Paw Karen’s Pagoda respect and tied wrist ritual: Ethnic identity and negotiation in Social and Cultural changes context. Case study: Ritual In Karen community , Supunburi, Uthaithani and Nakorn sawan Provinces.

Abstract

This article is from the research work on the dynamics of Karen ethnic communities in the western region of Thailand,  study area Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani and Nakhon Sawan, which have been funded by the Prince Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Center. The rituals in the Karen community in all three provinces related to ritual creed are similar under the combination of traditional beliefs. Influence of Buddhism Including the use of such beliefs as a tool to show Karen identity in the social and cultural changes in Suphan Buri Province. That is the center of “Jaowat Cult”. The disappearance of the Jaowat and the reverberation of the Jaowat  Cult that adapts to the development and tourism policies, as well as the fight on forest land rights, as well as the Uthai Thani province in which the Karen community still firmly adheres to the doctrine of the temple spirit. And is considered a cultural symbol that is used to connect the relationship between humans and nature While Karen outside in Nakhon Sawan province, who is a migrant worker Brought the original belief in the origin of the mother land together with the Buddhist belief to create a tradition of binding the wrist and using the area in Thai temples to declare the identity of the Karen state All three areas show the maintenance of ethnic identity in social and cultural changes.