The Influence of Political Moralization in Democratic System with the King as Head of State through Nang Talung Shadow Puppet Performances in the South of Thailand

Abstract

 This research article aims to 1) study the roles of Nang Talung shadow puppet folk artists in communicating political issues in the
democratic system with the king as head of state and 2) analyze the process of political moralization in the democratic system with the king as head of state through the performances of Nang Talung shadow puppet folk artists. A qualitative methodology included documentary research and in-depth interviews with ten Nang Talung puppet shadow folk artists, three local and national politicians, two Nang Talung shadow puppet expert scholars, and five Nang Talung shadow puppet audiences. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data, and a narrative technique was used to
present the results.
The results showed that Nang Talung shadow puppet is a folk
performing art medium for bringing news, political knowledge,
entertainment, and a source of knowledge in local culture and traditions. Information is presented through the characters in various performance methods by Nang Talung shadow puppet artists. The communication of the story through the Nang Talung shadow puppet show greatly influenced the audience, especially the political aspect. The Nang Talung shadow puppet artist plays a role in communicating and convincing political morality to the audience by using the art of conveying stories and ideas through dialogue, poems, and songs in southern dialects. The show's audience can understand the political and social phenomena that occurred at that time and realize the rights and duties of citizenship under the democratic system with the king as head of state. As a result, Nang Talung shadow puppet is a folk
performance art that hides an Aesthetically powerful to influence the
audience's political morality to hold the correct and virtuous values. Nang Talung shadow puppet's performance art is a valuable cultural heritage that deserves to be preserved and continues to be maintained.