A social, cultural, and political transformation Writer / Reported by: Banya Hongsar (Mon Writers’ Society)
Abstract
The Mon people in the two nations of Monland and Thailand have been engaging in social, cultural, and political aspirations since the birth of the Mon countries. The history of engagement is rich inboth communities. Mon Buddhists monks and leading scholars have documented many events and monastic education programs. Both communities have influenced the Mon and Thai languages for thousands of years. Mon monks have been given sites toestablish monasteries in Central Thailand since the 17th century A.D. At the same time, many of the Mon people were grantedfull access to Thai education and the cultural economy. This research article is written based on the findings of the literature in the Mon and English languages. This research article is aimed at providing a fresh perspective to both communities on the eve of cultural identity and the survival of Mon cultural autonomy in the 21st century.
On 25 or 26 May 2019, the Mon people will commemorate the Fallen Day of Hongsawatoi in Monland, Thailand, and in many parts of the world. This reflection piece is an account of the events of the Mon people based on the literature written in Mon, Burmese, and English.
Introduction
Social and immigration transformations
Cultural and language transformations
Historical and Buddhist institution exchanges
Conclusion
Old Monland Hongsawatoi (Hantharwaddy), or Pegu as it is known today, was a sea of Red and White on February 20, as large crowds of people dressed in traditional Mon garb gathered to celebrate Mon National Day. Even members of the Thai-Mon community visited the city to participate in the festivities. The event was a proud moment, applauded by all who were present.
The Mon people have a rich history that today has resulted in a complex social, cultural, and political climate for the Mon people spread between Thailand and old Monland. During this criticaljuncture in time, examining the glory of the past and re-assessing Mon identity is necessary to reclaiming Mon self-rule. The article will examine historical events of the past five hundred years that demonstrate the relationship between the Mon from old Monland and the Mon in Thailand. This essay will examine the social, cultural, historical, and political elements that connect the Mon people in old Monland and Thailand to offer insight into the debate over thecurrent democratic transition in both nations. While focusing on the greater interest of the Mon people in the two lands, for further national consolidation in terms of encouraging the Mon peopleto take on major roles at institutions in both places.
Social and immigration transformations
The Mon village, Sangkhlaburi, in Kanchanaburi province in Thailand, has been living in social,cultural, and political transition for almost one hundred years. When the Mon people arrive inIn Thailand, either for work and/or to visit family, they can usually speak Thai within a few months. Marriages between Mon and Thai children have been established in almost all Mon villages along the Thai-Burma border. Mon migrant workers have been following Thai social and cultural norms. A Mon child can learn Thai at school and assimilate into Thai society. A majority of Mon people are Buddhist followers with significant ties to a traditional Theravadainstitution. According to John F. Cady,
“The Mons were widely dispersed and poorly integrated. They were seldom dominantpolitically, but were important both economically and culturally. Their substantial economic skills as hydraulic agriculturalists, artisans, shipbuilders, seamen, and traders were matched by their civilizing role as transmitters of Indian culture. Indian governmental practices and kingship symbols, Vishnu worship, Buddhism, and Sanskrit and writing systems were alltransmitted by the Mons to Burman neighbors, to Khmer cousins located to the east of the Menam valley, and finally to the later-entering Thai peoples.
”Mon migrant workers, exiled people, and scholars have been residing in Thailand for over fifty years. Many Mon people have stayed in the Mon monastery, where they could learn Thai and be ordained into monkhood under the patronage of Rev. Uttama, the founder of Wat Viwekaram (also known as Wat Lungphoh Uttama) in Sangkhlaburi, Kanchanaburi province. Mon monks from old Monland graduated from the Thai Monk’s Literacy Examination Board with a ‘Teaching Qualification’ in Buddhism in Thailand.
