An Application of Using Belief in “Phaya Luang” for Creating Value and a New Meaning in the Cultural Products of Tai Lue Community in Ban Luang Nua, Luang Nua Subdistrict, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

The purposes of this qualitative research were to study the beliefs in a mythical creature ‘Phaya Luang’ by the Tai Lue people and to implement the beliefs to create new values and meanings in cultural products for the Tai Lue Ban Luang Nua community, Doi Saket district, Chiang Mai province. The study was conducted via document analysis, in-depth interviewed three informants, two focus group meetings and workshops with 16 informants in the first meeting and 15 informants in the second one. The study found that, the belief in ‘Phaya Luang’ that the Tai Lue people in Ban Luang Nua inherited from their ancestors from Sipsongpanna through oral literature, could be further developed into two types of the cultural products, corresponded to the villagers in the community’s needs: 1) satchel bags decorated with ‘Phaya Luang’ patterns and 2) yarn lanterns decorated with ‘Phaya Luang’ patterns. The newly developed cultural products had the modernized appearances which were in accordance with the young generation’s interests. Meanwhile, there were also value creation and new meanings to these two types of products based on the old belief that the mythical creature would bring abundance and wealth. The newly organized storytelling underpinned the value of the cultural products and bringing the myth of ‘Phaya Luang’ to create new values and meanings would increase the value of the community's products more remarkable.