Khon is an expressive traditional theatrical dance of the Thai people that dates back to the Ayutthaya Period (1351-1767).
It brings together the disciplines of dance, music, poetry, and martial arts when performed.
Khon dancers wear elaborate costumes depicting various characters from the epic of the Ramakien, which is based on the Hindu epic of the Ramayana (in India).
Each character possesses unique traits and personalities, which are represented through the masks that the dancers wear.
There are four main families of characters portrayed by the dancers: Phra (lords), Nang (ladies), Yak (ogres), and Ling (monkeys).
Khon performances are accompanied by narrative singing and music from a traditional ensemble.
The name “Khon” primarily originates from the Jewish surname “Kohn,” which is a variant of “Cohen” meaning “priest” in Hebrew, often associated with Ashkenazic Jewish communities; it can also be considered a North German name derived from the personal name “Kohn” or “Köhn,” which are short forms of Konrad.
Also, (especially in this narrative context) The word “Khon” may come from the Pali word “kla” or “kola,” which refers to a two-faced drum that provides rhythm for dancers.
The word “khon” may also mean “role play”.
The Ramakian is a Thailand adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. Khon is one of Thailand’s oldest narrative dance forms.
It was assumed that kora was one of the instruments used in Khon performances.
In the Tamil language (believed to be the oldest language on earth) “Khon” derives from the word “koll” which is close to “goll” or “golumn” in Tamil.
These Tamil words relate to dressing or decorating the body from head to toe as in the use of Khon costumes.
The Ramakian Epic:
The Ramakien, as the Ramayana is known in Thailand, is the country’s national epic.
Though the story has been told for hundreds of years, the earliest versions have been lost, so the retelling by King Rama I is the one most commonly studied.
King Rama I changed his name to match that of the legendary hero when he ascended the Thai throne in 1782.
To this day, Rama is an extremely popular name for South and Southeast Asian men.
The first Western reference to the practice comes from French diplomat Simon de la Loubère.
He was sent to observe and record the culture of the kingdom then known as Siam on behalf of King Louis XIV in 1687, who had a diplomatic relationship with Narai the Great, the Thai King at the time.
The performers consist of three main groups: the dancers, the orchestra, and the chorus.
Most visible are the on-stage dancers, who communicate with the audience entirely through movement and body language – they do not speak (pantomime).
Pantomime is a form of theatrical performance in which actors convey stories and emotions through expressive gestures, body movements, and facial expressions, without the use of spoken dialogue.
Typically associated with comedic elements and fairy-tale themes, pantomime captivates audiences of all ages, bringing together vibrant costumes, music, and dance to create a lively spectacle that transcends language barriers.
Their voices are provided by the chorus of singers, who generally remain unseen off-stage.
The piphat musical ensemble, made up of xylophones, oboes, gongs, and drums, brings the entire performance together.
The Ayutthaya Period (1351-1767).
The Ayutthaya Kingdom existed from 1351 to 1767.
European voyagers in the 1500s believed Ayutthaya was one of the major Asian powers.
The kingdom later became modern Thailand. The early kingdom was based on the maritime regions by the seas before expanding to the inland areas.
For a short while, Burma controlled the area from 1569 to 1584 until the kingdom was under the king’s control.
After the late 1500s, the culture entered the “golden age” with the growth of capitalism.
Ayutthaya was located on an island at the confluence of three rivers, a place to control access to the rest of the country.
In 1767, Burma (then a powerful kingdom) attacked the area and burned the city of Ayutthaya to the ground and forced the inhabitants to abandon the city.
The city was never rebuilt in the same location and remains known today as an extensive archaeological site.
At present, it is located in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
Once an important center of global diplomacy and commerce, Ayutthaya is now an archaeological ruin, characterized by the remains of tall prang (reliquary towers) and Buddhist monasteries of monumental proportions, which give an idea of the city’s past size and the splendor of its architecture.
Let’s Continue with The Khon Dance
The most unique features of Khon are the exquisite masks the performers adorn.
In detail, the masks depict four main categories of characters – phra (lords), nang (ladies), yak (ogres), and ling (monkeys) – as well as deities, hermits, beasts, and other beings.
All Khon masks are considered sacred. In religious ceremonies, the masks are placed on a decorated altar and treated as representations of divinities.
Performers must carry their Khon masks carefully and with respect, and must offer reverence before putting it on.
It is believed that performers enter a state of trance while dancing with the masks on.
Each of the Khon masks is different in shape, color, and details, depending on each character’s physical description, rank, status, and personality.
There are more than 100 types of demon masks and 40 types of monkey masks for the ensemble cast.
The masks are produced by specialize craftsmen who must be knowledgeable in many disciplines of traditional craftsmanship.
The creation of a single masks can take to months to complete.
After World War II, Khon was almost driven to extinction, after being eclipsed by Western-style entertainment.
The efforts to revive Khon began under the leadership of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother (then Queen Consort), who once famously remarked that “If no one will watch Khon, then I will watch it myself”.
The Queen began to regularly stage performances not only for royal guests but also the general public.
She also commissioned for the production of new costumes and props.
Under Her Majesty’s SUPPORT Foundation, students were granted scholarships to study various disciplines of craftsmanship, many of which are involved in the process of costume making.
khon has gone through several changes during its history.
One is related to the appearance of female dancers on the khon stage.
Khon was originally performed by ONLY males with female impersonators playing the women’s roles, but in the present performances of the National Theatre of Bangkok, women’s roles are usually played by female dancers.
In some reconstructions of older types of khon, however, men can occasionally appear in female roles.
The main changes in the khon tradition have been in stagecraft and scenery.
Khon plays were originally performed outdoors without props or sets, but in the nineteenth century, along with the increased popularity of realism and the new Western-style theatre houses, khon plays began to be performed on a Western-type proscenium stage with illusionistic, fairytale-like scenery.
Modern lighting techniques are also used, including spots and now even laser lights.
