กระบวนการปรับแปลงความหมายของ “เหล้า” ในพิธีกรรมงานศพ

Abstract

This article aimed to present a status of funeral rituals and a meaning transformation process of alcohol in funeral rituals of Ban Dong community.

The contents presented were the information and knowledge gained from the study of the “No Alcohol in Funeral Rituals Project” in Ban Dong Village, Sobprab District, Lampang Province. The study was a part of a qualitative research entitled “Communication Process to Transform Meanings in Funeral Rituals". The writer collected data from participants of the project through conducting informal conversation, focus groups, in-depth interviews and participatory and non-participatory observation.

The findings of the study were as follow;

1. The status of the funeral rituals in the 1st phase: the rituals were perceived mostly as a private sphere and a set of signs representing an individuals socio-economical status.


2. The status of the funeral rituals in the 2nd phase: the rituals were perceived as a public sphere and a set of signs representing the community's generosity and cooperation.


3. The status of the funeral rituals in the 3rd phase: the rituals still represented the meaning in the 2nd phase and had a new role as a set of signs representing a new collective identity as “a community with no alcohol in funeral rituals”.


4. The meaning transformation process composed of negotiating with connotative meanings of alcohol as people linkage and guest repayment, deconstructing a myth of alcohol and funeral rituals as a set of signs representing socio-economical status, and meaning changing of the ritual sphere from a private sphere to a public sphere.


5. A supportive concept of the meaning transformation process was to alter people' points of view; from focusing on a hosts standpoint (should give the best hospitality) to adjusting a guests standpoint (should sympathize with the host) instead.