The Art of Peace focuses on the Youth

I met Dr. Richard Barber the co-founder of Makhampom in Thailand when I was studying at the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program. I was studying conflict resolution with the world’s experts. What was interesting I kept going back to my room with this powerful feeling of transformative peace. I felt the focus is on conflict, where my inner feeling was that it must be on positive peace. I am a World Peace Clown so I know the importance of bringing people together through love and humour. As a clown you see we are all one. The world plays power politics which divide groups and oppress others in order for one group to have what it wants. The concept of democracy was originally a Greek idea by Senators postulating and debating in the traditional Agora. Of course it was for those of the elite class at the time and later the idea spread to a broader base. However, the real democracy is people power, this notion is about people understanding their own power. Through arts people learn to express themselves in a positive spirit, this is the true democracy. There is no violence in this.

I love Richard’s work as he works within the community and they use Theatre to communicate, problem solve and develop skills in peace making. I felt this is the best way to teach peace.

I don’t believe in opposing as it creates resistance. I believe in creating pathways of understanding and that must include the groups people see as wrong. Much of it is finding your own personal alignment with your own truth, following yourself and then communicating your life in a way that feels good.

It is to see differently and the way I look upon it as those who oppose me are my greatest teachers. If I can remain peaceful, then I have mastered my art. Of course I am still working on it, but improving.

So here is Makhampom, great story.

http://www.makhampom.net/makhampom/makham2008/detail_en.php?pcoid=15

Makhampom has been variously described as a family, a kindergarten, a university, a community, a food centre, oh, and a theatre group. In essence it is a social organization that works in the medium of theatre. From inception, Makhampom has had a folk character, reflected in the sense of family, a playfulness, and a Makhampom lifestyle. As a group, generated by and generating volunteers, it is the love of the group and the love for the work that has seen generation after generation of volunteer sustain the organization.

Bangkok has traditionally been the home of Makhampom, but the idea of a countryside base has been long in the dreams. Chiang Dao is now this place, as Makhampom now lives in both the city and countryside. The Makhampom Living Theatre in the north of Thailand and the Makhampom Studio in the Bangkok are the hubs of Makhampom’s activities, as our work starts to take some new directions.

If you would like to know a bit of our history, how the Makhampom people work, our places of work, or who’s who please scroll down the page…

A Bit of History
Makhampom emerged out of the political movement of the 1970s. From 1973 to 1976, Thailand enjoyed its brief moment of “democratic sunshine” before behind crushed by a brutal military crackdown, known as the October Event. A small, but vocal political theatre movement emerged as part of the student democracy movement, but was largely dispersed following the crackdown, either to join the Communist Party of Thailand in the jungles, into exile overseas, or into underground activities in the urban centres.

Following a government pacification program, the activists regrouped to develop Thailand ’s network of non-government organizations (NGOs). A call of “back to the library” of the 1960s and 1970s transformed into that of “back to the village” in the 1980s. A cross-section of NGOs developed combining socialist ideas with those of indigenous culture, communal traditions, folk wisdom and Buddhist principles, emerged as the heart of Thailand ’s democratic movement. This was the social, political and cultural context within which Makhampom emerged, originally created under the banner of Grassroot Micro Media Project with the objective of providing alternative, local media to marginal communities. Theatre was one, although major, aspect of this project, but soon grew to become the dominant feature of the group.

The Makhampom Theatre Group was formed in 1981, less as a company of artists, than as a group of activists. Makhampom, together with its sister organisation, Maya, provided the basis of a community-oriented, educative approach to theatre, characterised by the term, “grassroot”. Makhampom was fundamentally an experiment in theatre within an NGO movement that was itself an experiment in progressive social and political change. The group formed as “an ad-hoc group of teachers, journalists, actors, and dancers”. Most volunteers joined with the socio-political objectives of the NGO movement, the annual volunteer induction workshops, which have provided the ongoing mechanism for Makhampom’s membership, have attracted students, artists, activists, unemployed workers, and even monks, with various motivations and expectations. Long-term Makhampom member, Pongjit Saphakhun, from a rural village background, spoke of notions of “appearing in glamorous costumes” when she responded to an advertisement for volunteers.

The combination of a ‘loosely-defined’ concept of ‘community theatre’ and the oppositional ideology of the NGO movement provided the basis for Makhampom’s identity as a unique organisation in the Thai socio-cultural lexicon. An educational approach to theatre, primarily targetting children and youth, was combined with an issue-orientation. Indigenous rights, environmentalism, prostitution, and democracy were themes adopted from a humanist perspective rather than a radical, class-orientation. Makhampom’s community praxis reflected the “socio-cultural” approach of the broader Thai NGO sector. As such, Makhampom’s ideological development was consistent with the development of the NGO movement as a whole.

