From Praying for Rain to Rocket Festival: Reconstructing Social Memory among Villagers in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

Northeast Thailand, also known as Isan, is home to an annual rocket festival, known as Thai as Bun Bang Fai, which is held in several provinces, including Yasothon, Kalasin, Nong Khai, Mahasarakham and others, in May or June. The festival includes parades of floats decorated with traditional motifs and dancers in traditional costumes, folk bands, food stalls and rocket competition. As far as the object of the festival is concerned, some scholars disagree about its original function in historical memory and argue that many people have a misunderstanding of it. Consequently, this study aims at examining the vein of the Rocket Festival’s formation, changes and reconstruction from the perspective of social memory.