2 March 2014 Theravada Buddhist Funeral Ritual

A new gallery on my personal photography website is now available for viewing

This 17 photograph gallery is created from selected photographs that I took at a Theravada Buddhist funeral out in the countryside earlier this month.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/2-March-2014-Buddhist-Funeral/38126809_89DVf6

Baan Mat Funeral

I have now caught up with editing and post processing all of my photographs to date.  The front sidewalk across our property has been pressure washed to remove 5 years of accumulated diesel soot and assorted molds to reveal  uniform grey concrete surfaces.  Several house repair and maintenance tasks have been completed so now is the time to catch up on some blog writing.

At the end of January, Luang Paw Pohm Likit, the Forest Monk, called Duang to inform her that one of the women that we knew at the Ban Mat Wat had died.

We had first met the woman in October when we started going out to visit Luang Paw Pohm Likit.  She lived in the near by village of Baan Mat.  Everyday she went out to the forest to bring offerings of food to Luang Paw Pohm Likit and participate in the merit making along with the other lay people.  She was 76 years old with two sons and two daughters.  She radiated a certain dignity and appearance that belied her age in a region where people age quickly due to the hardships of day to day living.  It was readily apparent that she had a "good heart", a nice person.  She was one of the people who had come to visit me in the Kumphawapi Hospital when it was actually my father-in-law who was in the hospital.  Upon realizing the miscommunication, she and the others stopped by our home to visit me on the way back to their village.  We had not been out to Baan Mat due to all our responsibilities regarding Duang's father's death and then one week later the death of his sister-in-law, Duang's aunt.  The woman from Baan Mat had been sick for a week in the hospital before dying.

We had to take an alternative route through Baan Mat to get out to where Luang Paw Pohm Likit stays.  The woman's home was on the direct route - the one lane, narrow concrete lane through the  village leading to the dirt  roads going out into the fields and forest.  As is typical for funerals, weddings, house warmings, Tambon Roy Wan, and Monk Ordinations, the family had set up pavilions, canvas canopies, in the street.  Beneath the pavilions, guests sat in plastic chairs at wood tables eating and drinking.

Duang and I were transporting the Forest Monk for the funeral ritual.  Luang Paw Pohm Likit has a very humble Wat without any crematorium for funeral rituals.  The deceased woman was going to be transported to a nearby village that had a very large Buddhist school as well as all the other facilities of a fully developed Wat.

Luang Paw Pohm Likit sat in the front of the truck with me while Duang sat in the back.  The seating arrangement which is expected practice here serves two purposes.  The first is to show respect to monks because they are considered to be a higher status than lay people.  Being a Monk places a man further along the path of enlightenment than ordinary lay people.  The second purpose is to help ensure that a Monk does not have contact with a woman.  A Monk is not allowed to touch a woman.  When a woman makes an offering to a Monk, she either makes it through a male next to her, drops it into the Monk's bowl, or places it on a cloth that the Monk has placed in front of himself.  Once the woman has placed the offering on the cloth, the Monk pulls the cloth to him thus completing the offering and signifying acceptance of the offering without risk of contact.

After paying our respects to the family and to the woman at her home, the three of us drove to the nearby Wat for the funeral ritual. This was the fourteenth funeral that I have attended here in Isaan in roughly five years.  There are many common elements to the funerals but each one has unique variations and subtleties to distinguish them apart.

All the funerals have been Theravada Buddhist rituals, both Dhammayuttika Nikaya and Maha Nikaya sects.  The Dhammayuttika Nikaya sect is the smaller sect, younger sect, and more conservative sect of Theravada Buddhism here in Thailand.  However as far as I can see the rituals are the same as the much older Maha Nikaya sect.  The difference is not in what they believe but how the Monks practice their faith.  The conservative Dhammayuttika Monks eat only one meal a day whereas the Maha Monks are allowed two meals a day.  My observation has been that the Dhammayuttika Monks wear the darker brown robes whereas the other sect robe's are the brighter saffron or orange robes.

Removing the Coffin From Refrigerated Casket

As was the case for Duang's father's funeral ritual, both Dhammayuttika Nikaya and Maha Nikaya Monks participated in the the funeral ritual for the woman from Baan Mat. For the funeral at the end of January, a big difference was the number of Monks involved in the ritual.  There were 23 Monks in attendance, which far exceeded any other funeral that I have attended.  Typical funerals have 6 or 9 Monks attending.

