A STUDY OF BELIEF SYSTEMS AND THE INHERITANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY RELATED TO THE SHRINE OF THE ANCESTORS OF ETHNIC GROUPS IN SAKON NAKHON PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article was funded by the Revenue Budget for Fiscal Year B.E. 2562 (2019) for personnel of Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, with a project duration of one year, and with continued development of the research agenda up to the present. Using qualitative research methods, the study pursued two objectives: (1) to examine beliefs concerning San Phu Ta (ancestral/village-guardian shrines) among ethnolinguistic groups in Sakon Nakhon Province, and (2) to investigate forms of community participation in the transmission of those beliefs. Sites were selected purposively. Data were gathered in two components: documentary research and fieldwork, employing qualitative instruments—interview schedules, observation protocols, and focus-group discussions—with descriptive analysis.

Findings. The belief system and the intergenerational transmission of cultural diversity surrounding san phu ta across four case-study sites reflect each group’s distinctive tradition:

1.Pu Na Pho–Na Phiang Shrine, Wanon Niwat District; and

2.Pu Phu Ngeun Shrine, Phang Khon District—both associated with Thai Lao and Thai Nyo/Yo communities;

3.Pu Ta, Akat Amnuai District—associated with the Tai Yoy ethnic group, with more recent Sino-Thai syncretic elements; and

4.Chao Pho Mahesak Shrine, Mueang Sakon Nakhon District—linked to Phu Tai communities.Across the sites, shrines are typically located on elevated, tranquil ground. Beliefs regarding san phu ta constitute a foundational folk cosmology centered on ancestral spirits or supernatural guardians who protect descendants. These beliefs are enacted through ritual practices—such as propitiatory offerings, votive petitions/vows (bon/ba)—mediated by a spirit officiant/medium (“Pho Cham”; locally also rendered “kwan Cham”). The complex embodies a syncretism of spirit beliefs with Theravada Buddhism, providing a strong moral-spiritual anchor for local communities.

Regarding the forms of community participation in the transmission of beliefs related to Pu Ta shrines among ethnic groups in Sakon Nakhon Province, the findings reveal three main patterns: 1) community-based management, which depends on the capacity and internal management mechanisms of each community; 2)collaborative participation between local communities and relevant agencies at the area level, particularly in terms of budgetary and academic support; and 3)contemporary cultural integration, characterized by cultural fluidity resulting from the influx of new residents and tourists. This process has led to the adaptation of beliefs associated with Pu Ta shrines, enabling them to coexist harmoniously with ongoing social changes.