The story of Mon merchant Magadu (also known as King Wareeroo) during the Sukhothai era of the 12th century is one in the living memory in both Mon and Thai political literature. The Sukhothai dynasty flourished around the 12th century, with its trading between the people of Sukhothai and Martaban (known as Mutamah in Mon text). A Mon merchant, Magadu, tradedwith the people of Sukhothai using elephants. He was eventually employed as a Chief Guard of the Royal Elephant Troops in the palace because he acquired great knowledge and skills in guarding elephant troops. He was given the title of ‘Jao Dhon Damrong’, Chief Guard of the King Sukhothai’s Royal elephant troops.
Magadu fell in love with the King’s daughter, Mae Nang Sai Dao, during his tenure. The couple fled back to Martaban while the King was at war with Kumbuja (or Kumbucha troops). Magaduconsolidated power in Martaban. Magadu, as the son-in-law of King Sukhothai, reestablished a royal connection with his father-in-law after he took over Martban. Since the King of Sukhothai officially approved him, he was given a new title as ‘Wareeroo’, as a great commander who attacked the Burmese king in Martaban and occupied the city with his greatness. This account of the story is widely found in Mon, Burmese, and Thai political literature.
Cultural and language transformations
Mon culture and language revitalization efforts in both Thailand and Myanmar picked up in the late 1960s due to Mon monks and Mon literature scholars. Thais have widely supported efforts by monks and community leaders to reopen Summer Mon Language Courses and Mon scholars.
Naming a child in the Mon language reemerged in the late 1980s in old Monland, while the Mon in Thailand retained the Mon textual scripts in Mon phonetic. By the late 1990s, Mon migrant workers and children were learning Mon language, music, and dance during public school holidays in major cities such as Bangkok,Samusakhon, and Kanchanaburi. Thai-Mon community leaders and local monks formed a working committee for teaching Mon Language in Properties in Thailand and opened Mon language courses in Bang Kradi village (Bangkradee) in the Bangkok District.
From the establishment of the Mon dynasty in the early 5th Century to its fall in the late 17th century century, gift exchanges and inter-royal marriages occurred between the Mon and Thai,According to both the Mon and Thai history books.
The Mon and Thai envoys crossed borders with elephants and men often during the cordial period between the Mon and the Thai. A royal visit was made on ceremonial occasions,but both nations faced tragedy during the war with the Burman (Bahmar people) in a long war during the 15th century, and on again on following occasions until the Bahmar (named in Thai text as Pha-Ma ‘s people) were defeated in Ayudaya in the 1760s.
The cultural exchange of music, marriage, and traditional beliefs has continued over the past Five hundred years between the Mon and the Thai. In July 2018, The Nation Newspaper noted, “aA traditional form of dance-drama known as ‘Lakhon Phanthang’, which first made its appearance as commercial theatre under royal patronage in the nineteenth century comes back to life. Through an adaptation of the Thai literary classic “Rachathirat”, in Bangkok, was a highlight ofThe significance of the drama and art of the Mon people in both nations.”
Paphatsaun Thianpanya, in a lecture to Assumption Commercial College in Bangkok, asserted The Mon literature that has influenced Thai literature is Rajadhiraja and Dhamasastra.The Thai translation of Rajadhiraja led by Chao Phraya Phra Khang [Hon] in 1785/2328 isconsidered well written, and part of the story is the text for Thai secondary students in Thai language subject. The Mon Dharma Sastra (or Dharma Sastra) had been mentioned as the source ofThai law in ‘Kotmay Tra Sam Duang’ [The Three Seals Code], a code of law compiled in1804/2347 during the reign of King Rama I the Great”.
Thus, history shows that the Mon have had independent states of their own, tracing back over 2,500 years.The most well-known in later days history was Rehmonnyadeca or Hongsawatoi (Homsavatior Hanthawatee) or currently known as the Pegu Region (Division) covering the whole of Lower Burma until it was wrested away by the Burmese troops in 1757. During the periods when the Mon were masters of lower Burma, the people were happy and prosperous. Distinguished historians described those gloriousperiods as golden ages under wise monarchs. Relations with foreign countries and foreign nationals were peaceful, cordial, and harmonious.That was when the Mons blended their native culture with Theravada Buddhism, which elevated them as teachers of their homeland until the modern era.
