The Thammasat University Library has newly acquired a book about the importance of folk music in history, culture, and society. The Joan Baez Songbook was generously donated by Ajarn Charnvit Kasetsiri and is currently shelved in the Charnvit Kasetsiri Room on the U1 level of the Pridi Banomyong Library, Tha Prachan campus. The American singer Joan Baez, born in 1941, is well known for her performances of folk songs, spirituals, hymns, and ballads. Starting in 1960, she began recording music as a way to advance social justice. One example of a song she sang in the 1960s is We Shall Overcome, a gospel song that became important in the American Civil Rights Movement. The verb overcome means to succeed in dealing with a problem or to prevail. Those who sang We Shall Overcome against racism and other social obstacles in America were stating that they were convinced that one day, they would prove more powerful than their opponents. In the 1960s, Baez expressed her opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

In 1964, she founded an Institute for the Study of Nonviolence, which later became the Resource Center for Nonviolence. As its website explains,

The Resource Center for Nonviolence, founded in 1976, is a peace and justice organization promoting the practice of nonviolent social change… Our primary mission is to support the growth of nonviolent activists. The Center hosts activists and analysts from nonviolent struggles around the world.

In the 1970s, Baez also participated in the establishment of the U.S. section of Amnesty International, a London-based non-governmental organization focused on human rights. In the late 1970s, she founded her own human-rights group, Humanitas International. As the website of this California-based organization notes,

• Mission

Humanitas International, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation organized and operated to alleviate global human suffering, improve lives, and foster respect by mobilizing resources to provide direct aid, education, and assistance to those most in need. Humanitas International conducts various refugee programs, including providing temporary housing and relocation services, food and water, medical services, and education to refugees. Our education activities include life skills training, classroom education, and providing books and educational materials. We provide medical assistance that includes first aid, cholera prevention, and vaccinations.

Thailand and Joan Baez

Joan Baez has visited Thailand repeatedly. In an article on the Asia Foundation website, John J. Brandon, director of Regional Cooperation Programs for The Asia Foundation in Washington, D.C., recalled on visit from decades ago:

In November 1979, I attended a benefit concert in Bangkok given by Joan Baez to help raise funds for the humanitarian relief of Cambodian refugees who fled to the Thai border to escape the heinous rule of the Khmer Rouge. An estimated two million people were murdered by Pol Pot and his henchmen. Prior to Ms. Baez’s concert, she visited refugee camps on the Thai border along with other American social activists, including Bayard Rustin, a noted African-American civil rights leader who made remarks at the concert calling for peace and justice.

At the time, in October 1979, the Washington Post reported the story under the headline Cambodian Strife Nears Thai Border, adding:

At dusk today the refugees had an unusual visitor — folksinger Joan Baez who was there with a camera crew to make a film to publicize their plight. Baez bent over an 11-year-old boy who was lying by a road untended and asked if he might be taken to a hospital. The Thai officer in charge agreed and the boy was admitted to a ward in a town some 20 miles away, one of fewer than half a dozen people the Thais have allowed to leave the group. Men and women looked at the smartly dressed Baez with curiosity (she was surrounded by a crowd of reporter’s during most of her vist) but it is doubtful any knew who she was. The group’s senior cadre squatted beside a Thai officer and ignored her completely. They were interested only in the shells that began falling in Cambodia during her visit.

Nature conservation efforts

More recently, in 2016, Baez visited Thailand again, as she posted on her personal Facebook page. Her purpose was to volunteer at Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai province, a sanctuary and rescue center for elephants. Elephants, cats, dogs, buffaloes and other rescued species live there. Elephant Nature Park also advocates for rain forest restoration. Before this visit, Baez told one interviewer that she felt it was important to bring her granddaughter to see an elephant reserve in Thailand, since with climate change, the future of elephants worldwide is uncertain. She told the reporter:

I cannot imagine at this rate that we’re going to be around very long… My heart breaks for the birds, mainly.

Nevertheless, she explained, she is still sticking to the ideals that I think are right. In her personal Facebook postings about the visit, Baez noted underneath one photo:

No fear among these massive beauties at the Elephant Nature Park.

As a caption for another picture, she wrote:

Just relaxing with an elephant friend (and dog) at the Elephant Nature Park.

About her visit, the founder of Elephant Nature Park, Sangdeaun Lek Chailert, who was born  in the village of Baan Lao, two hours north of Chiang Mai, wrote on Facebook:

For the people who survived the 60’s, you would know of Joan Baez, the legendary folk song singer whose voice gave wings to so many lyrics, and whose songs commonly bore the mark of a keen political, social and environmental activist. If you are of a younger vintage, you can still hear her voice interpreting more contemporary songwriters. We were very honored to have Joan here with us. She spent time as a volunteer at our animal project with her granddaughter. She also has helped us to rescue our next elephant. We will update you soon.” #ElephantNaturePark #ElephantSanctuary – HH/Facebook

When Joan Baez was in Bangkok, she and her granddaughter also managed to experience nature. One image on her personal Facebook account has the caption:

A new friend in Bangkok – a white python.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)