The Role of “Betel Nut” in Local Literature of Southern Thailand

The eating of betel nuts has been a part of southern society for a long time, and it also appears in southern local literature. This article aims to analyze the role of “betel nuts” in southern local literature. The results of the study found five roles of betel nuts: 1. The use of betel nuts to express love and courtship among young men and women; 2. The use of kinship and the creation of social networks; 3. The use in various rituals, such as witchcraft, weddings, and life traditions; and 4. The use of betel nuts to express financial wealth; and 5. The use of idioms to teach or warn people. The eating and use of betel nuts mostly appear in local literature written before 1977. Currently, young people, even the elderly, do not like to eat betel nuts very much, but they still use them in various rituals, perhaps because betel nuts still play a role in the local way of life. Highlights This study helps to understand the connection between betel nut and the local literature of southern Thailand This study reveals the diverse roles of betel nut in the lives of local people in the southern region. This study helps to understand the contemporary people's perspectives on betel nut, which have changed according to the contextual conditions

Areca · Betel · Geographical indication · Kinship · Nut · Language, Linguistics, Cultural Analysis · Linguistics and Cultural Studies · Oral Health Pathology and Treatment