An ethnographic case study in rural Nong Khai examined how Naga beliefs transmit knowledge, values and relationships with water. Interviews and observation with 22 participants suggest that storytelling, ritual and intergenerational guidance sustain identity and connect environmental stewardship with cultural meaning.
Key findings
- Naga beliefs supported informal learning through stories, ritual and elder guidance; renewed collective memory through traditions such as the Naga Fireball Festival; and linked stewardship to rivers, lakes and culturally significant places. Integrating this knowledge into formal schooling created both opportunities and tensions.
Why this matters globally
The findings contribute to global debates on living heritage, place-based education and conservation that respects local knowledge, showing how social and environmental sustainability may reinforce one another.
Thai researcher contribution
Dech-siri Nopas, Monticha Uraipong and Chatchawoot Pojsompong of Kasetsart University conducted locally grounded Thai research that centers community interpretations of their own heritage.
Limitations to consider
The 22-participant case is context-specific and cannot represent all northeastern communities or all Naga traditions. Some knowledge was ethically withheld from public discussion, and researcher interpretation inevitably shapes qualitative themes.