Thailand’s traditional “Nora” dancers call for ban on performances to be lifted
Dancers of Southern Thailand’s traditional folk dance are asking the governor of Trang, a coastal province along the Andaman Sea, to allow them to perform. Due to disease control measures in place over the past eight months, Nora dancers have not been allowed to perform and now say they are struggling financially.
Dressed in their colourful Nora costumes, the dancers gathered to hand a letter to the governor of Trang, asking for measures to be lifted to allow them to perform. Some held up signs reading “Bring Nora back” and “Nora performers also have hearts, let us perform.”
The leader of the group says they all have faced different financial problems over the past eight months. Now they’re asking to join some events and ceremonies in a community that don’t have large crowds.
The deputy governor of Trang province, Phuwanat Somjai, received the letter from the group and promised to bring the topic to the meeting tomorrow. The protest leader says they will rally again if they still can’t perform by Friday.
Nora or Manora is a southern Thai dance performance that was recently recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. The performance is a pride for locals and is usually performed at a ceremonies and tourist events.
