thumb|right|Hand gestures associated with Romvong

Romvong (, also romanized as Rom Vong or Roam Vong), Lamvong (Lao: ລຳວົງ - ) or Ramwong (; ; Tai Lue: ᩃ᪁ ᩴᩅ ᩫ ᩬ; Tai Khun: ᨽ᩠ᨿᨦᨴᩱ᩠ᨿᩃᩨᩢ; ; ), Rambung (), ) is a type of Southeast Asian dance where both men and women dance in a circle. It is a popular folk-dance in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Xishuangbanna (China), and Thailand. It is a slow round dance continuously moving in a circular manner, and incorporates graceful hand movements and simple footwork. Both men and women participate in the same circle.

The circular dance style is claimed as a traditional dance in the four countries of the region where it is often part of traditional festivities, popular celebrations and modern parties. In addition to the dominant Khmer, Lao, Malay and Thai cultures, romvong is also common among many other groups indigenous to Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, for example, Ramvong dance is also found among ethnic groups including the Bunong, Krung, Tampuan and Brao people.

Etymology

Romvong, sometimes transliterated as ramvong, is from the Khmer word (). In Khmer, the word consists of two separate native Khmer morphemes (rom: "dance") and (vong: "circle"). The words were borrowed into both Thai (, ram; , wong) and Lao (, lam; , wong) with the same meanings and pronounced according to phonology of the respective languages.

History

Romvong is very popular among other Mon-Khmer indigenous people known as Khmer Loeu. All ethnic Khmers including Khmer Kandal (Cambodia), Northern Khmer (Thailand), and Khmer Krom (Southern Vietnam) as well as other Mon-Khmer tribes used the same word "roamvong" for this type of dance as a unified Khmer identity.

The indigenous Mon-Khmer minority known as Khmer Loeu, who live in higher altitude land areas of Northeastern Cambodia and other mountainous region in mainland Southeast Asia, popularly dance circling the campfire at night. This dancing (romvong) dates for millennia. In the Leang Arak rituals or Lerng Nak Ta which was the original Khmer tradition before Hinduism and Buddhism introduced to ancient Cambodia, small shrines were built surrounded with religious fence, where the spiritual women dance around the shrine. Then romvong become more popular for the locals dancing for entertainment and celebrations.

Importance in Thailand

thumb|Thon was a drum used to mark the rhythm in ramthon, the dance that gave origin to ramvong.

In Thailand ramvong is deemed to have originated in ramthon (), an older kind of folk dance where the rhythm was marked by a kind of drum known as thon (). The Fine Arts Department of Thailand has identified over ten different styles of ramvong.

Ramvong was patronized by Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram during the hard times of Thailand in World War II. In order to help people to forget their penury, the military dictator encouraged Thai women and men to enjoy themselves by dancing ramvong. Also, as part of the policy of Thaification during his tenure, Phibunsongkhram aimed to stem the popularity of non-Thai dances such as the foxtrot or waltz through the promotion of ramvong. Even government officials were given half a day during the work week to dance ramvong together at their offices. After the end of World War II ramvong was largely replaced by luk thung and cha-cha-cha although its influence survived in Thai society.

See also

  • Khmer classical dance
  • Dance of Cambodia
  • Culture of Cambodia
  • Dance in Thailand
  • Dance and theatre of Laos

References

  • Leisure Cambodia: Popular Khmer Dances
  • Photo of ramvong circle (Laos)
  • CulturalProfiles.net: "Fon phun muang - Lao folk dance".
  • Thai Women: Changing Status and Roles