THE ROUTE OF ETHNIC TOURISM AND CONSERVATION OF RURAL LANDSCAPE: KAYAN (LONG - NECK KAREN) COMMUNITIES, THE NORTHERN PART OF THAILAND

Abstract

The aims of this research focus on the cultural geography, way of life, and landscape features including the situations of ethnic tourism in cases of the Kayan communities in Mae Hong Son province as well as the conservation of their heritage values. In order to maintain the significances of the Kayann rural landscape sustainably.

The author mainly used qualitative methods by applying ethnographic methodology to collect data from three Kayan communities in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand as 1) Ban Huay Pu Keng, 2) Ban Huay sua Thao, and 3) Ban Nai Soi. In-depth interviews and participatory observation was collect from both primary and secondary information. A total of 35 qualitative interviews were conducted from the headman of the villages, local sages, stakeholders, Kayan people, the governmental officials, and visitors. The period of observed time is in July 2017 to January 2018.

After detailed analyze, as people perceived about the image of the Kayan, the first feature is the indigenous woman wearing the brass collar rings, lives in the hill of the northern region of Thailand. However, the origin settlement of the Kayan is from Karenni state around Dimawso and Loikaw in Burma. Presently, there is no evidence that shows when the Kayan immigrate to Thailand, however, the initial reason that takes the Kayans come to Thailand, is to encourage tourism business in Mae Hong Son province. From the result of defining cultural significance of the rural landscape of the Kayan communities, it was found that the cultural significance of the Kayan way of life can be defined as follows: 1) Value of natural environment existence, 2) Aesthetic value, 3) Educational value, 4) Historic value, 5) Economic value, and 6) Social value.

In the past, the Kayans made their living that relied on natural environment for building their home, foods, and herb treatments. Nowadays, they change their way of life by adapting other materials to build their house permanently such as metal sheets, develop modern facilities for living and supporting tourism. The most important change is the young Kayan generation does not want to wear the brass collar rings for many reasons. On the contrary, the local government and tourism authorities want them to maintain their identities by supporting incomes and promoting their annual traditional ceremonies as ‘Ton Tee Ceremony’ on late March and early April. As for zoning of the Kayan villages and land utilization, all Kayan villages are mostly separated into four main zones as: 1) Forest and mountainous zone, 2) Accommodation zone, 3) Agriculture zone, and 4) Sacred and ceremonial zone.

In aspects of tourism, tourism attractions within the Kayan communities can be classified into three main categories as features within the natural environment, human-made features (cultural attractions), and special events. Currently, the available route of Kayan ethnic tourism can be classified into two routes based on the components of tourism potentials as Ban Huay Sua Thao – The route of integrated tribe and Ban Huay Pu Keng the natural scenic route of Kayan way of life.

According to Cohen (2001), ethnic tourism in northern Thailand has developed commercially as it has simultaneously been absorbed into the lowland political, economic, and cultural system, however, it is so necessary to undertake in parallel with the conservation of cultural significances of the heritage. Generally, the limit effect of the Kayan or other indigenous people in Thailand is the people without nationality that affect them unable to free living. They are set to be a part of the attractive tourism resource for ethnic tourism. The findings of this study concern what are the significances of the Kayan rural landscape and how the Kayan people and all stakeholders can contribute to sustainable tourism to secure a social mechanism and cultural values that can lead to conserve the fascination of the indigenous living.

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