Typically a major portion of the funeral ritual is performed in a sala - an open pavilion on the Wat grounds - corrugated metal roof, 4 foot high walls - if any at all, tiled floor, raised area for Monks to sit on mats, and a shrine in the corner at the same level as the Monks.  For this funeral, the ritual was performed in a large, very large assembly area for the school students.  The area was so large that I was confused exactly where to go.  Some of the lay people sat on the floor out of the view of where the Monks were - their view blocked by portable school bulletin boards containing announcements, student art, and lessons.  As is always the case here when I look confused, the people smiled and pointed for me to go to the front directly in front of the platform where the more senior monks were located.  Luang Paw Pohm Likit welcomed me and reassured me.  He speaks some English so he gave me some pointers on what to take photographs of.  I consider myself to be fortunate to live amongst such tolerant and friendly people.

A Grandson During the Funeral Ritual

In taking photographs of recurring events, such as funerals, I strive to explore a different aspect or focus on some unique individuals in an attempt to avoid taking the same photograph over and over along time.  I often start off to an event with some specific approach in mind.  Quite often that planned approach is abandoned for the opportunities that present themselves at a particular event.  One of those opportunities is documented in the above photo.  It is a photograph of a Novice Monk.  It is a photograph of a grandson making merit for a deceased grandparent. It is a photograph of mourning.  I have literally hundreds of those types of photographs, so why take this one?  The uniqueness of this photograph is the juxtaposition of the young Novice Monk's robe and the glass of Orange Fanta.

I have never read it any where nor have I been told that it is necessary or required to make offerings of Orange Fanta Soda to Monks but it seems every time that I witness offerings to Monks it includes Orange Fanta.  On the other hand when making offerings to the spirits of the home, garden, or land, Duang and many others offer only Fanta Strawberry Soda.  I have yet to see Fanta Strawberry or Grape Soda offered to Monks.

Monks Accepting Offerings

This funeral was different in that there were many offerings of robes, blankets and towels to the Monks.  Rather than placing the offerings on top of the closed coffin and offering them one by one to individual Monks, the offerings were placed on a series of stepped tables in front of the coffin. In groups determined by apparent seniority the Monks went up the stairs to the coffin and individually accepted an offering.  This seems very strange and goes against every thing that I have read about being a Monk but it is what I observed.  I even just refreshed my memory and verified my memory's accuracy by reviewing my observations this evening with Duangchan.  She confirmed what I saw and did not see was accurate.  I guess this but another example of "There are the ways that things are supposed to be and then there is the way that they actually are"

The Abbott Taps Farewell On the Coffin Three Times With A Daugchan

One typical element of this funeral was the number of children in attendance.  here in Isaan children are not sheltered from death or the funeral ritual.  I have attended a funeral where the local elementary school was let out of school to attend along with their teachers the funeral for a villager.  Children get excited over the throwing of coins wrapped in colorful foil paper along with candy that is tossed to the crowd from the steps of the crematorium just as the coffin is rolled into the furnace - a gesture of giving up of all of this life's and world's goods by the spirit.

Children are allowed to run, play and be joyful as long as they are not doing it in the sala.  The children can always found in the space between the sala and the crematorium eagerly and energetically biding their time for the money toss.  The presence of a foreigner at this funeral taking photographs did nothing to dampen the children's enthusiasm.  I had met the children earlier at the woman's home.  They tentatively tried their rudimentary English skills on me and I was all too willing to try my even less rudimentary Thai skills on them.  We quickly found common ground and bonded over talking about animals.  I knew the names of some animals in Thai from watching Nat Geo Animal Planet on television with our grandson, Peelawat.  Recently we had watched a program about lions, "sinto", and I had developed a pantomime of a sinto turning its head as it was making a huge yawn.  The children loved it - much more so than my impersonation of a "tau" - turtle.

It was not long after I relocated from my position in the sala in front of the Monks that I was reunited with the children.  I took some photographs of them which I willingly shared with them.  Seeing themselves in a digital photograph only encouraged the children to be more creative in their posing.  The ultimate pose that they created was a reenactment of  a the sinto.  It was a fun way to pass the time.  Rather than getting upset with the children or with me for encouraging them, people inside the sala pointed out approvingly to Duang what was going on.  They told her that I had a "good heart" and that I was good with children.

