In Harmony: The Symbolism of Asian Elephants in My New Artwork
The meaning behind my drawing titled, 'In Harmony'.
Size: (50 x 70 cm) 19.7" x 27.6"
The Elephant in Thai and Lao Culture
Asian elephants hold a sacred position in Thai and Laotian culture, symbolizing strength, wisdom, and peace; they are treated in high regard and are very respected in these cultures.
The first ancient Tai-Lao kingdom, taking up modern-day Laos and Northeastern Thailand was established in 1353 by Fa Ngum, named "Lan Xang" which translates to the "Kingdom of a Million Elephants ອານາຈັກລ້ານຊ້າງ"; it was one of the most biggest and influential kingdoms in all of Southeast Asia. Many Lao kingdoms had a flag represented by 3 white elephants under a parasol (ລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວ) or with a White elephant as a symbol. And in Thailand, the elephant is known as the national animal. The artwork titled 'In Harmony' represents this deep cultural significance through the depiction of a young Laotian girl petting an elephant amidst a jungle set in either Laos or Isaan (Northeastern) Thailand, where the kingdom Lan Xang used to take place.
By Tanakorn Srichaisuphakit - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107911074
'Lan Na อาณาจักรล้านนา' - Tai-Yuan Kingdom (Land of a Million Rice Fields)
'Lan Xang ອານາຈັກລ້ານຊ້າງ' - Tai-Lao Kingdom (Land of a Million Elephants)
'Ayutthaya อาณาจักรอยุธยา' - Mon-Siamese Kingdom
'Đại Việt' - Kinh Vietnamese Kingdom
'Champa' - Champa Kingdom
Cambodia ចក្រភពខ្មែរ - Khmer Empire
'In Harmony' Artwork by Andarsia in Soft Pastel
FUN FACT: The reason as for why Lan Na and Lan Xang sound similar, as well as having 'Tai' for their ethnicities is due to the Tai-Yuan (Northern Thai) and Tai-Lao (Isaan Thai and Lao) people both descending from the Tai/Dai tribes who were pushed out of China due to Han Chinese expansion and Mongolian conquests from about 1200-800 years ago, while some stayed (such as the Tai-Lue of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan China). They both speak the Southwestern Tai languages, which are quite mutually intelligible and share some of the same vocabulary. While these Tai people displaced the original Mon-Khmer people who later assimilated, which is why Tai languages such as Lao/Isaan, Central Thai, and Northern Thai are spoken in both Laos and Thailand, they had also adopted many aspects of Khmer, Siamese and Mon culture despite coming straight out of East Asia. Other Tai peoples include but are not limited to the Zhuang of Guangxi China, Bouyei, Tai-Dam, and Tai Nua.
The Threats Faced by Asian Elephants
Elephants have quite an esteemed status, however, Asian elephants are currently facing a severe issue of endangerment, with only about an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 left in the wild. Acts such as poaching (the illegal hunting or capture of wild animals), habitat fragmentation (the process of disconnecting large areas of habitat into smaller pieces), habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflicts are the main causes of this issue and significantly threaten their existence.
Despite being so culturally significant in the Indosphere (region of Indian influence) including Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, elephants are unfortunately exploited and have to go through a cruel "breaking" or domestication process in order to be disciplined to humans; many of the elephants that are ridden for tourism, elephant art, and other elephant activities unfortunately have to go through this terrible process. This disturbing reality raises awareness about wildlife conservation, which is a major theme represented through my artwork. The elephant’s portrayal serves as a reminder of the urgent need to protect not only these gentle giants, but also wildlife as whole, urging viewers to reflect on their responsibilities to help contribute towards wildlife preservation.
A Message of Coexistence
In my piece titled 'In Harmony', the girl represents humanity; Her gentle interaction with the elephant serves as a metaphor for coexistence. Various animals watching silently afar from the scene signify the diverse wildlife that share the same habitat and the animals in a state of peace.
Photo references used to draw the animals were taken by Emmanuel Keller with granted permission: https://www.flickr.com/people/tambako
