After our last blog we learned about Nang Talung, southern Thailand hidden shadow puppetry. Today we would like to show you one more cultural show that’s significant to Thai culture for a long time, it’s the one that people refers to as majestic show called “Khon”
Khon is a masked dance-drama show that once reserved for only royalty, it’s a performance that captures the delicacy, beauty, grandeur, and soul of Thailand. Every gesture, costume, and music that you hear during the show are epic worth of to be called majestic. Khon tells the story that’s centuries old, and its origin goes back to the Ayutthaya period.
History of Khon:
Khon history went back to the Ayutthaya period, when it was first performed exclusively to the royal court. Originally, it was not open to the public, Khon was a performance that glorified the monarchy, merging dance, drama, and mythology into one show. The stories in Khon comes from the Ramakein, the Thai adaptation of Indian Ramayana epic. The tale follows the story of prince Rama and his army, led by the monkey god Hanuman to the battle with the demon king Tosakanth.
The performance:
Khon is considered the highest and most prestigious form of acting and show in Thai culture. The dancers will wear intricately detailed masks with each symbolizing different kinds of characters from gods, demons, human, or monkeys. Their movements are precise and deliberate, every movement of the dancers’ body has meaning. During the show Khon dancers did not speak, instead they used narrators and musicians to tell the story through classical Thai music and chanting, while dancers act to express their emotion and tell stories through body language. The music in Khon show is played by a Pipat ensemble, a traditional orchestra band featuring xylophones, drums, and cymbals. Nowadays, Khon show can be seen in some theater show or significant royal event in Thailand.
In 2018 Khon or Masked Dance Drama in Thailand was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Which make Khon one of the most important cultural traditions for Thai people. In some schools there will be classes that teach students how to perform Khon, this gave students understanding and bound to the country’s tradition. Though it’s hard to master Khon performance, but having a chance to learn some of the movement and story is a privilege even for Thai citizens.
Khon’s costumes and Masks:
Each outfit and masks are considered the finest craft; the outfits are handmade, embroidered with gold thread and adorned with sequins and jewels. While the mask is an art form passed down for generations each one carefully molded and painted by hand, often blessed before performance. Here are the examples of Khon masks and costumes for each important role in Ramakein:
- The Monkeys: For the monkeys costumes the most famous one is no other than Hanuman, the character is a white monkey warrior, agile, clever, and loyal, with a mask that shows fierce devotion. And this is how Hanuman costume looks:
- The demon: We choose Tosakanth (Ravana) the ten-headed demon king, represented with a green face and multiple crowns stacked high. Here is how his costume looks like:
- And here are the costumes for both main characters Rama and Sita (Phra and Nang)
Watching Khon is an unforgettable experience, even if you don’t understand every detail, the emotions, music, and artistry speak a universal language. For travelers, it’s a chance to witness how Thailand’s ancient traditions are kept alive with passion and pride. You’ll leave not just entertained but also inspired. If you are interested in watching Khon you can go to The Thailand Cultural Centre (Bangkok), Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre, or wait for Royal events and festivals, especially during Loy Krathong and the King’s birthday celebrations. And make sure to arrive early so you can walk around the theater and admire the masks and costumes on display in the lobby.
