This study presents the literacy practices of an ethnic minority group called the Prai who live in northern Thailand and Laos. New literacy practices of reading and writing Prai were first introduced to the Prai in the 1990's and today there are twenty adult readers of Prai among the estimated 20,000 Prai in Thailand. All readers of Prai participated in this study thereby providing a unique and comprehensive look at literacy practices in the Prai language. Secondarily, this study reaches beyond an ethnographic description of literacy practices to understand the relationship between literacy practices and Prai ethnic identity.
The findings of this study show everyday literacy practices for the Prai as well as a comprehensive look at literacy practices in the Prai language. The Prai face many challenges including an educational system and a given ethnic identity that marginalizes Prai language and culture. Despite many difficulties, twenty Prai readers have adapted reading and writing Prai to home, work and Christian literacy types in creative and culturally appropriate ways. New literacy practices have influenced conceptions of language and ethnic identity among the Prai. In addition, select Prai readers use literacy to form Prai ethnic identity or to contest the identity they are given by the Thai.
Conclusions show that the source of new literacy practices and the introduction of Prai literacy have influenced conceptions and uses of Prai literacy. Prai literacy is perceived to be a Christian practice and is largely relegated to the private sphere. Reading Prai is valued over writing Prai. Gender and education influence who uses Prai literacy to form Prai ethnic identity and contest given ethnic identity. As a trend, Prai women with fewer than six years of Thai school are more likely to use Prai literacy to form or contest Prai ethnic identity. These Prai readers have become local agents and ambassadors of literacy who create and sustain new literacy practices. Prai literacy may spread as Prai readers extend the roots of Prai literacy from the Christian literacy type to other literacy types, thereby continually rewriting Prai ethnic identity.
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