Khon dancers perform a Ramakien dance at the Kukrit (Pramoj) Institute Performing Arts Centre in July, 2015. (Photo courtesy 80th Kukrit Foundation)
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Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat has downplayed the uproar which erupted on Cambodian social media after the Thai government announced it planned to propose the Thai Khon mask dance, a dance many claim to be based on Cambodia’s Lakhon Khol, be included in Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Cambodian film star and TV host Chorn Chanlakhena took to Facebook, demanding a government response to the issue, the Khmer Times reported.
“Lakhon Khol has belonged to Khmer people since ancient times. Lakhon Khol does not belong to Thailand. If you love and want to support Lakhon Khol, please share this post so the world will know Lakhon Khol has its real origins in Cambodia, not Thailand.”
Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts spokesman Norak Satya said the government is not ignoring the issue, but said despite their similarities, the two dances were culturally different from each other, the Cambodian newspaper reported.
Mr Vira, meanwhile, said Monday member states are not prohibited from seeking to register similar practices and arts with the UN’s cultural agency.
Official registration of the dance is not yet possible as Thailand is currently not a member of the Unesco Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Unesco has granted the Intangible Cultural Heritage status for the Tango to both Argentina and Uruguay, he said.
He said the granting of the status to one country does not mean that country “owns” the tradition, instead it shows the tradition is relevant and worthy of preserving.
“Member countries can seek to register similar items because they have similar cultures. It also reflects cultural relations and that cultures can be passed on. Ramayana is embraced by several countries,” he said.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.