Makhampom’s history can be described in terms of five phases:

I. Foundation Phase 1981-85
This period was largely experimental, in the use of theatre and the way to apply it within the community context. Makhampom undertook several large educational theatre projects throughout this period. There was also still a degree of street performance in support of the democracy movement. The leadership of the group went through several transitions as the membership waxed and waned.

II. Inactive Phase (or Dark Age) 1985-92
Political censorship, Makhampom’s leadership problems, ideological conflict and financial insecurity led to a long period of limited activity. At one stage there were only two members maintaining the group in name only.

III. Reincarnation Phase (or Golden Age) 1992-97
Pradit Prasartthong, as director of Makhampom, committed to trying again with the group, leading to a resurgence in activity. He promoted the exploration of a contemporary Thai theatre style, marrying traditional and modern forms and styles. Four major touring productions, within Thailand and overseas, provided an opportunity to explore this ‘new tradition’, and gave Makhampom a strong profile as one of Thailand ’s key theatre groups. Concurrently, several long-term community theatre workshop projects were initiated, some of which have continued over a period of 8 years. This period also saw an increase in volunteers joining the group, such that Makhampom took on the form as a sort of alternative institute for training in community theatre and folk arts.

IV. Survival Phase 1997-2002
The Asian financial crash of 1997 (popularly known as Tom Yum disease) affected Makhampom severely. Due to the change in regional geo-politics, international funding agencies shifted their priorities away from Thailand , and the budgetary crisis in Thailand meant that traditional sources of support dried up. Makhampom began a period of reduced activity, semi-commercial performance and workshop programs, and fundraising projects, including the new international initiative of the Study Tour. This also included the 20th year commemorative event of Likay Apiwat, marking Makhampom’s experiment in the popular theatre, likay form.

V. Coming of Age Phase 2002-current
From 2002, there has been a strong commitment to develop Makhampom towards its potential. This has involved the development of a new generation of leadership to relieve the burden on Pradit, to develop financial independence through a broad-based strategy, to professionalise the organization, and to diversify Makhampom’s program of activities. The Bangkok Theatre Festival represents a major initiative in supporting the growth of Thai contemporary theatre, the Living Theatre venue in Chiang Dao becomes both community centre and fundraising base and the Studio in Bangkok becomes the home of Makhampom’s performance work.

The big happy crazy family

Makhampom is, in effect, a big family. Almost every member of the group joins as a ‘new’ volunteer, growing up within the organization as part of a generation of volunteers). Secretary General, Pradit, a volunteer of 20 years background, is the senior member of the group, with Community Program Director, Pongjit, of the 1988 generation, manager, Yada, and Educational Program Director, Paluhad, of the 1990 generation. Several founding members maintain roles as advisors or as members of the Makhampom Foundation Committee of Management. 11111

While Makhampom works with a staff of eleven, the leadership group numbers about 15, consisting of staff members and key volunteers who undertake project roles within Makhampom’s program,. The full volunteer team numbers up to 60 youth, students, artists and workers, some of whom are consistently active, others who specifically join performance projects or community programs on an ad hoc basis, and even those who appear once a year to clear the junk out of Makhampom House. In short, the volunteer defines their role in the group, with specialized training provided to those making long term commitments to specific areas of Makhampom’s work.

The volunteers join Makhampom through annual New Volunteer Workshop, which is perhaps the most important workshop program we run as it is the mechanism for bringing new volunteers into the group. This one week workshop program will introduce Makhampom’s methodology and philosophies through participating in a truncated community workshop process. Interested people will join the workshop and through the experience determine their potential role with Makhampom in the future, leading to an experiential training process within the group. (see article on Makhampom’s volunteer program)

The social nature of Makhampom is evident in the endless flow of food in the house, volunteers often arriving with snacks or meals that become shared with whoever is there. The house also provides a base for those without accommodation and unemployed or unfunded volunteers will be supported through the informal family culture of the group. In essence, the culture of fun, play, support, and struggle shapes Makhampom’s work, creating an infectious atmosphere in its work. Makhampom adheres to the idea of being a community in its own right in its work with other communities.

Art of Peace (Conflict Resolution) Program

Makhampom trainers have conducted conflict resolution
training regionally with youth from 13 countries in the Asia-
Pacific since 2001. Other roles include peace talks in Aceh,
post-conflict East Timor, and southern Philippines. In 2008,
Makhampom published the Art of Peace manual and Pongjit
is a Diploma of Peace and Governance, King Prajadhipok
Institute scholar.