Our day at the funeral ended with us driving off with Luang Paw Pohm Likit not into the sunset but away from the wisps of smoke that commence to flow from the stack of the crematorium.

It had been a good day.  It was good to help the Forest Monk and even better to pay our respects to a nice woman.  Here in Isaan with the openness of funeral rituals and the involvement of so many friends, family, and neighbors there is quick closure to the death experience.

Another Ethnic Lao Cremation

Preparing Offerings for Spirit and Monks

Duang's father was cremated on Friday, 22 November, three days after he had died.  I arrived at the family home in Tahsang Village around 9:00 A.M. to find organized mayhem.

Just as it had been commencing with the death watch on Tuesday, several elderly women were seated on sahts placed on the ceramic tiled floor of the home off to one side of the large room sharing the space with the refrigerated coffin containing the body.  Each woman had a small bamboo woven basket that was filled with several white plastic containers of various sizes each with screw on lids.  The baskets also contained several plastic bags crinkled and somewhat soiled from being used and recycled several times.  The containers and bags contained tobacco, chemical lime, slices of dry areca nut, slices of tender areca nut, betel leaves, "galap nuat" ( Thai or Lao version of Vaseline), often a knife that shows it has been used greatly as well often, and sometimes small mortar/pestle combinations typically made from brass.

The betel-nut chewers spend their time in heavy and often loud animated conversations undoubtedly gossip.  I have often noted that there are no secrets here in Isaan and the extended funeral ritual is optimum for sharing information or extracting information to share later with others.

The elderly women besides chewing betel-nut and gossiping provide an important service for the funeral ritual.  They make many of the offerings that are offered to the Monks, the spirits. and articles to be used in the various parts of the ritual.  Every time that the Monks come to the home to participate in the merit making, each Monk is offered a small plate, dessert plate sized, with offerings of four cigarettes, two plant leaves and /or sprigs of flower blossoms, one birthday cake sized yellow candle, and two rolled up betel leaves, some tender areca nut slices and some dry areca nut pieces.

One night the women prepared lotus blossoms for the ritual,  folding the exterior leaves in towards the center to form a quasi-flower.

On the morning of the cremation, the women were busy preparing the sections of  what I call and best describe as "cotton butcher's string" sii sein that will be used to connect the coffin placed on a pickup truck bed to the contingent of Monks leading the cortege in the procession to the local Wat for cremation.  They busied themselves straightening out the loops of many hunks of string and connecting them together without knots by looping the loops together.

That morning they were also occupied making offerings of an incense (joss sticks), a yellow, a little larger than birthday cake sized, candle, and a sprig of flower buds; all bound together with threads of the sii sein rope wrapped three times around and knotted.

Young Girls Manning the Dish Washing Station

Outside all the activities associated with the feeding and providing refreshments continued for the fourth day.  Once again everyone seem to intuitively know their duties and responsibilities.  Trays of food were carried from the outdoor kitchen to the front yard, more accurately - the two canopies that had been erected in the street in front of the family home.  Guests were quickly seated by a member of the family, given food, provided with drinking water, soft drinks, beer and ice cubes.  Care was taken to ensure that there was always plenty of ice in the buckets at each table.  The tables were just as quickly cleaned after the people had finished eating.  The tables were wiped and prepared for another set of guests who were arriving continually.

The first part of the cremation ritual commenced around 9:30 A.M.  Duang's two brothers and two cousins had their heads and eyebrows shaved in preparation to become Monks for cremation ritual.  I had discussed it previously with Duang about doing the same but she said that I did not need to do it.  She wanted me to take photographs instead.

Duang Uses Electric Clippers On Her Oldest Brother as His Wife Watches

The shaving of the heads and eyebrows is an involved process with several steps.  Just as preparing a male to be ordained as Monk, the person sits in a chair shirtless either holding a large banana leaf or next to someone holding the leaf.  One by one people come forward to cut a piece of hair from his head using scissors and the place the shorn lock into the banana leaf.  The hierarchy for cutting the locks is headed up by the parents, spouse, grand-parents, siblings, esteemed guests followed by all others.  The locks are bundled up in the banana leaf and then buried in the yard.

Electric clippers are then used to cut the hair down to the scalp. For this part of the process a cape is placed on the male.  Use of the clippers is limited to those who actually know how to use them,  Duang had attended beauty school and has a certificate, so she was kept busy that morning.

