“Shan Cuisine” The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Shan Cuisine along the Thai Frontier

Abstract

This research aims to study and compile features of the identity in Shan cuisine
and to include this identity within the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of
Intangible Cultural Heritage “Shan Cuisine” of Thailand.
The research is qualitative research with collection of data by Rapid
Ethnography Community AssessmentProgram,EthnographyResearch Methodologyand
SurveyResearch Methodology.Theresearchtools includerecordingformsof Intangible
Cultural Heritage, interviews both structured and unstructured, questionnaires and 7
issue of concerns in communities study.
The population of the study is the indigenous people concerned with folk
food, the professional Shan food caterers and chefs whocook in the Shan’s ceremonies in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Tak. The research employed the
Snowball Sampling technique.
The results of the study and collection of the identity data of Shan food
offered in ICH recording forms included a total of 44 items consisting of 33 savory
items and 11 dessert items.Theseareintheroleof relationships between(1) a recipe
(2) theidentity (3) the(food)ethnicity (4) thelocal wisdom (5) thecultural values and
(6) reflects the social context.
Thestudiesof“Shan Cuisine”have“co-identities”infourareas withthreemain
types of spices ; Tua Now, sesame and tomatoes.These are cooked by the assimilation
of theinteractionof cultureand ethnic groups inorder to bringasenseof thesameness
(Self-Ascription) of Shan Cuisine in the Shan communities.The research shows that the
other side means to break the “self” from the “other” (Ascribe by Others) and from
other regions and to show the other ethnic groups what“Shan Cuisine”means and to
distinguish the“we” and “others”and show how the“food identity”is connected.
In addition, “Shan Cuisine” is also indicative of “(food) ethnicity”, makes
for Social space and is the collective conscious of the Shan people in Thailand. This
includes the “space of inclusion” that brings “outsiders” (another ethnic groups), to
come forward to study, learn, taste and try “of others” the Shan Cuisine”