The Legend of Phra Nang Soi Dok Mak: Language and the Construction of Representation towards National Cultural Heritage Registration

Abstract

This research article aims 1) to analyze language and the construction of representations in different versions of the legend of Phra Nang Soi Dok Mak, and 2) to examine the roles of these representations in the registration of Thailand’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage in the category of folk literature and language. This study employs a qualitative research methodology. The research data consist of versions of the legend of Phra Nang Soi Dok Mak derived from historical documents, oral literature, and literature for youth, as well as field data obtained through interviews with local wisdom holders and focus group discussions. The data were analyzed by applying Hall’s (1997) concept of representation as the principal theoretical framework.

The findings reveal that language in each version of the legend functions as an important mechanism for constructing five types of representations: 1) representations of characters, 2) representations of places, 3) representations of Thai–Chinese relations, 4) representations of belief-related cultural capital, and 5) representations of moral and ethical lessons. These representations enable the legend to systematically connect narrative elements to the community's social, cultural, and belief contexts. Furthermore, the representations found in the legend play significant roles in the process of registering Thailand’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage by affirming the value of language and folk literature, reflecting local identity and distinctiveness, linking narratives with community history, transmitting spiritual values, beliefs, and cultural relationships, and supporting the preservation and transmission of intangible cultural heritage in contemporary society.