Reflections of Shan Society and Culture Through Textbooks
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Abstract
This research aims to present how Shan textbooks reflect Shan society and culture, and how they maintain their ethnicity. The study examines the content of textbooks written in the new Shan script, which are used for teaching from the foundational or kindergarten level up to grade 6 in Shan education. These textbooks are used in schools in Shan State, as well as in displaced schools along the Thai-Myanmar border and in temples or Shan communities as part of informal education systems. The study analyzes 29 relevant Shan textbooks using the reflection theory framework and the concept of ethnicity maintenance. The results can be summarized as follows: The textbooks reflect Shan society, culture, and ethnic maintenance through four key components (1) The role-playing transition from traditional state princes to family roles of father, mother, and child. (2) Family values passed down, including gratitude, unity, cleanliness, and trade. (3) Buddhism as a space for Shan identity, expressed through important traditions. (4) The Shan script as a means of maintaining Shan identity.
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