Southern Thai dance form 'nora' gets UNESCO heritage status

Graceful art Dancers taking part in a ‘nora’ performance, a traditional folk dance, in Sungai Padi district, Narathiwat province, ahead of Unesco officially listing the art form as Thailand’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’. Performances are usually a dramatic retelling of the tale of a prince who tries to rescue Manora – a half-human, half-bird princess – whose shortened name gives the art its name. — AFP

Narathiwat, Thailand, Dec 15, 2021 (AFP) - Dancers moved gracefully in a circle, their beaded dress pieces swaying as they struck bird-like poses in a dance-drama known as "nora" -- a southern Thai performance art which was added Wednesday to UNESCO's prestigious heritage list.

The dramatic art form -- combining dancing, singing and storytelling -- has roots in India, and has been practised in Thailand's Muslim-majority southernmost provinces for centuries.