Makhampoms Integrated Approach in Chiang Dao District of Northern Thailand

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Makhampoms Integrated Approach in Chiang Dao
District of Northern Thailand

• Richard Barber
• Makhampom Foundation

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Makhampom Theatre Group
Makhampom Studio
Bangkok Makhampom Living Theatre, Chiang Dao

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Makhampom History
Founded in 1980 Volunteers from Pro-democracy
Movement (journalists, teachers, artists) Social
family organization of volunteers (total
120) Community workshop touring theatre on HIV,
drug education, voting, etc Youth theatre
projects (more than 10 groups) Performance
touring mixing traditional form with contemporary
issues Educational theatre program since
1998 Foundation in 2004
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Makhampom Programs

• Performance Program
• theatre media Mkp troupe major/mini
  productions
• contemporary/traditional interface likay
  Thai theatre Asian collaboration Bangkok
  Theatre Festival Mkp Studio
• Education Program
• Classroom drama teacher training literacy
• school-community relations Book-bike (mobile
  library)
• Childrens Day local curriculum Bookworm
  Festival
• Community Program
• youth theatre community media local wisdom
• Art of Peace refugee support program Pang
  Daeng
• community classroom integrated community
  program
• International Program
• Exchange Networking Fundraising skill
  development
• Study Tour International Schools Hosting
  Theatre Lab
• Cross-Cultural Exchange Peace School Touring
  

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Guava amongst the Gooseberries

• Farang (foreigner, also meaning guava) and
  Makhampom (the Indian gooseberry)
• Australian, Melbourne boy
• Richard met Makhampom in 1995
• Background in music, theatre, community activism
• Married into the group
• Developed role as researcher, facilitator,
  international program director, and strategic
  planner
• Makhampom as topic of doctorate
• Based in Chiang Dao at Makhampom Living Theatre

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The Pang Daeng Moment

• Makhampom research sites for rural base in
  Northern Thailand
• Solidarity protest at Pang Daeng Nok village in
  1998 in support of 57 villagers unlawfully
  arrested
• Makhampom encouraged to purchase land by our
  hosts Ping River Foundation
• 4 acres in valley bought by Makhampom and staff
• Fundraising and planning process begins
• Small community activities

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Makhampom Living Theatre Chiang Dao

• Living theatre concept
• Sustainable living and creative design (incl.
  recycled materials, rice field, fruit farm,
  alternative technology)
• Village for Makhampom team
• Arts centre and resource space for Chiang Dao
  communities
• Fundraising enterprise for hosting national and
  international programs

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Integrated Community Approach
Staff (Foundation/Program Staff/Local Staff) Team
Relationship Multiple Roles Loose Structure
Venue Makhampom Community Community
Resource Fundraising Makhampom Activity
Venue Regional Program Centre
Volunteers Makhampom Bangkok volunteers skill
resourcing, personal development Chiang Dao
volunteers (child, adult) peer support,
peoples movement International volunteers
skill transfer, networking
Community network Community organizers Kids Fan
Club Builders Farmers Teachers Neighbours Services
Local Government
Community Youth Theatre Community Classroom CCD
Project
Cultural Program Temple Farming Weddings,
Funerals Festivals
Schools Classroom Drama Local Wisdom Literacy Teac
her Training Curriculum
National/International Hosting Networking Study
Tour International Schools Theatre Collaborations
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Pang Daeng Story

• Fled from Homeland (Shan State) sites of ethnic
  struggle against Burmese dictatorship in
  1970s/80s 4,000-5,000 people
• Dara-ang communities take refuge in royal
  (agricaultural) projects in North
• Close to border, movements depend on farming
  season and state of war
• Refugee camps along border (9 camps, mostly Karen
  ethnic group)
• Dara-ang officially recognized as one of 7 ethnic
  minority groups of North
• The Pang Daeng communities formed after Dara-ang
  villagers from Fang district were brought to
  Chiang Dao in 1983 for reforestation project as
  cheap, illegal labour
• Left there after the project and settled around
  Chiang Dao
• Pang Daeng Nai negotiate with Forest Department
  for land
• Pang Daeng Nok consists of 400 people squatting
  on a quarter acre of vacant land
• Dependent on itinerant farming, labouring work,
  and later hill-tribe tourism
• Mass arrests on 3 occasions (40-70 villager for 3
  years, 4 months, and 2 week jail) with multiple
  individual arrests, forest trespassing and
  illegal labour, mostly unlawful arrests

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Pang Daeng - Makhampom

• Protest action at Pang Daeng Nok village in 1997,
  joined by Makhampom, introduced to this land by
  neighbours, with rally and parade in front of
  jail in Chiang Mai, led to release
• Slowly build relationship with Pang Daeng Nok
  community (i) touring shadow puppet theatre,
  (ii) youth theatre workshop on peace building
  with Deep South Peace Festival, (iii) Study
  Tours
• Move to Chiang Dao build relationships,
  community research program visits
• Step 1 Relationship Building Childrens
  Theatre Program
• School program Tung Luk and Pang Daeng (local
  wisdom curriculum), history theatre
• Bookworm project/Childrens Day Pang Daeng join
  festival beside river Childrens Day events
• Step 2 Whole Community Approach
• Community classroom non-formal learning based
  on community needs (Theatre/Weaving (plant to
  product)/Sword dance/Thai language/Traditional
  architecture/Forest system/Religion)
• Special Situation Court Case
• Step 3 Community Building (Conflict resolution
  and peace building approach)
• Community committee (Local services, Health and
  education, Culture and tourism, Agriculture and
  savings systems, Security and governance)
• Youth committee (Community media theatre for
  community presentation on key issues)
• Step 4 Sustainability/Community Media Approach
• Community Media (Theatre troupe/Village
  announcements/Noticeboards/Chiang Dao events)
• Community Classroom
• Representatives/Leadership
• Rights/Law/Unity

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Pang Daeng Nok Program
Rights Relocation Support Project Court Case,
Land Rights ID Advocacy Negotiation Relocation F
undraising Community Organizing
Management Peace Building Project Intra-relation
s (Daraang-Lahu, Christian-Buddhist, Youth-Elder,
Class) Conflict Prevention Reconciliation
Social Cohesion Community Management (Village
Committee) Capacity Building Leadership
Representation Systems
Communication Community Media Program Youth
Theatre Village Information Media (Sign Board,
Poster, Loudspeaker) Local/National Media
Inter-relations Childrens Day Events Tree
Planting Daraang Festival New Village Opening
Education Creative Learning Program Book Bike,
Book Worm, Book Bank Literacy Access Creative
Expression Childrens Day Inter-relations Access C
reative Expression School Camps Knowledge Sharing
Knowledge Community Classroom Program Traditional
Knowledge Non-formal Learning
Livelihood Fundraising Hosting Exchange Communit
y Service
Community-University Engagement
International Study Tours Thai
University Projects

Social Weddings/Funerals Social Activity
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Community-University/School Engagement

• Thai Universities
• Pang Daeng programs
• Community engagement training
• International Schools
• Service Learning programs
• Study Tours
• Annual 3 week program
• Cross-cultural exchange
• Community engagement
• Theatre for community cultural development
  training
• Interns/Volunteers
• Specialist projects
• Volunteer development