Concept of Nature in Stories Telling of Akha Tribe in Chiang Rai Province

concept of nature, storytelling, Akha ethnic group

Abstract

This paper aimed to study the fundamental concepts concerning the nature which found in the storytelling of Akha ethnic group in Chiang Rai Province. Thirty-nine local Akha stories were collected from three Akha villages, namely Pang Pu Loei village; Saensuk village; and Akha Pattana village, located in different sub-districts in Chiang Rai. Those stories consist of story plots, characters, and scenes. Data of those stories were analyzed by using content analysis techniques. It was used to examine the Akha people’s points of view and their relationships with the nature found in their storytelling. Findings revealed that the most of Akha people’s points of view of the nature found in the storytelling were the rice cultivation and household animals farming. Findings further showed that Akha people’s points of view of the supernatural events also related to the origin and circumstance of the nature. These results infer that the storytelling contents reflect the relationships between Akha people and the nature, and the preservation of Akha identity from generation to generation until present days