Performance in Honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother in The Pong Lang Folk Music Competition Department of Physical Education 2023: A Study of References to Angels and Sacred Things

การแสดงชุดเทิดพระเกียรติ สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ พระบรมราชชนนีพันปีหลวง ในการประกวดดนตรีพื้นบ้านวงโปงลาง กรมพลศึกษา พ.ศ. 2566: การศึกษาคำอ้างถึงเทวดาและสิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์

Abstract

This research explores the forms, structures, and characteristics of references to deities and sacred entities found in a performance honoring Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother. The performance was part of a Pong Lang folk music contest organized by the Department of Physical Education. The study employs the theoretical framework of Halliday and Hasan (1976) to analyze how such references reflect underlying beliefs, values, and cultural worldviews.
The analysis reveals three distinct structural patterns: (1) single-unit references, (2) two-unit structures, and (3) references containing three or more components. These linguistic forms are not only ritualistic but are also symbolic of deeply rooted spiritual and cultural ideologies in Isan society.

The references express three core belief systems: faith in Buddhism, traditional Isan beliefs in sacred beings and ancestral spirits, and a cultural synthesis of animist, Brahmanic, and Buddhist elements. Through ceremonial language, these beliefs are preserved and reinforced in community performances. Overall, the study demonstrates that such references serve as important cultural tools, enabling the continuity of collective identity and reinforcing moral and religious values in the northeastern Thai context.