MO LAM MOO SANGWAT UBON: THE FORMATION AND THE PROCESS OF PERFORMANCE ART IN UBON RATCHATHANI

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Abstract

This academic article aims to gather knowledge about the traditional musical performance art of "Mo Lam Moo Sangwat Ubon", which is a cultural heritage of the people in northeastern Thailand. The study found that Mo Lam Moo Sangwat Ubon is a narrative form of performance art with fully developed characters according to the script, which is widespread in the provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, Si Sa Ket, Amnat Charoen, and Jampasak District, Lao People's Democratic Republic. It started around 1947, with its origins in the Mo Lam performances in the central part of the Northeastern region, which included "Mo Lam Rueng Tor Klorn and Li Ke (Thai Folk drama)." Its distinct characteristic is the "Lam" melody, which originally only had two melodies, "Lam Yao" and "Lam Dern," but later added "Lam Toei." Subsequently, it branched out into "Mo Lam Phloen," which introduced two new melodies, "Kreun Lam Phloen" and "Dern Lam Phloen." The original Mo Lam Moo was referred to as "Mo Lam Wiang." In terms of the performance process, it consists of five elements: 1) "Oa Khaek" is an announcement of the beginning of the performance, 2) "Phayang Reuang" is an introduction that describes the details of the story to be performed by a female narrator in the northeastern dialect, 3) "Damnoen Reuang" is the performance of various scenes according to the script until the story is complete or the allotted time is up, 4) "Sarup Reuang/Lam La" summarizes the plot through musical performance, speaking, or “Jaiphaya” ending "Lam La" with Lam Yaw melody, and 5) "Toei La" is the final performance element with the meaning of bidding farewell to the audience and enhancing the enjoyment of the performance.