The streets of Chiang Mai sang with a choir of sounds, of chattering tourists, honking Rod Daengs, and the calling of street vendors. But at the heart of it all, were the sounds of passionate creatives who artfully strummed Suengs and acoustic guitars, who sang traditional folk songs and classic rock and roll. I remember walking down the Sunday Walking Street Market on our very first day in the city, observing Traditional Lanna Music performers play alongside food stalls, and watching a crowd gather around a rhythm and blues band playing in a storefront. The people of Chiang Mai, I learnt throughout the course of the trip, breathed in music.

I’ve always been interested in musical cultures. So when my TOPS group decided to center our research around culture and heritage, I jumped at the opportunity to explore Chiang Mai’s music scene. We interviewed numerous people about local music, from students, to random shop owners, to dancers and musicians, to instrument vendors, and university professors. We watched performances, listening to musicians perform Traditional Lanna music while enjoying a traditional Khantoke dinner, watching bands rock out with electric guitars at ground shaking volumes and singing jazz songs so deep its soul reverberated through the walls.

Chiang Mai, we learnt, was brimming with energy. Performances stretched well into the night and venues were packed with foreigners and locals, with the young and the old alike. Musicians played Traditional Lanna songs with practice and pride, learnt from their grandfathers who passed down the tradition preserved by the generations before them, while challenging the limits of the genre at the same time, blending traditional and modern elements to create something new. It was inspiring to be surrounded by people so passionate about what they do. Perhaps one of the most inspiring performances we experienced was one performed by the students of Yupparaj Wittayalai School. I still remember sitting in that hall, an array of instruments spread across its length, feeling chills crawl up my skin as the orchestra swelled, watching the students dance as if they were feeling every emotion that rolled off the music. I’ve never seen music mean so much to people before.

This trip became so much more than a mere fieldwork trip then, more than just collecting data and conducting interviews to substantiate our research. We talked to people and sat down for entire durations of performances for a genuine love and curiosity for the music. It felt like we made real connections, shared experiences, and truly learned from others. That, to me, is what ethnographic research is ultimately about. Human connections. I would not have learned nearly as much if not for the conversations I’ve had with people and the experiences I sought out.

As our trip to Chiang Mai came to an end, I left with an aching desire to pick up the Seung and to learn more about the world.

Submission by:

Tay Hye Der, Heather, Year 1, PPGA