MOR LAM THROUGH TIME: CULTURAL AND IDENTITY TRANSITIONS FROM VILLAGE COURTYARDS TO STREAMING PLATFORMS

Abstract

       This academic article explores the “Mor Lam Through Time” phenomenon by examining the cultural transition of Mor Lam from its ritual roots in village courtyards to its contemporary presence as a cultural commodity on digital and streaming platforms. The analysis draws upon the conceptual frameworks of Glocalization, Hybrid Cultural Form, Identity Negotiation, and the Creative Economy to explain how traditional Isan cultural expressions adapt and transform within the digital ecosystem. Methodologically, the article employs qualitative analysis through content analysis and thematic analysis. Illustrative case studies were purposively selected from twelve contemporary Mor Lam media clips on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook Live, chosen based on their distinctive hybrid characteristics that combine traditional Mor Lam elements with digital aesthetics. These cases serve as symbolic representations that shed light on broader cultural patterns, including aesthetics, communication strategies, and artists’ adaptive practices within platform-driven environments.

The analysis demonstrates that Mor Lam has not lost its traditional identity in the digital age. Instead, it has “transformed” into a hybrid cultural form shaped by continuous negotiation among local communities, performers, audiences, and platform algorithms. This process has generated new modes of expression—such as short-form videos, rapid-editing styles, viral dance hybrids, and participatory interactions through virtual gifting—reflecting the emergence of a vibrant “Contemporary Isan” identity. Ultimately, the findings illustrate how Mor Lam sustains itself as a living cultural practice amid global cultural flows, technological pressures, and platform-based economic logics.