The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXXIX, Part 1-2 ... - Khamkoo

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Kcl:it'1l.\
c/um J..Jruu r·mountam pCtl-J')h.:"') j, CJUrencbed
in image-s ,,r national problcm:o.. m panicul::~r the
i~ca that lughlanders· f:101)11lg pr:tCilcc: ... arc in·
hcre:mly de.s.tructl\ c nf th~.! c nvircu\llH~nL
c.·onfrmu ing this issue. the aulhor \lllCrs n set of
h1"10nc~ that !\how how I he ~,.fom i uant im~1 gc (lr
t'hoo J..hao nml pn.:\'aknt und~r' t ~l l td i ngs uf Lhc
c-n\ inmmcnt ~ ha re rout unly ofier pubhc rhotoric had
~cttlcd on mi~ 1·:uory slu ftmg cultivutmn n ~oo an
uH.Ic\ f.1f nDllon:'l problems '' 1th duw J.Jwo.
I h-.: author'-. ablluy to pro,·tde a ht~toncJI
conh~\1 h) concepb. dcbau::-..4 and chant:tn~ hi~h·
land·lowland rdawion> mal ... >s th1' 01 H·ry 'aluablc
boo~. nn1 "mply in tenus of undc.,.tandmg
highiJnd )'c-opk> and their changing pl.ooc "ulun
n toul.mrl, hlll mor~ g(.'ncrally l(u umkr,umding
"l haol• t>d·, n.,unn:ol realil} The nation has been
fol'mcd through par1iculur uncl\!r~t(•thhng ~ ,,.(
space. hi~ I OI)'. sodul relation:... naturt, :.nd l.!'l h·
nu: n.h:ntlty. nnd one o f the book·~ major comributtOil!t
he ... an ,howmg how such undc~t.mdmgs
ha\e c~-;wlhtcd m p..~n1cul:tr rcgtnlC). 01 IRtth
pmducl"'"· But h~gCtnome 1rutlb arc ne,·er absolute.
and whik 1hey SCI dte tcnn~ uf ckh.stc m
impoa1~mt WJ} ... the:} also ind te comestJtlon ant.J
conme-I'M!tUtnc:'nb. Lu-.:.al knowlcd~c ,11l1U I \~
Ki.lrcn pi.:OI'Ic;; b f'~product· d in thi~ C l lnt~.:x t nf
d oo ll il l~ll l llllt,ider'' understanding> u I' tJcnnty,
lnmJ us-: .• Uld .;.·ons..:rv!.ltion, and by :,ituuting
local kllOWII'!Jge Ill dtb way th..: JUlhor ho'l' rrcduJcd
the .. cn .. c 1h:n Karen cuhun: and 1dcnllty
are ol tlo~ l"'t· Whole Karen hostory ami cuhur"
are mformcd b) a shlllmg and cnmpl-.:\ pas1.
thcar h'Cotl r~aln~ IS 'ery much thai,,, n;mon:sl
and globJI unJcrs1:mrlings and Sl11Jt.:lun.:s n··
g_nrdmg fnrnHng_. CQil!olU.)W" v:~riolL'i- ~ign" ol I he PI\:' tou-.
mcam.11H'IIl Ot ... "'"Ju~ the author 'howe;. hO\\
ufiit•al fhou nouons of nauonal p.Jrb. were
modeled on .:\men can ones. a d1M.:th~tlm of the
pl:1cc of '\Jatl\ ~ Americans (Jndbns) m rchU1t..l11
to nahtrc ond society might han~ w.ldcd n
con1paruli\'C dimension 10the l'h:ti case. A I NC \ ,:.~
dl'l.:liSSi\)11 ur huw Lh~ n tmh~rn IIMI St:tong
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