Maintaining Ethnicity and Social Networks: Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance, Performing Arts of the Chinese Ethnic Group in Udonthani Province

Abstract

The research titled “Maintaining Ethnicity and Social Networks: Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance Performing Arts of the Chinese Ethnic Group in Udonthani Province” was qualitative research that emphasized on investigated and collected data from the field study, document, and related research and presented in descriptive analysis, particularly at Thung Si Muang Annual Festival in 2018. The objectives of the study consisted of three criteria: 1) to study of the development of the Chinese ethnic group in Udonthani, 2) to analyze the role of the Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance Performing Arts in maintaining ethnicity and social network of Chinese ethnic group in Udonthani, and 3) to analyze how the culture of Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance Performing Arts helped created social group between Chinese ethnic group and the local people in Udonthani. The study results found that the Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance was part of the ritual at Chao Pu-Ya shrine. The Chinese ethnic group worked together on the ceremony by holding the Chinese Opera to show the belief and faith of traditional Chinese culture and to gather all Chinese together to maintain their ethnicity and create social networks with one another. Chinese Operas were held annually in Thung Si Muang, Udonthani province, Thailand, and had adapted the Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance to be more spectacular and fit in with social contexts in Udonthani. The dance was promoted to be one of the provincial identities and played an important role in tourism in Udonthani. Thus, the Engkor Lorgow, Lion, Dragon Dance has been a ritual that helped assemble and created social networks between the Chinese ethnic group and other ethnic groups in Udonthani province.