ROYAL SHAN DRESS
By Thweep Rittinaphakorn (AKE) Saturday, February 19 2022

The Shan State lies at a strategic point connecting mainland Southeast Asia and East Asia. There, different “muang Tai” (feudal autonomous towns) were historically ruled by their own princes or chieftains. Shan political autonomy remained intact until formal annexation by Burma in late 1950s. The development of Shan aristocratic figures’ dress style during this period clearly reflects the changes in political power in the area, when foreign (non-Shan) influences on the official style of dress became particularly visible. The 1960s saw a revival of Shan culture and identity that included the new “Tai national dress,” which aimed to differentiate the Shan from the Burmese people. The talk will examine historical changes in the style of the elite Shan dress and its significance from the era of tributary towns to the era of independence under the British protectorate, and up to the present era. Utilizing archival photographic collections, Khun AKE will compare Shan elites’ historical dress style with those of the contemporary Shan. Additionally, he will describe the dress style of different Tai-language-speaking sub-groups living in the Shan state that will further deepen understanding these and bring the entire picture to life. Mr. Thweep Rittinaphakorn (AKE) is an independent scholar whose work focuses on textiles and arts history mainly of mainland Southeast Asia. He is the volunteer textiles curator at the Siam Society where he is a regular speaker, as well as lecturer at the Thai Textiles Society, and the National Museum Volunteers. AKE is an avid antique textiles enthusiast and collector with over a decade experience. He presented his research on Shan elite’s costumes & photographs at AAS conference and at the annual Association of Asian Studies conference in 2014 & 2016, and at the 7th ASEAN Traditional Textiles Symposium in Yogyakarta as well as at the Irrawaddy Literary Festival, Mandalay in 2019. He continues his Burmese studies that include the tapestry woven textiles “Luntaya Acheik.” His research work will be published in “Textiles Asia Journal” as well as “Arts of Asia” magazine.

Venue: Bandara Suites Silom (see map below) 4th floor conference room, first building, 75/1 Soi Saladaeng 1 Time: 10 am Members: B200 Non-members: B300 For information and reservation contact bkk.tts@gmail.com