Object-Stories and Shan Culture

This participatory session explores the lives of Shan communities from Myanmar and Northern Thailand, through objects in the SOAS Teaching Collection. A 20-minute object- handling session will be led by lecturer Heidi Tan, and doctoral researcher Minyoung Choi. Students will learn how to handle and closely observe the objects. A 15-minute small group discussion then explores how objects can be engaged to tell stories about Shan culture and daily life. Multimedia and live discussion will provide further cultural context. Students will then share feedback on their discussion groups.  

The session is associated with the Shan Buddhist Culture documentation project, conducted by Heidi Tan (SOAS) and Khamindra Phorn (Shan Literary and Culture Society, Chiang Mai). The project aims to document a Shan Buddhist festival in northern Thailand, including the objects used in the festival. This session therefore raises questions about how we learn about the Shan through their material culture, and the objects in the SOAS collection.

We will take an experiential approach through hands-on learning and interactive discussions. Students will gain practical knowledge about museum-standard handling procedures, as well as insights into a culture that is seldom studied.

They will be encouraged to raise questions about cultural identity and the challenges to sustainable cultural heritage within diasporic communities. As part of the sharing and feedback within discussion groups, students will also reflect on how objects could also tell unique stories about their own lives.

Heidi Tan, Lecturer in Curating and Museology, SOAS University of London

Young people

Of interest to secondary school students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

By invitation only