THE SOUTHERN THAI SHADOWPLAY TRADITION IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The authors discuss the shadowplay performed by Tai-speaking people on the Malay peninsula. Puppeteers have developed three performance styl es. In the modern style puppeteers aim for direct, realist representat ions of the modern world; in the traditional style they aim to preserv e the shadowplay as Southern Thai culture; and in the potent style the y emphasize potent knowledge. These styles are the result of the puppe teers' efforts to maintain the relevancy of the shadowplay in a rapidl y changing social context.