History of the Taigoi people and the occupation of elephant herders🐘🐘🐘

# Elephant herder # Thai folk costumed(Gui)# Surin in Elephant City # Thai people and the profession of raising elephants

Academic narratives:

History of Goi people and the occupation of raising elephants 🐘🐘🐘

🐘 introduction 🍀

When it comes to the "Gui people" (or Gui, Kuy, Kui, Kuoy), the first image that many people think of is the "Elephant Doctor" of Surin - who has the wisdom of catching elephants, training elephants, and raising elephants that have been passed down for generations to become a global cultural identity.

🐘 The roots and identity of the people 🍀

The word "Gui" in the language of the Gui people means "people." They show a deep ownership of identity and roots. They are considered to be the original indigenous people in Phnom Dong Rak. They cover the areas of Surin Province, Sisaket, Buriram and the Thai-Cambodian border. The culture of the Gui people is mixed with the Khok civilization and use the Katuic language in the Austroasiatic family, even without their own script, but continue to carry on the culture with retellings and rituals.

🐘 Wisdom Catching and Raising Elephants 🍀

The Gui way of life is tightly linked to forests and elephants. They developed a proficiency in catching wild elephants (Elephant Corralling), which requires deep knowledge of hiking, making "mixed" ropes, and worshiping "ghost" spirits. Before the beginning of elephant capture, the mixed rope is considered a sacred object, not just a tool, but a symbol of respect for elephants and the forest.

🐘 Relationship between people and elephants 🍀

Once an elephant is captured, the Gui train the elephant and care for it as a family member. Elephants play an important role, from unloading to courtly use, creating a deep bond between man and elephant, which is not just a working animal but a life companion and the heart of the community.

🐘 important rituals and traditions. 🍀

One of the famous traditions is the "Elephant Ngana," an elephant-back sermon that highly reflects the faith and respect of elephants. Today, this tradition is also held in Surin Province every year and attracts tourists from around the world, making this culture still alive and internationally known.

🐘 changes in modern times. 🍀

Despite wild elephant lacing being abolished by wildlife protection laws in the 20th century, elephant villages in Surin continue to feed house elephants, convey wisdom to younger generations, and use cultural tourism as a heritage preservation tool, such as the "Surin Elephant Fair Miracle" event held every year to showcase the long-standing relationship between Goi and elephants.

🐘 academic issues to consider 🍀

Despite much of the information confirmed by academic sources, the subject of the origin of the Gui people and the use of the term "Gui / Tribute" is historically controversial, including the modification of certain traditions to accommodate tourism, which scholars should question their impact on the traditional meaning of the culture.

🐘 summary 🍀

The story of the Gui people is a long reflection of the relationship between man and nature. The elephant is not only an animal, but the heart of the Gui way of life. The study of the history of the Gui people is therefore not just a retrospective, but a respectful realization of the value of local wisdom and coexistence for nature.