Occupational Folk Wisdom Transfer of Ban Nikom Community, KhunThale Sub-district, Mueang District, Surat Thani Province

Abstract

Abstract

          The transfer of way of life and occupational folk wisdom of Ban Nikom Community, Khun Thale Sub-district, Mueang District, Surat Thani Province aims to study the community’s way of life and occupational folk wisdom on small-scale fisheries and agricultures and find out guidance of transferring way of life and occupational folk wisdom on small-scale fisheries and agricultures in the midst of social change trend of Ban Nikom Community. This research studied and investigated relevant concepts and theories applied as study models. Collected and studied data came from field studies including interview, formal and informal talks and in-depth interview. The data collection was conducted according to questions, interview, participant and non-participant observation, meeting and focus group, survey on way of life and occupational folk wisdom of small-scale fisheries and agricultures with local people. The study found that most people living in Ban Nikom Community emigrated from Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchabun, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Nonthaburi and Kanchanaburi provinces to locate at Khun Thale swamp’s sides while Surat Thani local people lived in other upland. People doing small-scale fisheries and agricultures inherited their knowledge from the past to the present which aged around 100 years. In the past, fisheries was conducted without any tool until they invented the first tool called Saray. Local people used the tool invented by their ancestors and other tools later. In terms of agricultures, the local people had worked in agriculture since the past when they emigrated from the central region. In their early-stage agricultures, they grew coconut and guava before growing rose apple, banana and many well-known fruits in the south. The study also found that in guidance of transferring the way of life and occupational folk wisdom, the community’s conservation methods of small-scale fisheries and agricultures included preserving current small-scale fisheries and agricultures pattern, in other words, the traditional pattern and transfer this knowledge to outsiders. Accordingly, the knowledge was spread to nearby communities. In addition to outsiders, the knowledge was also shared within the community. It resulted in conservation of soil, water and forest resources as well as occupational stability in the midst social change.

Keywords: Inheritance, Folk Wisdom, Occupation, Small-scale fisheries, Agricultures, Ban Nikom Community