Khon, A Redefining Performance that Touched the Hearts of Our Community

Roong Aroon International School proudly presented a contemporary Khon Performance titled “Prince of Lanka Maha Indrajit”, which reflects the values of the meaningful learning process as part of its Interdisciplinary Unit (IDU) undertaken by Grade 6 students and the Khon Club. The performance took place at Suriyadhep Music Hall, Rangsit University on June 22, 2024.

The ethics and life journey of Prince Indrajit, a significant character in the Ramayana epic, reflects the profound wisdom of devotion and loyalty. Our students’ performances have become exquisitely refined and touched the hearts of the audience. The performance featured a traditional khon mask dance accompanied by a Thai traditional music ensemble and instruments as well as incorporating contemporary Western rock and pop music.

This memorable performance showcased the students’ dedication, determination, and willingness to support each other in overcoming obstacles and challenges. These commendable qualities have allowed them to deliver an exceptional performance. Moreover, these themes have been emphasized throughout the academic year of the Thai Language and Literature, Arts, Music, Design and Physical and Health subjects, showcasing students’ learning achievements and their perseverance.

The values of Khon in Thai literature – morality, language, and wisdom – are regarded as symbols of understanding and pride in Thai culture at Roong Aroon International School. Studying Thai language and literature and integrating them with other disciplines aims to help Thai students, as well as foreign students and teachers, develop inner characteristics. This is accomplished by embracing the values and beliefs inclusively connected to morality, faith in Buddhism, cultural heritage, and living together peacefully while respecting goodness.

This academic year, our Grade 6 students have been engaging in integrated learning experiences. During the event, the students exhibited their incredible learning journey through their projects such as Khon Toys and puppet maker from Design subject. They assumed multiple roles such as actors, voice actors, scene creators, and translators, which was responsible for English subtitles learning from Language and Literature English.

Also, the senior students closely collaborated with the teachers and the Khon masters to provide support to the students. Indeed, the splendor of the Khon performance on stage was a result of their hard work. The students dedicated many hours to training, faced numerous challenges, and persevered to reach this point. Despite facing setbacks, they continued to push forward until they achieved this level of success. Their resilience has left a profound impact that will extend far into the future.

In addition, the Grade 7 students impressively performed Muay Thai, Grade 10 students performed Nora – a southern-style traditional Thai dance, and there was a traditional prelude dance by students of Roong Aroon School.