The last part of the ritual is to actually shave the head and eyebrows.  This was accomplished using disposable straight razors - single edged razor blade with an attached handle - sort of like a long scalpel.  This task is left to a trust and experienced male relative or friend.  The head is rinsed and powdered.  The newly shaved men and boy then walked over to the "inside" Wat to be interviewed by the Abbot to ensure that they are of this world and not nagas.  They then make some vows and are given Monk robes to wear for the day.  They return to the family home with the other Monks from the Wat for the food offering ritual at 11:00 A.M.

Duang, Under the Watch of her Mother, Counts the Money from Tambon Nongwha

The Official Presentation of Tambon Funds to Duang's Mother

After the head shaving a new aspect of the funeral ritual takes place.  In Isaan when some one dies, 100 baht ($3 USD) is collected from every household in the sub district that they live in.  Duang's parents live in Tambon Nongwha which has 11 villages.  At every funeral, several representatives from the Tambon arrive at the home on the day of cremation.  After paying their respects to the deceased person, they sit off to the side of the coffin with members of the family to present the money collected from the households, count the money, recount the money, and count the money once again.  The designated representative from the family signs a ledger that I refer to as "The Book of the Dead" signifying the amount and acknowledging the receipt of the funds.  Just as with weddings and ordinations, monetary offerings are a great display - and a very public display.  At every funeral that I have attended people wanted photographs of the transaction.

Duang Signs "The Book of the Dead"

A short while later, representatives of the life insurance company showed up to payout the proceeds of the policy on Duang's father's life.  The amount of proceeds varies with the policy, Duang's father had a 6,320 Baht pay out ($216 USD) whereas his sister-in-law had a 96,000 baht ($3,200 USD) pay out.  Again there was a big and public display of counting and accepting the proceeds.

Duang Ties One of Three Shroud Covered Offerings for the Monks

The betel-nut chewing ladies also created three bundles of offerings for the Monks.  These offerings of toiletries and other sundries were wrapped up in shrouds like the material used to cover the corpse.  The tops of the bundles were secured with a great deal of attention and effort with sii sein cords.  Duang as the representative of the family was responsible to finish the bundling.  These bundles remained on the floor next to the coffin and when the coffin was removed from the home, they were placed on top.  They remained on top of the consumable coffin at the entrance to the crematorium until they were removed and presented to the Monks as part of the ritual.

Duang Preparing Popped Rice for the Funeral Cortege

Every Theravada Buddhist funeral that I have attended here in Isaan, has had a man walking ahead but off to the side of the vehicle bearing the body.  The man carries either a woven basket or plastic bucket containing popped rice.  Periodically the man spreads handfuls of the popped rice along the funeral cortege route to the Wat as well along the circumambulations of the crematorium.  The sprinkled rice is offered as nourishment to the spirit of the deceased person as well as the spirits along the route.  As part of the preparations for the cremation of her father, Duang as well as her sister, mother, and sister-in-laws had to cook rice grain over a charcoal fire to produce the popped rice.

Even a seemingly mundane task as cooking rice has significant ritual significance when associated with a funeral.  To cook the rice Duang used a freshly cut and prepared banana stalk to stir the grain while steadying herself with a siem, a narrow metal shovel-like tool used in working the rice paddies.  The symbolism is to show the deceased person that the family can take care of themselves and to offer up the work to the spirit.

Duang's Two Brothers

At 10:30 A.M. the local Brahman priest lead the lay people in a ritual to make offerings to the spirit of Duang's father.

The Monks arrived at the home around 1:00 P.M.  Another merit making ritual was performed that lasted about 15 minutes.  Upon completion of the ritual, Duang's father's personal belongings were gathered up and placed in the back of a pick up truck along with the funeral memorials.  The refrigerated coffin was then wheeled out of the house and lifted on to the back of another pick up truck.  As the coffin exited the home, three bursts of firecrackers were set off to scare away any bad spirits that were in the area,

Duang Waits for the Monks to Form Up In Front of Her

The funeral cortege formed up in front of the home lead by the Monks holding on to the sii sein that connected them back to the coffin.  Duang folded off to side carrying a framed photograph of her father.  Behind the Monks, but also holding on to the sii sein as they slowly walked through the village to the "inside" Wat were family members and dignitaries.  More family member, neighbors, and friends walked along both sides of the vehicle transporting the body.