More than half of the Mon population migrated into Thailand, where they were given refuge and treated as equals. The Mon, back when they were masters of Thailand, received the Thais with open arms when they migrated south from Yunnan. This time, it was the Mons’ turn toreceive the Thais’ hospitality. Hundreds of thousands of Mons returned to Burma, theirold homeland, when it came under British rule.
According to The Nation Newspaper, which did a story about the Thai–Mon in its English Newspaper in March 2018, has explained that ‘members of an ethnic Mon family in Bang Kradi perform atraditional dance, but their intent is not to catch the attention of neighbors and tourists visiting Bang Khunthian district in Bangkok. The show, which is called Ram Phi Mon, or Mon ghostdance is specifically organized to please the ancestors of long-deceased relatives. In fact, theThe living treasure of both Mon in Thailand and in old Monland has been revitalized in both nations in recent times.
Historical and Buddhist institution exchanges In the last decade, the Mon Cultural Center, based in Sangkhlaburi, organized and sponsored Mon traditional, classical, and contemporary musical instrument instructors and teachers for the training in the new Mon Musical Instrument Course. Nai Kasuah Mon, director of HumanThe Rights Foundation of Monland sponsored the Mon Music Teacher from old Monland to go to Thailand for both training and ceremonial events as an exchange of art and learning of the Monmusical instruments.
The first historical turning point has been well acknowledged in both the Mon Royal Chronicle and Thai Historical Society. Prince Naresuan declared on May 3, 1584, that Siam rejected the stateof the Burmese king in the town of ‘Gine’ or ‘Krang’ at the bank of the Gine–Sittaung River in old Monland. Prince Naresuan was informed by the two Mon commanders, or ‘the chiefs’, that the Burmese king would assassinate him if his kingdom came under the control of the Burmese capital. Thai historian, Professor Syamananda (1973), accounted the event in the book titled ‘History of Thailand’:
Naresuan left Phitsanulok with an army for the Burmese frontier in February 1584 and in In accordance with his dilatory tactics, he arrived at the Mon town of Krang ‘Gine in Mon text on the Thai border in May of the same year. Should Nandabureng (aka – Nanda Bayin or King Nanda in Burmese text), suffer defeat at the hands of the rebellious Prince of Ava, Naresuan would attack Hanthawadi at once, and in the event of the contrary, he would move back theThai inhabitants, who had been transplanted to Burma, to augment the population of his land. The Burmese Crown Prince (The son of Nandabureng) had, in the meantime, entrusted Two Mon chiefs, Phya Kiart and Phya Ram (aka – Banyeh Kindell and Banyeh Rahm – in Mon Text), with a discreet mission to murder Naresuan, but they balked at the act and disclosed the whole plan to him, because the Mon entertained a strong hatred toward the Burmese.Prince Naresuan, therefore, called a meeting of all his generals and the Mon officials who had very recently transferred their allegiance to him and, with his father’s full consent, he proclaimed the independence of Siam at the town of Krang on May 3, 1584, thus terminating the Burmese vassalage of fifteen years. Most of the Mons at Krang sided with the Prince and helped him in his advance to Hanthawadi.
After close to two hundred years of relationships, intermarriage, and military operations against the Burmese kings, the Mon in both nations consolidated their influence to unify the two dynasties; Ayudaya and Hongsawadi have exchanged social, cultural, and political institutions since A.D 1584 in close connection with the alliance.
