as Southeast Asian countries share similar forms of arts and musical arts, for example, the Thai Piphat and Khmer Pinpeat ensembles. UNESCO as a world cultural institution should be aware of potential conflict between the two countries. It should acknowledge the arts of Southeast Asia as unified. Besides, the media should also put more effort into presenting the proper perspective when arguing over the national cultural heritage.

Lastly, the collaboration among the ASEAN artists, musicians, teachers, and organizations is the key to promoting this art form to thrive in today’s globalized environment and context. Otherwise, there is no point arguing about the origin of this masked dance if none truly appreciates and enjoys this performing art.



Endnotes

  1. Sujit Wongthes, “Khon is a Shared Culture of ASEAN, not Belong to One Nation,” Matichon Online, June 7, 2016, https://www.matichon.co.th/columnists/news_164697.
  2. “Khon: the Masked Pantomime,” Asian Traditional Theatre and Dance, Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, accessed July 3, 2021,
  3. Sam-ang Sam, “the Pin Peat Ensemble: its History, Music, and Context” (PhD diss., Wesleyan University, 1988), 18.
  4. Wongthes, “Khon is a Shared Culture of ASEAN.”
  5. “Reamker: the Cambodian Version of Ramayana,” Center for Global Education, Asia Society, accessed July 3, 2021, https://asiasociety.org/education/reamker.
  6. Wongthes, “Khon is a Shared Culture of ASEAN.”
  7. Terry Miller, and Sam-ang Sam, “The Classical Music of Cambodia and Thailand: The Study of Distinctions,” Ethnomusicology 39, no. 2 (Spring-Summer, 1995): 232-233.
  8. “Lakhon Khol,” Asian Traditional Theatre and Dance, Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, accessed July 3, 2021, https://disco.teak.fi/asia/lakhon-khol-2/.
  9. Sujit Wongthes, “Mun Tributary: The Land of Khmer Ancestors,” Matichon Online, March 31, 2016, https://www.matichon.co.th/columnists/news_90821.
  10. “Khon, Masked Dance Drama in Thailand,” UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, accessed July 3, 2021, https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/khon-masked-dance-drama-in-thailand-01385.
  11. “Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet,” UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, accessed July 3, 2021, https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/lkhon-khol-wat-svay-andet-01374.