Reflections on Cosmology, the Creation of the World, and the Importance of Cities in the Oral Literature of Wiang Sa City, Surat Thani Province

Abstract

This article presents reflections on cosmology and the importance of cities based on oral literature of Wiang Sa City, Surat Thani province. The study examines five stories from oral literature, including the urban legend of Wiang Sa, Wiang Sa city gnome, clues to a treasure trove in Wiang Sa city, the legend of Wat Khlong Tan, and the legend of Pra Khee Mooh (the legend of the pig-riding deity). It was found that oral literature reflects cosmological concepts based on Brahmanism-Hinduism beliefs and Southern beliefs, being used as a metaphor for the ancient times, and oral literature has served to establish the city’s importance in both historical and contemporary dimensions in terms of ruler and government, area and location, importance to larger and important cities, prosperity and wealth, and belief in creating holiness for the city, which continues to shapes the community’s beliefs by blending elements of the past with the present.