The Ways of Thinking and Functions in Bringing Khanthanam Folktales to Perform Rituals in Isan Communities*

Abstract

This article studies how people use Khanthanam folktales
to perform the rituals in Isan communities and aims to analyze the ways of thinking and functions according to folklore theory and methodology. The data was collected from field studies carried out during 2021 – 2022. The results found that there are four traditions that use the Khanthanam tales to perform the rituals, they are 1) The tradition of Buangsuang Phra That Sida (Sida pagoda), 2) Bun Song Ku Bucha Thao Khanthanam, 3) Bun Chao - mueng, and 4) Bun Berg Ban Buangsuang Chao Pu Khatthanam. These traditions enable the tales to be used as icons of worship, ceremonial objects and invocation prayer text calling upon sacred beings in the rituals.   Such association to place names related to Khanthanam folktales having different parts and motifs in Isan communities, they reflect the ways of thinking in the transmission belief in the Khantanam that existed originally and the selection of roles of characters to create sanctity in the rituals and have important functions in transmitting of the rites of passage and fertility rites and in the promotion of tourism in the context of present day society.