The cortege enter the Wat grounds and circled the crematorium three times counter clockwise.  The body in a consumable coffin was removed from the refrigerated coffin and placed upon steel sawhorses at the door to the furnace.  The laypeople went to one of three places - the covered area in front of the crematorium, the steps of the Bot or in the Sala where the funeral ritual would actually take place.

Duang's Oldest Brother Inside of Sala

Things went rather smoothly but not without some laughter.  A big part of the Theravada Buddhist funeral ritual here in Isaan is calling out people's names to participate directly in the ritual.  When your name is called, you walk over the the steps of the crematorium where you are given an envelope containing a cash offering.  You then walk up the steps to the entrance of the furnace where the coffin is located.  You reverently pay your respects to the deceased person and place the envelope on a metal tray on top of the coffin.  I was up at the coffin taking photographs of the people making the offerings when I heard "Duangchan Veeboonkul", my wife's maiden name.  I thought that it was a little odd using her maiden name.  I waited.  We all waited.  I waited some more.  We all waited some more.  Nothing was happening.  It seemed like an eternity when some of the old ladies started cackling at Duang.  People all started laughing.  Realizing that this was a humorous event, I yelled out in Thai that it was "Duangchan Hale, not Duangchan Veeboonkul" and shook my fist.  Duang hurried to the steps to get her envelope - laughing and embarrassed at the same time - much to every one's amusement.  We have been officially married for five years so she is not accustomed to being called "Veeboonkul".

When the cover of the consumable coffin was removed for the pouring of water and placing of "daugchan", good luck charms, on the body, I was somewhat relieved to see Duang's father in the same position and expression as when I had declared him dead.  I was sure that he was dead but it was the first time that I had done that.  I did notice that there was quite a bit of condensation on his skin when the coffin was opened.  I had not seen that before.  Later, this week, I found out that the family had left the refrigerated coffin on for too long. That will be the subject of a future blog.

The Monks Are the First To Pour Coconut Water On the Body

The Monks were the first to pour coconut water on the body after supervising the cutting of the bindings on the body and the opening up of the shroud.  After they returned to the Sala, family members climbed the steps to pay their respects and pour the coconut water on the corpse.

Duang's Mother Says Good Bye and Wishes Her Husband Good Luck

Duang Pours Water On Her Father As Her Son Collects Daugchan

After everyone had paid their respects and placed a good luck charm, daugchan, the cushion, saht, and shroud were removed from the coffin and placed in the pile with Duang's father's personal items to be burned  on the ground next to the crematorium.  The corpse was rolled on its side so that split coconuts could be placed underneath the body.  I suspect that elevating the corpse above the base of the coffin facilitates the cremation process.  Using heavy cane knives, men made slits in the bottom of the coffin to drain it.

The consumable coffin was lifted by several men as the heavy metal charcoal filled carriage was pulled out from inside of the furnace.  As the consumable coffin was being lowered on to the charcoal bed, a man emptied two Lao Lao (375 ml) glass bottles containing hydrocarbon on the charcoal bed.  Once set in the proper place, the body inside of the consumable coffin was doused with another bottle of flammable fluid.  The carriage was rolled back into the furnace, the heavy metal doors closed and dogged off.  The senior Monk, "Rocketman", then placed a lit daugchan through the ignition portal to set the corpse ablaze.

As the charcoal was ignited, three large fireworks were launched into the air causing large bangs.  Again the fireworks are intended to scare away any bad spirits in the area as Duang's father's spirit commences its journey.



The Last Food Offered to Duang's Father's Spirit Is Buried By a Nephew

One of Duang's cousins took the tray of food that had been offered as nourishment to her father's spirit and buried it on the wat grounds using a siem.

Other family members set the pile of her father's possessions on fire but not before one of Duang's aunts first intervened and removed some articles of clothing as well as his portable radio.

The cremation ritual was over around 3:00 P.M.  I prepared to return to our home in Udonthani.  Duang would remain in the village with her family.  The cremation was over but as hucksters so often scream on late night television "But wait, there's more!"

After a person is cremated in Isaan, there is another ritual held called "Tamboon Roi Wan" or "Bone Party.  This ritual theoretically is held 100 days after the cremation.  In reality it is often held when the family has the financial resources to afford the event - an all day and all night eating, drinking, merit making and entertainment ritual.  When I say that some of the best parties that I have attended here have been funerals I am referring to these "Bone Party"

When he knew that he would be dead soon, Duang's father asked her to take care of him now rather than waiting 100 days or even longer for his Bone Party.  To comply with her father's wish, Duang planned his Bone Party for Sunday, two days after his cremation.

