Discover your next great read with our book reviews
Cover of Folk Tales from Kammu - VI

Folk Tales from Kammu - VI

by Kristina Lindell

Book Details

Publisher:Psychology Press
Published:1998
Pages:196
Format:BOOK
Language:en

Reading Info

About This Book

This book examines the tales of a Kammu folklore teller from the North Eastern Muan Khwa region of Laos. It contains 19 stories, all annotated from both cultural and folklore aspects and illustrated by a young Kammu artist, and including one story given in the original language with an interlinear translation.

Our Review

This collection presents nineteen traditional narratives from a Kammu storyteller in northeastern Laos, offering rare access to Southeast Asian oral traditions that have remained largely undocumented. Each folk tale receives detailed cultural and folklore annotations that illuminate the worldview and traditions of the Kammu people, while original illustrations by a Kammu artist provide visual authenticity. The inclusion of one story presented in the original language with interlinear translation offers linguistic scholars and curious readers alike a window into the Kammu language's structure and poetic qualities.

What distinguishes this volume is its scholarly yet accessible approach to preserving endangered cultural heritage through multiple dimensions—storytelling, visual art, and linguistic preservation. Anthropology students and folklore enthusiasts will appreciate the meticulous cultural context provided for each narrative, while the authentic illustrations create an immersive reading experience that honors the living tradition. This work serves as both an academic resource and a meaningful act of cultural preservation, capturing stories that might otherwise fade from collective memory.

Themes

Social Science

Subjects

Social Science