Mpi: An analysis of history, culture, values and knowledge

Abstract

The research article consisted of the following objectives: 1) to investigate the history, culture, and local wisdom; 2) to analyze the values of local wisdom; and 3) to present the guidelines for the use of values in local wisdom of Mpi ethnic group for community development. The study used a qualitative research method that included document analysis and a field study. In-depth interviews, observation, note-taking, and focus group discussions were used to collect data from 55 key informants. The triangulation approach and content analysis were used to analyze the collected data. The descriptive technique was used to present the data.

From the study, the following results are found: 1) The Mpi ethnic group settled in Ban Saken, Yod Subdistrict, Song Khwae District, Nan Province, as well as Moo 4 and 8, Suan Khuean Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phrae Province, after migrating from the Xishuangbanna area of China. Thailand has around 1,642 Mpi people, with a 400-year history of migration and relocation. 2) The values/ local wisdom of Mpi ethnic group can be categorized into 6 aspects as follows: (1) agriculture; (2) industry, handicrafts and architecture, (3) natural resource and environmental management; (4) language; (5) philosophy and religion; and (6) nutrition. These have been passed down through the generations as a tactic for reflecting the relationships between "human" and "nature," as well as "human" and "virtue." 3) The guidelines for enhancing potential and developing community via cultural heritage conservation refer to the value creation and representation of local people's identity and relationships in order to learn, transmit, and socialize in the form of a "local museum.