WHEEL FOR LOCOMOTIVE WELLNESS: INTERPRETATION OF CULTURE DIMENTIONS

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were to studying wheel culture for locomotive wellness in relation to cultural and religious interpretations in Thailand. This ethnographic research uses qualitative research method to study related documents, in-depth interviews, and participant observations (2016-2018 A.D.) 17 key informants are representatives from ethnic groups in various locations which consist of 10 from Thailand, 3 from Vietnam, 2 from India, 1 from Lao PDR and 1 from Cambodia. The data are analyzed in terms of the content and later on summarized. The results show that in terms of culture, the wheel technology is designed and invented in accordance with the culture of the community in each area. It received the impact from the rice culture in the way that it is rice farming society which is part of the social economic culture, including agriculture, trade, handicrafts, and industry. Wheel carts and bicycles are vehicles that require human and animal power to drive the wheels. This is caused by culture and wisdom that uses physical and mental powers to prevent disease. The wheel is therefore a symbol used to describe the mechanism of life that affects the promotion of locomotive wellness. The wheel culture is related to Buddhist teaching that persuades people to change their way of life to use clean energy. The rotation of the wheel is therefore like a wheel of Dharma in dissemination and symbolism in Buddhism. The wheel of the Trimurti which is the creator, the preserver, and destroyer, means that being born, being old, being ill and being dead are the mechanism of all lives. The rotating of the wheel leads to learning Pratityasamutpada where a wheel with 14 spokes represents “Kong 14” or the 14 traditions and the 16 spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path.