Historically, according to a Mon royal chronicle, a Mon monk, Pali and Thai scholar by the title of ‘Phra Tarai Tisarana Dhaja’, toured old Monland as a layman after he disrobed from monkhood in Siam. He arrived in a Mon village, Sung Kha Pine village, near the bank of Sanlwin River in A.D 1874 (Lunar Era 1236). He established a new Buddhist Learning Center (Monastery) In 1875, in Ka Doe village, a new institution, Dhamma Yutti Nikaya’ in old Monland with his fellow learners. Since his child's name was ‘Mehm Yin’, theThe institution was also known as ‘Maya Yin Gine’ in Mon and Burmese. After twenty years, he returned to Siam to reunite with old Monks, teachers, and fellow learners. The monk was called ‘Buddha Wongsa’ when he was first ordained in the monastery of ‘Pawara Niwesa Vihara’ in Bangkok, but his native birthplace is Krung Garu village in Samutakhon province, about thirty – eight kilometer to the southern of Bangkok. The legacy of this socio-cultural Buddhist institutional transformation took off in many parts of the Mon community and created changes that still exist today. The monk who founded ‘Dhamma Yutti Nikaya’ passed away in1916 at the age of 76 in his monastery in Bangkok. In the modern era, Mahayin Gine (Mayayin Nikaya), is the third largest Mon Buddhist monk’s council with highly regarded chief monks who teach Pali and Mon texts in many parts of the current Mon region/state.
Political aspirations and Royal exchange in socio-political transformations
Mon political activists, leaders, and students took refuge in Thailand in the early 1950s, after Burma gained independence from the British in 1948. Almost everyone, key members of the New Mon State Party or other Mon political organizations, such as the Mon Unity League, the The Mon National Democratic Front and the Mon People’s League visited and temporarily stayed in Thailand for the movement of self-rule in Monland. Mon monks and other non-political groups, such as Mon language, music, and business people, also resided in Thailand, especially in border areas.
Mon descendants based in Thailand also established the Thai-Raman Association in the 1940s and Mon Youth Community – Bangkok in the 1970s, in collaboration with the Mon people from old Monland, prominent Mon monks, political figures, and scholars. The program has offered exchange visits, seminars, and political conferences over the past fifty years on non-violent issuespursuit of Mon self-rule (or self-determination) in old Monland.
The late Nai Shwe Kyin (1913 – 2013), the founder of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), resided in Bangkok from the 1960s to the 2010s, occasionally working on external / foreign affairs in various roles, with the kind support of the Thai-Mon people and other democratic friends of Thailand and Burma.
After the 1990s, Mon university students, youth, and young monks also resided in Bangkok, especially Wat Prok (Mon Temple in Yanawa District), in the heart of Bangkok, for shelter. Theystarted a democratic movement in collaboration with the Thai–Mon people and Thai nationals who were members of the Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB), Thai Human The rights forums and senators of the Thai Parliament, who were key supporters of democraticchanges in Burma. In fact, Overseas Mon Student Organization and Overseas Mon Young Monks’ Union was founded in Bangkok in the 1990s.
The best case to be noted is that Mon Information Services (MIS) was formed in the late 1990s in a joint effort between Thai-Mon and Mon from old Monalnd. The publication of Mon news inMon, English, and the Thai language have increased their publicity under the sponsorship of Mon Unity League and other undisclosed funds. In the late 1990s, Mon National Day celebrations were publicly held in Bangkok in a joint initiative of the Mon between both nations. Thai Student Unions and a few Thai human rights activists also assisted in holding Mon National Day eventsat various venues, including on the University campus. Mon people between the two nations have exchanged information and knowledge on promoting human rights and democratic movementfrom 1988 to 2008 until Burma held a new Election in 2010.
Historically, after the Burmese (Burman) attacked and sacked Hongsawatoi (or -Hanthawadi) from 1756-1757, the Mon fled to Thailand (Ayudhaya) and established a new self-ruled area inRatpuri regions have been under the patronage of the Siam (Thai) dynasty since the Mon’s remaining royal troops were granted resettlement on the land. Banya Mahayodhao (aka Banya Jeon) ledthe Mon self-ruled area in Prathum Thani and Thonpuri regions with his troops and associated families starting in 1775. According to the Mon Royal Chronicle, this settlement was the foundation of ‘Banyi Ramanya Wunsa Army’ under Commander in Chief Samhain Jekkari Mon under the patronage of His Excellency, Thaksin, the King of Thonpuri.
