Folkloric Narratives and the Invention of Tradition: A Case Study of the Phra Malai Khrua Taklat Merit-making Ritual in Bung Narang Community, Phichit Province

Abstract

This academic article analyzes the Taek Baht Phra Malai Khrua TaKlat ceremony as a folklore narrative contributing to the creation and reproduction of tradition within the community of Bueng Narang Sub-district, Bueng Narang District, Phichit Province. The study utilizes a Virtual Ethnography methodology, drawing upon contemporary media sources and secondary data. The analytical framework incorporates the concepts of Cultural Memory, Invented Tradition, Imagined Community, and Creative Folklore.
The findings indicate that Hobsbawm and Ranger’s concept of “Invented Tradition” effectively explains the dynamic nature of this ritual as a new tradition built upon existing beliefs, adapted to align with the contemporary social context. Simultaneously, Siraporn Nathalang’s concept of “Creative Folklore” highlights the reproduction and reinterpretation of folklore to generate economic value and local identity. This reflects that “Phra Malai Khrua TaKlat” is more than an object of faith; it is a medium connecting the past and the present and a crucial mechanism for maintaining the continuity of local culture in the modern era.