2 - The Study Khaoyam (Herbal Rice) in Constructing Place and Identity among Siamese in Kelantan, Malaysia

Presentation Abstract
Khaoyam (herbal rice) is a traditional dish of the Kelantan Siamese, representing a distinctive aspect of their ethnic identity and food heritage. This dish comprises rice cooked with herbal juice from edible leaves and is typically served with condiments and fresh vegetables. This research focuses on the ability to forage edible leaves from orchards and nearby forests as part of their daily life. Through participant observation and ethnographic fieldwork, a list of edible herbs and related narratives was collected, shedding light on how traditional knowledge constructs a sense of place and identity through specific food. I argue that the relationship between place and identity is constructed through the knowledge of using plants to make herbal rice. Despite being a minority group in a predominantly Muslim state, the Siamese of Kelantan consider khaoyam (herbal rice) to be a crucial element of their ethnic identity as daily food and food tourism that is presented in public spaces. Herbal rice illustrates their connection to their specific locale in northeastern Malaysia and highlights the adaptability and construction of the Kelantan Siamese existence. Moreover, the interpretation of food narratives offers a framework for comprehending how locals remember and construct their memories, elucidating stories that rely on the places perceived by the Kelantan Siamese. The results underline the interpretation of food and how place becomes a matter that links with salient ethnic characteristics among the Siamese in Kelantan state.