INTERCULTURAL DESIGN PROJECT 1

7 January 2020 -  23 February 2020 ( week 3 - week 7  )
Ahmed Baahy Suhail (0333925)

Intercultural Design

Project 1

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LECTURES

Lecture 01:



Lecture 02:




Lecture 03: Documentation tips by Alumni, Amer Eizwann

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INSTRUCTIONS

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PROJECT 1 - Proposal

The main topic for our module was mythology and we had to figure out aspects of Thai culture that related to this central theme. We were given a lot of freedom, thus that made for a lot of research and discussions to make sure we were on the right path.

 Although this module consisted of group work, we all had to work individually at the start and do our own necessary research.  For my individual research process, I searched up for unique and interesting things related to Thailand and found multiple ideas that I thought were intriguing and these are listed below. .

INITIAL IDEAS

Thailand: The Land of Smiles ( First Idea )

Land of the smiles

Thailand is commonly known as the “land of smiles” as the positive energy within the locals is evident with first glance. Tourists are often captivated by the local kindness and positivity as this type of energy is rare to see in this day and age.The nickname “land of smiles” was created initially for “promotional purposes”, mainly to entice tourists with the “promise of white sand beaches, affordable travel costs, and the extreme hospitality of the locals.” The brochures often exhibit a smiling local at his market, selling goods. Thais are extremely cautious of the emotion they exhibit in public and are encouraged to put on a smile no matter what. (Iverson, 2017).

There are certain questions that pop into one’s mind when reading up on such a topic. Why are they so happy? Does it have to do with religion? What are the cultural influences of this happiness? What is the limit to this happiness? How important is it, for a Thai individual to exhibit kind hearted nature? Is this all just a facade to hide their true feelings? Are the smiles genuine, and if not, how can one separate real from fake? These are just some of the questions that arise thus, it would be interesting to explore this further.

“IMPACT Group Career Coach Marie Lucchini, who is based in Bangkok, can testify that, “even with many years of practice, it is almost impossible for a non-Thai person to read the Thai smiles you get.” Once you have more of an understanding of the meanings behind the smiles, you will be able to read social situations easier and have a better understanding of Thai culture. “ (IMPACT Group, 2018)


Monkeys ( Second Idea )

Thai monkeys

Another topic that was of interest is to research further into monkey crisis in Thailand. There is a lot of information online about how these Thai primates wonder the streets and interact with many people, and there has been plenty of news concerning monkeys attacking tourists. Feeding these monkeys are a challenge as you must commit to it, otherwise these animals have a tendency to act aggressive when not provided with what it wants. These primates are also very protective of their young, thus it is ideal not to touch them, especially the baby ones.

“People who turn away (often in fear) or try to stop them from taking food are sometimes scratched or bitten. If your tour guide gives you bananas for the monkeys, you can decline to participate as it’s just as fun to watch the monkeys from a distance.

If you do decide to feed the macaques, do not let small children interact with them, and be sure keep your guard up and pay attention to where all monkeys in the area are.

The safest way to feed these creatures is to throw the food toward the monkeys instead of waiting for them to take it out of your hand, as you would with any wild animal, and make sure to be aware of your surroundings so other monkeys don't try to sneak up behind you.” ( Nam, 2019)

Upon further research, it was interesting to find that there is a festival dedicated to monkeys called “ The Lopburi Monkey Festival.” in the city of Lopburi. A large feast is provided to these macaques with the addition of live performances which the monkeys participate in as well. It is believed that giving back to these monkeys and feeding them with such a big treat will bring upon good luck to the Thais and this is one of the main reasons that these macaques are treated with such respect in the first place. (Iverson, 2017)


Thailand Sacred Trees ( Third Idea )

Thailand sacred trees

Thais are evidently very superstitious people and they believe in ghosts and spirits. Although it is said that such spirits live in spiritual houses it is also claims to exist within plants and trees. This belief in influenced by their religion, Buddhism. In Buddhism, there exists a tree called the Bodhi tree, which became a “sacred symbol for providing shelter to the Budha while he attained enlightenment.” Since it is seen as sacred, even if the tree stands in the way of a house or road, it is purely left on its own with respect. How can you identify these trees? They are decorated with colorful scarves thus it is easy to locate.

It is also related to mythology, as there are plenty of stories of tree spirits in Thai folklore.
The tree spirit is called Nang Ta-khian, who is said to be able to fulfil any of your wishes.

“Takian trees are considered sacred and are rarely felled for lumber, since her spirit will become furious and curse whoever uses the wood. The only ones holy enough to cut down a takian are monks, and they must hold a ceremony requesting Nang Ta-khian’s permission first. She is considered a mostly benevolent spirit but can become malevolent, releasing a dreadful shriek that fills the air when proper homage is not paid to her.

In certain versions of the story, Nang Ta-khian is said to sing mournful songs to beckon wandering men. Those who get too close can be drawn into her powerful embrace, eventually subsumed by her limbs.