Looking Back At the "Inside" Wat

"Same Same But Different"

A Young Boy Places A Daugchan On the Coffin

"Same, same but different" is an often used phrase used here in Thailand.  I have written about the phrase before but once again I am impressed with how meaningful and appropriate it is in describing a situation or condition.  Many falang here in Isaan detest the phrase but I actually embrace the expression.

In my life to date I have visited and positioned myself in many situations that I had previously experienced.  Some would ask, "Why go to Machu Picchu twice?", "Why go to Yellowstone National Park seven times?", "Why do this or that more than once" and "Why go there once again?"  The answer for me is simple.  My answer is "Same, same but different"  Revisiting or placing yourself in position to re-experience something allows a person to greater appreciate the original. The greater appreciation comes from the opportunity to more deeply understand and the opportunity to recognize the nuances that are often overlooked during initial exposure.

So what does this have to do with the photo of a young boy placing a "daugchan" on a coffin?

Two days ago, Duang and I drove out into the Isaan countryside to attend the cremation ritual of a family member - "Cousin of my father".  "Cousin of my father" was an elderly woman who died in the village near Ban Tahsang.  Many of my blogs have dealt with the strong sense of family and community that exists amongst the Lao Loum (Lowland Lao) people of Isaan.  Enjoying the sense of belonging and comfort of such a culture does not come free.  Just as saying goes "There is no such thing as a free lunch", appreciating the benefits of such a culture comes at a cost.  The cost, which I find nominal, is participating in the culture.  With such a large family, 23 Aunts and Uncles, as well as 93 cousins at one time, there always seems to be a wedding, Monk ordination, birth, or funeral that we are expected to attend.  I do not mind and enjoy accompanying Duang in the execution of her "family duties".

Food Offerings for the Spirit Placed On the Floor at the Head of the Coffin

The funeral that we attended the other day was the tenth that we have gone to in two and one-half years. Each funeral has been the same as the others but also different.  The ritual is essentially the same but there are nuances that make each one unique.  Since I am now well familiar with the ritual, there are certain photographs that I expect to take during the ritual.  Because I am familiar with the ritual, I am more capable of looking for and recognizing nuances that make each ritual unique and hopefully makes for more interesting photographs.

Since this was a family funeral, there were many familiar faces in the crowd.  Duang's uncle, the Buddhist Monk, an Abbott to be specific, was the senior Monk in attendance.  "Rocketman", the senior Monk from the "inside" Wat in Ban Tahsang, also participated in the ritual.  Many people in the crowd were people that I have photographed over the past two and one-half years here in Isaan.

Local Government Official Bringing An Offering of Kaithin  His head is bowed in a gesture of respect.

The cremation ritual had all the elements that I have come to expect - the body laying in repose at the family home, people coming to the home with offerings of cash or rice; all of which were duly registered in a ledger, food and drink for visitors, government officials paying insurance money and collections from neighboring villages of the sub-district, offerings of food to participating Monks, sons, grandsons, and nephews with freshly shaved heads and wearing new robes as novice Monks, the procession through the village, the school teacher reciting the deceased person's history and list of immediate family over a P.A.  system to the attendees, the washing of the corpse with coconut water and bottled water, the procession of attendees to the entrance of the furnace to place "good luck charms" (daugchan) on top of the coffin, the tossing from the elevated floor of the crematorium of colorful wrapped coins and candy to the attendees below as the body commences to be cremated, and the firing of three fireworks as smoke starts to rise out of the crematorium chimney.

The following are blog links to previous blogs that I have written regarding funerals here in Isaan.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/dying-in-isaan-buddhist-funeral.html

http://www.hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/10/isaan-funeral-24-october-2009-2552.html

http://www.hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/12/death-in-isaan-another-lao-loum-funeral.html

http://www.hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-isaan-funeral-same-same-but.html

http://www.hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/two-funerals-and-excorcism.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/scenes-from-lao-loum-funeral.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/another-lao-loum-funeral-here-in-isaan.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2012/10/death-be-not-private-lao-loum-experience.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/02/yet-another-lao-loum-funeral.html

Duang's Uncle, the Abbott, Accepting Offering of Robe (Kaithin)

Like all the funerals that I have attended here, there were many people taking photographs - any and all photographs.  I typically position myself next to and up against the heavy metal doors to the furnace at the foot of the coffin.  This position gives me fairly good perspective and keeps me from interfering with the ritual.  Doctors have a motto or oath to "Do no harm".  My guiding principle in taking photographs is to "Do not interfere"  This cremation ritual had more photographers than I have encountered previously - just about everyone in Isaan has a cellphone with a camera in it.  Now many of the younger people have smart phones with rather sophisticated camera capabilities built into them.

