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Thai Music and Dance in the Heart of Bangkok’s Slums
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Journal Article
Thai Music and Dance in the Heart of Bangkok’s Slums
2020
Overview
Although American Roman Catholic priest Father Joseph Maier founded the Mercy Centre in the heart of Bangkok’s Khlong Toey slums in the early 1970s, music was not part of the program until around 2010 when Dr. Mick Moloney began raising funds to support the teaching of Thai classical music. With additional donations, the music program has grown exponentially, adding Northeast Thai pong lang ensemble and providing a dance teacher for the young women. Participation has risen from a mere handful to the majority of children living in the Centre. Having a music program has also made an increasing number of public performances possible, both on stage for various festivals and on television, giving the Centre a visibility and image it formerly lacked. Performing in public, wearing beautiful costumes, and receiving accolades has boosted each child’s self-esteem in ways not previously possible. While music from Thailand’s northeast is widely popular, its classical music and dance are less so. That such an apparently “elite” tradition could serve to express the artistry of slum children surprises many, since Mercy’s children all come from the city’s lowest social groups. Indeed, some have non-Thai (e.g., Cambodian) parents. The music and dance program has thus changed Mercy’s public image from one of despair into one of optimism and beauty.
