Re-narrating the Folk Legend of Jaomae Nang Norn: Human-nature Contact between Ecological Spiritualities and Buddhist Hybridity

Harrison, Rachel; Sutiwipakorn Toopyanont, Wasinee

Re-narrating the Folk Legend of Jaomae Nang Norn: Human-nature Contact between Ecological Spiritualities and Buddhist Hybridity

Harrison, Rachel; Sutiwipakorn Toopyanont, Wasinee

Authors

PROF Rachel Harrison rh6@soas.ac.uk
Professor of Thai Cultural Studies

Wasinee Sutiwipakorn Toopyanont

Abstract

Tham Luang—Khun Nam Nang Norn cave complex in Chiang Rai province,Thailand, has been constellated with magic and cultural-natural deep history. The beliefs and practices of revering the mountain have been circulated among locals, especially the Tai Yai ethnic minority residing near the area. The mountain is believed to be animated by supernatural entities—one of which is a female ghost, Jaomae Nang Norn, whose legend became widespread in the rescue mission of The Wild Boars’ football players and their coach in June 2018. In this paper, I posit that Tham Luang cave and the ecological spiritualities surrounding it deal intimately with a multitude of ecocultural and spiritual influences. Beliefs rooted in the mystic power of the ghost spirits and practices of magio-animistic Buddhism create diverse responses to the landscape. It also opens up a liminal space in which the negotiation between local and national identity is juxtaposed. This liminal space represents the ecological realm of the mountain as a contested terrain for rural communities in resisting cultural dominance of Thai nation state.

Citation

Harrison, R., & Sutiwipakorn Toopyanont, W. (2023). Re-narrating the Folk Legend of Jaomae Nang Norn: Human-nature Contact between Ecological Spiritualities and Buddhist Hybridity. Journal of Southeast Asian Ecocriticism, 1(2), 66-86

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Aug 19, 2023
Publication Date	Aug 1, 2023
Deposit Date	Aug 21, 2023
Publicly Available Date	Aug 21, 2023
Journal	Journal of Southeast Asian Ecocriticism
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	1
Issue	2
Pages	66-86
Keywords	Jaomae Nang Norn; ecological spiritualities; ethno-ecological perspectives; magio-animistic Buddhism; cultural hegemony
Publisher URL	https://fass.nus.edu.sg/elts/journal-of-southeast-asian-ecocriticism/jseae1_2/

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Copyright Statement
This article is published in Journal of Southeast Asian Ecocriticism, 1 (2). pp. 66-86, published by ASLE-ASEAN. Re-use is subject to the publisher’s terms and conditions.