Ken Dalao

Ken Dalao, nicknamed in the folk music world as Morlam Ken Hood, is a master of outstanding folk music in the northeastern region of Thailand. He was born on Thursday, April 3, 1930, the Year of the Horse, at Ban Nong Tao, Pao Subdistrict, Trakan Phuet Phon District, Ubon Ratchathani Province (now Nong Tao Subdistrict). He is the son of Oh Dalao and Chan Daeng Dalao. He has 7 siblings, 3 boys and 4 girls.
==Early life==
In 1940, after completing the fourth grade of primary school at Wat Ban Nong Tao School, Pao Subdistrict, Trakan Phuet Phon District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, he started working in the rice fields to help his parents. However, due to his interest in Isan folk performances, namely Mor Lam, and his artistic talent since childhood, he began to learn Lam, folk Likay, and Nang Pramothai by himself.
==Family life==
Ken Dalao has been a professional artist by performing only Morlam until he achieved success in terms of fame and economic status, to the extent that he was able to support his children to receive higher education and have stable careers. Morlam Ken Dalao has a wife and children as follows:
#Mrs. Ben Khammai has 3 children together
#Mrs. Poonthap Phala has 1 child together
#Mrs. Kampha Ritthithis has 6 children together
#Mrs. Boonpeng Faiphiwchai, National Artist in Performing Arts (Morlam) 1997, has no children together. She lives at 528/155 Kaenthong Thani Village, Ban Ped Subdistrict, Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province.
==Working as a Morlam singer==
In 1946, an epidemic broke out in the village, the smallpox disease, which spread throughout the villages in the Northeast. Many people died. The villagers dispersed to live in the rice fields and did not meet each other as much as they should have. Ken Dalao went to live in his rice field and spent his free time reciting Lam poems. He learned from his older brother, the Lam Kong Dalao, who was a famous Lam singer in his area. He used his older brother’s performance style and Lam poems as his main practice until he could recite them himself without a teacher.
In 1948, his older brother, Lam Kong Dalao, passed away suddenly. So he took the Lam poems that his older brother had recorded and practiced reciting them until he could memorize them. When there was a performance, he was brought in to perform instead of his older brother. He was able to perform Lam poems very well and quickly became popular among the people of the Northeast.
In 1957, Ken Dalao began to learn to compose Lam poems by himself, using the method of composing them based on his experience in reciting. And further researched from various sources of knowledge that he could find until he was able to compose poems for his own use and his students used many of them. The poems he composed had a different style and rhythm from the poems of other Lam singers in terms of diverse content, such as religion, Isan traditions and customs, history, stories, funny Lam poems, miscellaneous Lam poems, etc. In addition, he also incorporated Isan idioms or Isan Phaya idioms into the poems very well, making the Lam poems have good content, rhyme, and profound language that deeply touches the listeners. The Lam poems incorporated content and rhyme according to the composition format, using the experience of Lam and Lam poems of teachers who used Lam as models. In addition, he was a person who followed the news of national events without fail, so his Lam poem compositions were very relevant to the changing social conditions. In 1966, Ken Dalao founded a Lam school in Ban Nong Tao, Tambon Pao, Amphoe Trakan Phuet Phon, and a Lam office (next to Wat Chaeng), Mueang Ubon Ratchathani District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. And there were many students who traveled to study until they became famous, such as Thongcharoen Dalao (son of Morlam Kong Dalao), Chawiwan Damnoen, and Bunchuang Den Duang, etc.
Later, Ken Dalao opened a Morlam office together with Morlam Khampha Ritthithit in Nong Bua Subdistrict, Mueang Udon Thani District, Udon Thani Province. Students who traveled to study during this period included Boonserm Pensri, Amphan Sroisangwan, and Thongsri Srirak, etc.
In 1984, the Japan Foundation and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, together with Srinakharinwirot University, Mahasarakham Campus, invited Ken Dalao, Boonpeng Faiphiwchai, and Chawiwan Damnoen to travel to spread Isan arts and culture in Japan.
With continuous self-development, they have unique Lam styles, dance moves, and postures. The resonant voice, sharp wit, both short Lam Thang, long Lam Thang, Lam Toei and other miscellaneous Lam, has excellent wit in the form of fresh Lam poetry called Taek Lam, using Isan-style Phanya idioms, sharp and deep poetry that touches the listeners’ hearts, and also contains very interesting content, making him a master Lam master of Lam poetry and Lam Mae Bot, which is called Lam Mae Bot 32 Thas, the most perfect. Therefore, he is widely known and widely popular throughout the Isan region, to the point that he is accepted in the Lam circles in both Thailand and neighboring countries, and is called the Grand Master of Lam.
==Death==
Ken Dalao had been suffering from terminal liver cancer for almost a month and had been receiving treatment at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University. He passed away on October 9, 2014 at the age of 84. This was a great loss for the Isan Morlam community. On October 15, 2014, a royal cremation ceremony was held at the crematorium of Wat Sawang Sutharam, Ban Nong Kung, Tambon Sila, Amphoe Mueang Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen Province.
==Performance==
Ken Dalao's poetry works are mostly about politics, economics, religion and beliefs, education, customs and traditions, and people's way of life, such as:
Lam Klon Taeng Sang Han Sao
Lam Klon Fon 32 Postures
Lam Klon Origin of Mor Lam
Lam Klon Long Khong
Lam Klon Teaching the Elders
Lam Klon Soi Religion
Lam Klon Wa Sao Suan Taeng
Lam Klon Body 32 Kinds
Ken Hood Album Set Tei (which is the last work)
==Awards and Honors==
* 1988 Selected as an outstanding cultural performer of the Northeastern Region in 1988 in the performing arts (Morlam) category by the National Culture Commission (NCC), Ministry of Culture
* 1991 Honored as a National Artist in the performing arts (Morlam) category in 1991 by the National Culture Commission (NCC), Ministry of Culture
==Insignia==
* 1993 – The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, Fourth Class, Order of the Crown of Thailand (C.M.)ราชกิจจานุเบกษาฉบับพิเศษ หน้า 73 เล่มที่ 110 ตอนที่ 36 22 March 1993
Category:Folk music
Category:Thai people
Category:1930 births