พญานาค เจ้าแห่งแม่น้ำโขง : พิธีกรรมกับระบบความเชื่อพื้นบ้านแห่งวัฒนธรรมอีสาน / จิตรกร เอมพันธ์ = Naga, The King of the Mekong : ritual and belief system in Northeasten Thai culture / Chitrakorn Empan
The mythical serpent as "Naga" is major cultural symbols prevalent among people of the Mekong River area. Naga is represented in local literature, ritual, architecture, textile, design and painting. This thesis explores the symbolic meaning and function of naga through the study of myth on naga. Its purpose is to describe naga as symbol of the Lao Vien and Thai-Esarn culture. This paper discovers 3 meaning of naga : 1. Naga : an indigenous group 2. Naga : a fertility god 3. Naga : a belief system. Naga as a belief system can be seen in ritual performed in agricultural society and reflects in people's way of life, which may be political, economic, or social. The structure and meaning specified by society have been influenced by the belief in naga. Which also function as a social control mechanism in society. This dissertation is a study of naga in the context of a particular rite known as "Pithi Bluing Suang Bucha Bongfai Phayanak" take place in the town of Ahong in Nong Khai Province. The methodology adopted in the study is documentary research and anthropological fieldwork employing participant observation and interview of key informants. The analyses of the belief of naga are presented in 4 aspects : 1. Cosmology 2. Naga Cult 3. Animism 4. Rites. It is found that symbol in the rituals are integrated in folk belief and Buddhist belief in the term of heaven and hell. Symbols in the ritual also represent the relationships between human being and supernatural spirits. Furthermore, Ritual event bring relatives who usually live far away back to the village and hence create social solidarity. Finally naga is a symbol of rich natural resources, earth, water, and fertility of the Esarn society.