One of the older men who was helping to organize and guide the activities at the entrance to the furnace asked me where I was from.  I replied "America".  He then asked or rather pantomimed, if the ritual playing out before us was the same in America? I responded by my limited Thai and pantomime that this was very different in America and that taking photographs of the corpse as well as cremation ritual would not be acceptable and most likely start a fight.  He understood but seemed somewhat shocked.

A Young Girl Places Daugchan On Coffin

Prior to opening the coffin to pour coconut water and drinking water on the corpse, attendees walk up the steps of the Wat's crematorium to the coffin that is placed upon two metal sawhorses at the doors to the furnace.  They carry small paper and bamboo objects called "Daugchan", good luck tokens, and place them in metal trays on top of the coffin.  They first "wai", slightly bowing the head as the hands in the praying position are raised to the forehead, and then place their daugchan on the pile building up in the trays.  The wai is the Thai expression of respect that people use to greet each other or to say goodbye.  Some people will knock three times on the side of the coffin in a final farewell gesture.  Other people will call out in controlled voices words to the effect "Good luck to you, I will miss you, I hope to see you again soon."  The scene is always dignified and touching.

From a very age, Lao Loum people here in Isaan learn that this life is of a limited duration and that death awaits everyone.  Children are not sheltered from the consequences of life - death.  Young children attend and participate in the funeral ritual for neighbors, family friends as well as family members.  "Family members" here is not limited to immediate family.  It includes aunts, uncles, cousins and all those connected to them through marriage.

I have been to funerals where the local school had its students, all 36 of them, go to a funeral of a villager as a field trip.

Another Child Prepared to Pay Final Respects

Attending funerals is a civic as well as religious experience for the children.  Our grandson when he was three attended his first funeral.  He didn't fully understand the ritual but he did enjoy the dragon fruit that he was eating during the ritual at the deceased person's home.  He did understand some of the merit making ritual though.  Children at a very early age commence to learn the Buddhist rituals.

One of the first group of people to place daugchan on the coffin of the deceased person, are the young male relatives who have become Novice Monks for the funeral.  They have cut their hair and had their heads shaved as part of the ritual.  They wear Monk robes and are part of the lead contingent of Monks holding on to the si sin  (cotton cord) that is attached to the coffin which has been placed on a farm truck or pick up truck.  After the coffin has been placed on the sawhorses at the entrance to the crematorium furnace, a si sin connects the coffin to the Buddha statue in the open sided building where the Monks participate in the merit making ritual for the deceased as well as participants in the ritual.

After the last daugchan have been placed upon the coffin. the trays are removed, and the thin top of the coffin is removed.  Monks are the first people to pour coconut water on the exposed corpse.  Family members follow the Monks to pour coconut water or drinking water on the corpse.

Family Members Preparing to Pour Coconut Water

The hands of the deceased clasp offerings of special small flowers, small yellow candle(s), and currency.  The currency is for the spirit on its upcoming journey.  Metal coins that get melted in the cremation are recovered and used as talisman for immediate family members.  Men often have a small tube containing a piece of the melted coins or a tooth as part of their amulets they wear around their neck.  This funeral ritual was different because it was the first one where I saw a daughter, let alone a son, place coins in the mouth of the corpse.

The hands of the copse are bound together with cotton cord, very similar to butchers string.  The thighs and ankles are also bound by the same cord with all three bindings connected by cord running down the center-line of the deceased person.  Part of the ritual is for these bindings to be cut using a heavy cane knife or as occurred at this funeral - a rice harvesting sickle. Symbolism and ties to daily as well as religious life are very strong in these rituals.

After the body has been cleansed and refreshed, the blanket and saht that the corpse had been resting upon are removed and brought to an area next to the crematorium to be burned in a separate open fire along with the remaining possessions of the deceased.  Slits are then placed in the thin walled coffin using the heavy cane knife or in this case rice harvesting sickle to drain the coconut water and drinking water from the coffin. The body is rolled on to its side to gain access for making the drain slots.  The body is then rolled back on top of coconut halves that have been placed in the coffin. The daugchan are then placed into the coffin.

