Maya, Dania. Making kin in the Patchy Anthropocene, Capitalocene, and Plantationocene: narrative of the river women, algae, banana and more-than-human ruptured entanglements in the Multispecies World of Chiang Khong, Thailand. Doctoral Degree(Social Science). Chiang Mai University. Library. : Chiang Mai University, 2025.
Making kin in the Patchy Anthropocene, Capitalocene, and Plantationocene: narrative of the river women, algae, banana and more-than-human ruptured entanglements in the Multispecies World of Chiang Khong, Thailand
Abstract:
The Anthropocene, marked by profound human influence on Earth's systems, often appears uneven when viewed through localized, multispecies interactions. This dissertation examines this in Chiang Khong, Thailand, where the Mekong River is a contested space for river women, or Mae Ying, deeply connected to the river's aquatic life, particularly green algae (Kai) and local banana plants. The study employs a longitudinal multispecies ethnography over 18 months to explore Mae Ying's relationships with the Mekong River's ecosystems and the socio-political landscape of Chiang Khong. The methodology includes participant observation, interviews, and site visits, engaging with both human and non-human actors, such as algae, banana plants, Mekong Giant Catfish, and the mythical Naga, to gain a comprehensive understanding of these interactions. Research found that Kai is not merely algae but part of a pluriversal world tied to the Giant Catfish and the Naga. Local legends attribute the creation of the Mekong River to the Naga, with the Catfish embodying this sacred connection, thereby weaving local spiritual and cultural identities closely with the river. Kai's ecological presence symbolizes environmental health and sustains the sacred bond between Mae Ying, the Naga, and the Mekong River.Similarly, the Nam Wa banana is integral to Bai Si rituals in Ban Had Krai, embodying ecological and cultural values that sustain life despite ecological challenges. Banana leaves are essential for traditional offerings rooted in the community's belief in Khwan and the veneration of the Spirit God (Thep).In Ban Had Krai, Khwan underpins many social activities, with Bai Si rituals made from banana leaves central to ceremonies for good fortune. The banana symbolizes hope for future worlds, safeguarded by sacred forces. Mae Ying, with their deep foraging, agricultural, and culinary knowledge, ensures Bai Si rituals transcend tradition, embodying the community's hopes in uncertain times. Here, "making kin" serves as a form of resistance and adaptation, sustaining life and culture amid economic and ecological disruptions.The dissertation introduces the concept of "Anthropocene detonators" to describe pivotal shifts in Ban Had Krai's human-nature relations. A significant factor was the construction of the Mekong hydropower dams, which began in the 1990s, clearing paths for trade and integrating the region into the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) economic corridor. The community's overexploitation of the mystical Pla Buk in the 1980s is another detonator, driving the species to near extinction. Chiang Khong now faces multiple Anthropocene detonators, with ongoing dam construction and the expansion of monoculture banana plantations for export to China. This dissertation applies Capitalocene and Plantationocene critiques to highlight the environmental destruction in Chiang Khong caused by these converging forces.The concept of "Feral Effects" is used to explain how infrastructure developments, such as dams and plantations, generate unpredictable, non-scalable outcomes, creating feral entities that coexist with Mae Ying and others amid capitalist ruins. The spread of algal blooms and plant diseases in the Mekong exemplifies these feral qualities. The expansion of Cavendish banana plantations in Northern Thailand, driven by Chinese demand, has disrupted the region's ecological and cultural fabric.Through multispecies ecofeminism, this tension between global capitalist interests and local traditions highlights the competing realities of cultural practices, economic systems, and ecological processes in the same landscape.Finally, the research centers on local Mekong women who sustain their lives through kin-making with the multispecies world of Mekong, particularly Kai. Drawing on Val Plumwood's Ecofeminism and Donna Haraway's tentacular thinking, the dissertation emphasizes the destructive impact of monocultural expansion on human and more-than-human relationships. It calls for multispecies justice to achieve ecological and social resilience.