Page 972 - Proceedings Collega2023

TRADITIONAL DRESS AND RETENTION OF ETHNIC IDENTITY: A

CASE STUDY OF MALAY ETHNIC CULTURE IN THE SOUTHERN
BORDER PROVINCES OF THAILAND

Munirah Yamirudeng

Malay Studies Program, HUSO, Prince of Songkla University Pattani, Thailand

munirah.y@psu.ac.th

ABSTRACT

This paper considers the significance of traditional clothing and identity perspective of cultural
heritage. The traditional Malay clothing is known as Baju Melayu or Baju Budaya is a power referring
traditional dress is being practiced in the Malay world cultural heritage and its vicinities in three southern
provinces Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. Carried out preliminary fieldwork, participant observation, field
trips, online research, focus groups and interviews the researcher discusses referring to the currently
observed traditional practice and its conceptual development in which dress regulated as a sense of Malay
ethnic identity, pride, and unity. It is necessary to reformulate cultural values and valuing processes, in
order to better understand the Malay culture and its meaning in material objects such as dress. This study
identifying dress as an intangible heritage value material cultural object which signifying and expressing
subtle cultural values and social relationships. The wearing of Baju Melayu in particular, offers to Malay
ethnic group as a means of communication in power conscious and historically stratified society and as an
important aspect of Malay Muslim’s cultural life. It is argued that Baju Melayu is still an integral part of a
ritual and social activities among the Malay Muslims community shed light on the complex history of Deep
South. Considering ethnographic survey in contemporary context, this study states that Malay traditional
dress contributes intangible Malay heritage lies at the core of ethnic identity and has assumed a higher
level of significance among Malay Muslims. The author concludes by outlining some of the challenges that
heritage regimes face in contemporary society and culture and seek potential strategies for preserving,
safeguarding its mixed cultural resources.
Keywords: traditional dress; ethnic identity; Malay muslims; southern Thailand

Introduction

“Fashion (dress) provides an individual with a key means through which to manage their identities
in the context of everyday life”. (Bennett, 2005). This examines clothing in the Thai Malay society in Deep
South of Thailand’s three provinces. It is focused on the role of clothing in the manifestation of identity.
While there has been a growing interest in studies of clothing in Southeast Asia among academics in the
recent years, little attention has been paid to Thai Malay ethnic groups in southern Thailand. Studies of

International Conference on Local Wisdom of the Malay Archipelago (COLLEGA 2023) Page - 959 -