BELIEF AND THE FOOD OFFERING CEREMONY A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITIES AROUND KWAN PHAYAO, PHAYAO PROVINCE

Abstract

This qualitative folklore research investigates the beliefs and the food offering ceremony (Tan Khan Khao) within the communities surrounding Kwan Phayao in Phayao Province. Fieldwork was conducted across 7 sub-districts, employing participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 21 key informants. The primary objectives were to analyze the constituent elements, underlying beliefs, and social functions of the Tan Khan Khao ritual. The findings reveal that the ritual comprises five essential elements: 1) temporal and spatial settings, 2) participants, 3) ritual paraphernalia and offerings, 4) procedural sequences, and 5) Benediction (Pun Pon). Furthermore, the beliefs underpinning the ritual are categorized into five distinct groups: 1) the afterlife and ethical conduct, 2) deities,
3) auspicious timing, 4) fortune and misfortune, and 5) general auspiciousness. Regarding its functions, the ritual performs vital roles at both familial and communal levels. At the familial level, it fosters filial gratitude, provides psychological security and confidence, preserves ancestral history, and facilitates the intergenerational transmission of traditional practices. At the communal level, it generates economic value, promotes altruism, encourages environmental awareness, and strengthens cultural identity. These findings demonstrate that the Tan Khan Khao ritual serves as a significant mechanism for maintaining social cohesion and cultural continuity in the region. Furthermore, the constituent elements of the ritual function as a structural framework that ensures the efficacy and completion of the Tan Khan Khao ceremony, aligning with the practitioners’ beliefs and their fundamental intent to secure happiness and psychological assurance in their daily lives. The resulting individual well-being contributes to overall communal harmony, thereby allowing the ritual to persist and dynamically adapt to societal transformations. Beyond its cultural significance, the research findings provide practical guidelines for adapting the ritual to diverse contexts, integrating folklore into educational curricula, and utilizing cultural data as creative capital within the film industry.