MON RENAISSANCE

(By Suwanna Asavaroengchai / Bangkok Post Outlook: November 8, 2003 )

The establishment of the Mon Study Centre aims to help bring one of Southeast Asia 's most ancient civilisations back to life

Meng Nger La-ow _ the Mon greeting echoed through the cavernous National Theatre where more than 2,000 people had gathered for performances and a panel discussion on Mon culture, led by well known historian Charnvit Kasetsiri.

Meng Nger La-ow.

Charnvit was teaching the audience this basic Mon phrase, and as they repeated it, the pride of one of the oldest civilisations in Southeast Asia once again flared to life.

Among the audience were many direct descendants of the Mon ethnic minority, whose forefathers migrated into Thailand over successive generations. Also in the audience were those who believe that Mon blood most likely runs through their veins, suggested by historical circumstances (see box story).

The sense of Mon pride was heightened as Thailand 's renowned historians and scholars took to the stage to plead their full support for the promotion of Mon culture by announcing the establishment of the Mon Study Centre.

The largest and currently the only one in the world, the Mon Study Centre is expected to shine a historical spotlight on the race and its ancient civilisation, which prospered in the lower Chao Phraya basin some 2,000 years ago.

A week after the event at the National Theatre, some of these leading historians, together with a group of enthusiasts, made a pilgrimage to the Wat Muang temple in Tambon Ban Muang, Bang Pong district of Ratchaburi Province, to perform a ``krathin'' ceremony to help raise funds for the Mon Study Centre.

At the temple stands a humble building housing the Wat Muang Folk Museum , established in 1992, where Mon artefacts, as well as documents, are on display for the public. One corner of this museum has been set aside for the new Mon Study Centre.

''Thailand has a good chance to establish a Mon Study Centre,'' said Dr Nithi Iosriwong, a renowned historian in his address to the audience at the National Theatre. ``It's here where the sources of information on the Mon are abundant, judging from the wide range of documents, artefacts and human resources in the many Mon communities across the country.''

The largest Mon community is, in fact, in southern Burma , yet the political situation in that country leaves little opportunity for the Mons to set up a Mon study centre in their country, he said.

This, however, was not the first Mon study centre, according to centre's coordinator, Ekarin Pungpracha. The first was set up in the UK in the early 20th century by a British missionary, Robert Halliday, which became inactive after his death.

A perfect site for Mon Study Centre, Wat Muang in the village of Ban Muang was chosen for an obvious reason: It is situated right in the middle of the vast Mon community that extends along the Mae Klong river. Their predecessors were the last batch of Mon immigrants escaping war in their homeland some 200 years ago.

Blessed by its remote, rustic location, far from modern influences, the Mon community has maintained much of its culture, using the Mon mother tongue and dressing in traditional attire every Friday.

They, and the other Mon communities, are living testimony to the existing Mon culture that came from Burma .

As a start, the working group for the Mon Study Centre has gathered documents and references, which are abundant. ``So far, we have more than 300 academic references and documents from educational institutions across the country,'' said Ekarin, himself a university lecturer at Silpakorn University 's Faculty of Archaeology.

At the same time, the working group will take to the field to search for ancient documents and materials passed on by earlier generations of Mon immigrants. Most of these materials, Ekarin said, are kept in various Mon temples scattered across central and northern Thailand .

''Some are quite fragile and not properly stored in the temples where abbots have given little priority to these treasures.''

Once tracked down, these materials will be photocopied and archived at the centre.

The most challenging task, though, is not digging up recorded materials, but uncovering the human side of the Mon culture. ``Most official records were the reflection of those in power, lacking a human dimension the human stories behind them would help to unveil other facets of the Mons,'' said Ekarin.

This part of the task will take the working group to various Mon communities to search for elders who can still recall the Mon folk tales, fables and stories that were passed down to them.

The human dimension, Ekarin pointed out, will broaden their perspective of the Mons with regards to their local wisdom, identity and their beliefs.

''These stories were once abundant and varied, but without proper records, have vanished with the times. We have to be quick if we want to gather this information,'' he said.

While the centre will serve as an academic hub, international researchers will be able to witness real-life Mon culture in the Ban Muang community and beyond, along the Mae Klong river, in the various Mon villages and settlements.

''They can search the archive and at the same time see for themselves the Mon community and its activities, religious rituals and culture, and how that culture has changed with time,'' Ekarin explained.

Unlike other study centres at academic institutes, this centre aims to empower the community and nurture their sense of participation. ``The Mon community will team up with the scholars. While the academics act as the brain, the people will take charge of running the centre,'' Ekarin said.

The response to this initiative has been overwhelming, he added. Many in the 30-to 40-year-old generation have made a u-turn, learning to appreciate their own roots. Attempts to revive the Mon language among youngsters have been made, and the Mon tongue is now being taught at the temple.

Meanwhile, on the academic front, the effort to understand the Mon language is challenging _ most ancient documents were written in Mon. ``Right now, we are working on a Mon-Thai dictionary project with a leading Mon historian, who has successfully published a Mon-English dictionary.''

If completed, the dictionary will help broaden knowledge on the Mon tongue as well as benefit both Mons and their Thai enthusiasts.

''I am so delighted that the Mon Study Centre has been set up here,'' said Chatlamoon Santhong, a villager at Ban Muang.

''This move will save our language and culture from extinction.''

Previous efforts to pass on their culture and language to youngsters were not well received _ the younger Mon generation is inclined to modern culture.

''But now we have our children learn the language for at least an hour a day,'' said Kamnan Boontham Kruekrua, the Ban Muang village headman. ``And we revive our traditional dress by asking the villagers to wear folk attire every Friday.''

And it's not just the villagers of Ban Muang who are enthusiastic about the centre.  Ekarin said Mons in other communities wanted to jump onto the cultural bandwagon and have their own Mon study centres.

While the centre will play a role in promoting Mon culture, it will not take any political stands, Ekarin said, referring to the political movement to free the Mon state from Burma .

''Our effort is to try to enhance cultural understanding in order to narrow the political conflict,'' he said.  Junta is enduring the economic hardship by getting aid and loans from neighbours keen to protect strategic interests.