Devotees of Nang Ta-khian place traditional Thai silk dresses at the foot of the takian tree as an offering. Like the famous ghost Mae Nak, the spirit can be asked to protect those who are pregnant, provide safe passage to travelers and reveal winning lottery numbers for material gain. (Thais are obsessed with their lotteries.) Nang Ta-khian is also known to heal, and the resin from the takian tree is a popular medicinal styptic used to stanch bleeding and as an ointment for wounds. A takian growing near the bank of a river with its roots protruding above ground is to be avoided, for the spirit of that tree is a fierce one. Whoever relieves himself near the base of such a tree will suffer from ulcers.” ( THE NOT SO INNOCENTS ABROAD, 2017)


References

Impact Group. (2018). Thailand, the Land of the Smiles. Retrieved from
https://www.impactgrouphr.com/insights/thailand-the-land-of-the-smiles
Iverson, K. (2017). Why is Thailand Known as The 'Land of Smiles'? Retrieved from
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/how-thailand-got-its-nickname-land-of-smiles/
Iverson, K. (2017). Everything You Need To Know About The Lopburi Monkey Festival. Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-lopburi-monkey-festival/
The Not So Innocents Abroad. (2017). Meet the Tree Spirits of Thai Folklore. Retrieved from https://www.thenotsoinnocentsabroad.com/blog/meet-the-tree-spirits-of-thai-folklore


Week 2

Our lecturer encouraged us to keep researching until we had a solid foundation to work with and also because we had some more time to figure out which direction we wanted to head in. Eventually, I found some articles about “Luk Thep”, a baby doll tradition where people treat plastic dolls as their own child and believe a soul resides in it.

Luk Thep owner with her dolls

Luk Thep dolls

Street vendor selling Luk Thep dolls

Owner feeding Luk Thep dolls

Luk Thep dolls on an airplane

 Being very superstitious people, they pamper these dolls as they want to receive good fortune. I felt that this tradition was very out of the ordinary and was instantly gravitated towards it. I wanted to explore deep into this tradition as it surged out of nowhere and was intrigued to learn more about this unique world of spirit dolls.

Research

I did some research and found out that a lady named Mananya Boonmee, created Thailand's first ever Luk Thep.and is responsible for sparking the trend of these plastic "possessed" dolls.  She is commonly nicknamed "Mama Ning"

Mama Ning - Owner of Luk Thep dolls

She claimed that the dolls have superpowers and shortly after her statement, Buddhist monks and fortune tellers held rituals to bless such dolls.

Monk blessing a Luk Thep doll

Blessing of a Luk Thep doll

There are a few different theories of the motifs behind this Luk Thep tradition. Some say it is an updated version of Kuman Thong whilst others beleive that it is tied to Thailand's low fertility rate, since it is most popular amongst middle aged women. Luk Thep is also said to be connected to Thailand's strong Buddhist beliefs and Hindu influences, object worshipping and animism traditions.


Approach

The approach we took for our research was to question how these people can connect to a western doll and just how important it is to treat these inanimate objects as human.


First draft

 

Second draft

FINAL PRODUCT IDEAS

1) Luk Thep Documentary

Idea 1

A documentary could be made of our time in Thailand. We could record the process of how these baby dolls are taken care of and create an informative but visually appealing video that exposes this type of worshipment. We could also interview the mother of these babies and ask her our lingering questions and why she feels such a connection with a western doll.


2) Create your own baby doll - Mockup of Online Website

Idea 2

There are many websites online that lets you customize inanimate objects such as soft toys. But what if, we can get inspired by this Luk Thep concept and provide opportunities for people to customize their own baby doll online, depending on their culture and etc. The Luk Thep dolls are imported from US and then accessorized thus it would be interesting to find how other people may accessorize it based on their own needs and how they can resonate with it.


3) Clay Baby doll sculpture - Envisionment of how Luk Thep dolls should look like

Idea 3

Since Luk Thep dolls do no look like a true Thai baby, we could improve upon the problem by envisioning how a proper doll would look like, so that more people can resonate with these and feel more connected.


4) Split Portrait - One side doll, other side real Thai baby

Idea 4

A portrait can be created that shows the juxtaposition between real and fake. Half of the drawing/painting can show the doll and it’s hard texture which is contrasted with the other side which feels much smoother and real, and portrays a small Thai baby.

OR same concept but on different sides of paper or the material in which the portrait is done.


5) Glass art - Portrait

Idea 5

The material can be glass so that when you look at it, you see the reflection of yourself. This reflection idea is inspired by the question of how we can relate to the doll.


6) Sculpture of Soul Emerging from/ Traveling into Baby Dolls

Idea 6

We could create a sculpture of a baby doll that is taking in a soul ( soul could be portrayed in the form of a transparent boy) coming in or out of baby doll.

7) Mirror Art

Idea 7

Baby dolls can be covered in glass shards to represent the idea of life and souls exerting from these dolls.


It could also be a painting which symbolises the idea that the dolls do not truly relate to the mother. This false reflection can be shown in a painting where the mother looks at a disembodied mirror, shaped to fit the silhouette of a baby.


8) Role Reversal

Idea 8

Envision a Mother doll taking care of a real baby. This time, the roles are reversed in which the baby isn’t the doll but the mother is.


9) Create a Facebook/ Instagram page for a Luk Thep doll from our visit in Thailand.

Idea 9

Nowadays, we live in an era where everything is on social media. Since the mother of the dolls admitted that some of the dolls were over 10 years old, it would be interesting to make a page dedicated to that doll, and make posts that portray it’s personalities while seeking guidance from the mother of the doll itself. This could also trigger a response from users on Instagram thus we could see how other people feel about these dolls. This concept is making a page for the teen souls that live in the dolls.


Standardised Proposal




Presentation Slides



 Our proposal was approved and we were all set to travel to Thailand and have all our questions answered.