Nai Dhira Sumhlaike, a Thai-Mon historian and Thai-Mon radio presenter, noted that since the The death of King Thaksin (Prajao Thaksin in Thai text) in 1782 A.D., Samhain Jekkari Mon ruledSiam is under a new title, King Rama Dhipati. Since the title “Rama’ has been widely used in Royal terms, his successor has been named in order of the number of the crown, as King Rama.The second and the third, continuing until the most recent King of Thailand in Siam's history.Nai Dhira and his relatives and the families’ friends have also visited Monland (Rangoon and Pegu) around 1986/1986. This date cannot be found, but the pictures of his visits have been seen in one placeTemple near Kyeik-La-Gon (Named: Shwe Dagon in Burmese text)
(Inserted note: this author has met Nai Dhira on many occasions between 1994 and 1996 during temporary Stay in Thailand).
After being under Burmese rule for 67 years, the Tenasserim Division, which formed part of the old Rehmonnya fell into the hands of the British together with the Arakan Division in 1826 after the First Anglo-Burmese War. The other part of old Rehmonnya, covering the present Pegu and Irrawaddy Divisions fell to the British in 1854 after the second Anglo-Burmese War. Finally, when Upper Burma, known in the chronicles as Ava, was annexed by the British in 1885 after the Third Anglo-Burmese War, the whole of Burma came under the British as a colony until 1942, when the British withdrew from Burma during World War II.
A Mon historian and author, Layehtaw Suvannbhum, president of the Mon Association, a Mon political historian and writer, notes that when the British governmentinitiated steps for granting independence to Burma after the Second World War, the Mons urged the Burmese political leaders, who were in power as Executive Councilors to the British Governor, to include satisfactory provisions and safeguards for them in the Constitution, whichwas in the making. The Burmese chauvinists, instead of ceding to the Mon aspirations, waved it lightly by giving a far-fetched excuse, saying that Mons and Burmese are indistinguishable in Racial identity and characteristics, and separate minority rights, should not be contemplated. But When the demand for the right of self-determination became popular, and an upsurge of Mon Mass support came to a climax in 1948, when the Burmese government took measures to detain some of the Mon leaders assassinated many of them.
Nai Shwe Kyin, the late President of the New Mon State Party, addressed the Party Congress with a message delivered to the Mon people that after nearly four decades of Burmese administration,the country is politically in turmoil and economically in a slump. That clearly indicates the historical failure of the Burmese leadership. To address the political, economic, social, andmilitary crises, General Ne Win’s government had demarcated the Moulmein and Thaton districts in Mon State. Article 31 of the new constitution was published in April 1972, calling for a national referendum. In the same article, Arakan and Chin Divisions were demarcated as Arakanese and Chin States, respectively. The National Assembly had already approved the new constitution on January, 3, 1974. Thus, the three states came into existence in January 1974.”
This message was recorded in a book by Nai Pan Tha (2014) published in Burmese on the history of the Mon people’s movement for Political transition.
Conclusion
After close to five hundred years, the Mon people in two nations have been searching for their identity, cooperating both formally and informally in attempts to preserve cultural heritage andconsolidate politically. A new Mon-Thai National Council shall be established for further engagement in terms of teaching language, promoting business opportunities, and consolidating land rights under the national and international native people’s rights to land, and helping with access to other local services provided by both governments.
The Burmese Kings’ troops destroyed the old Mon kingdoms over the past seven hundred years. Still, the identity of the Mon people in two nations has been proof that the Mon civilization is re-emerging in the contemporary world. The survival of Mon cultural identity is laid in both countries since the late 17th A.D with the wisdom of leading Buddhist monks, layperson scholars, and learners. Mon cultural autonomy is largely preserved within the aspiration of Mon people in both nations, at least Mon language schools are widely established in many parts of Mon villages in the lower land of Myanmar, and a few centers in Thailand.
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