Anna and the king: digesting difference

Author: Van Esterik, Penny

Source: South East Asia Research, Volume 14, Number 2, July 2006 , pp. 289-307(19)

Publisher: IP Publishing Ltd

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Abstract:

This paper explores the relationship between food and national identity in ancient Siam and modern Thailand, as represented in the texts and films linked to Anna Leonowens, particularly Anna and the King and The King and I. While the fictional romantic relationship between the Indo-British governess and King Mongkut (Rama IV) has been critically analysed, little attention has been paid to the state banquet organized by the king. In 1860s Siam, state banquets provided an opportunity to demonstrate the civilized status of the Siamese monarch, and hence the kingdom. Developing and building on the concepts of political commensality and culinary colonialism, the paper explores the importance of demonstrating civility through food.

Keywords: STATE BANQUETS; COLONIALISM; NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGY; WESTERN FILM PERFORMANCE; SIAM

Document Type: Research article

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