The very heavy metal carriage and charcoal bed is pulled out along embedded rails from the interior of the furnace.  Flammable liquid such as diesel fuel or naphtha is poured on the charcoals. The coffin is lifted from the metal sawhorses and placed on top of the charcoal bed.  More flammable fluid is poured around the coffin with some being poured in the coffin.  The heavy metal carriage is then rolled back into the furnace.  The heavy bottom door of the furnace is closed and dogged into place followed by the upper half door.

A Monk will approach a small port in the upper door and place a burning candle or daugchan to commence the cremation.

A the smoke starts to flow out of the crematorium chimney, firecrackers are set off to scare away any bad spirits who may be in the area.  This facilitates the release of the deceased person's spirit on its journey.  As the firecrackers fire off, pandemonium breaks out in the area in front of the crematorium below the furnace platform area.  Handfuls of small denomination coins wrapped in colorful foil and candy also wrapped in colorful wrappings are tossed to the children and some adventurous adults below.

People Scramble For Falling Coins as well as Candy Underneath Si Sein Connecting Crematorium to Sala

It was another funeral - same same but different.  It was an occasion the learn and experience more of the ethnic Lao culture of Isaan.  It was a time to strengthen family as well as community bonds. It was also an opportunity to photograph a unique aspect of life here and to be able to share it with others.  All in all just another great day!

Songkran - Bone Washing

Showing Respect to and Elder Relative in Isaan

Songkran is a very special holiday here In Southeast Asia.  Most people outside of the region may know about it being the "Water Festival", a time when massive crowds gather in metropolitan areas and wage all out water wars.  International television networks every year broadcast clips typically of Bangkok or Chiang Mai of water drenched people, many of them tourists and many of them drunk. dancing about in a hedonistic frenzy.  I know much of what I have just written, for I was one of them, just once, in Pattaya seven years ago.

Just as Christmas has been hijacked with little regard for its origin and original intention, so to a large extent has Songkran, especially so in the metropolitan regions.

I am fortunate now in that I have a Thai family, a very large and extended family that lives in small villages amongst the rice paddies of Isaan.  I have the opportunity and take advantage of the opportunity to experience the more traditional Songkran in a rural and more intimate atmosphere.  There have actually been some instances this year where Songkran has come to Duang and me.

A Three Year Old Visitor Presents Me With A Pumalai Offering

Twice in the past week family members have come to our home for their young children to pay their respects to Duang and me.  The children ranging in age from 1-1/2 to 4 years old kneel before each of us, bow and present us with floral arrangements called pumalai.to show their respect.  Duang wishes them good luck and good fortune.  Since I don't speak their language, I say "Thank You" in Thai and give them hugs and kisses.   They seem to understand. Growing old is inevitable and can not be avoided, however it sure can be pleasurable with traditions such as this.

Getting Old Has Its Advantages

I have long believed that situations do not develop or events occur unto themselves or in a vacuum.  There are precursors to all situations and events that if we are aware are readily apparent.  If we are not fully aware at the time, we can go back later and connect the dots that lead up to either the event or situation that we are now experiencing.  This year's Songkran experience for me is no exception.

Songkran besides being a time for huge water fights in the cities is a time for people to clean their homes.  Tahsang Village was no exception.  The clutter and debris of front and most back yards in the village was gone.  The local government had arranged for trucks to haul away the items that had been thrown out but never removed over the past year.  Songkran is a time for cleaning; cleaning many things.

Songkran is also a time to demonstrate respect for elderly people, especially family members.  Family member from far and near unite in the villages to pay respect to elderly people by kneeling before them, presenting them offerings of jasmine flowers, pumalai, and cash.  The younger people then pour cool scented water over the out stretched hands of the elderly while wishing them good luck and good fortune.  The elderly accept and reciprocate by thanking the younger people, wishing them good luck as well as fortune , and often rub their wet cooler hands on the face, neck or head of the younger people.

Songkran is also the time when Buddhists in Southeast Asia make merit by pouring water over statues of Buddha to cool and cleanse them.  Smaller statues of Buddha are set up on highly decorated tables of flowers for the people of all ages to walk by and reverently pour water over each statue.

This Songkran I also experienced a combination of Tamboon Roi Wan and Tamboon Jaak Khao, "Bone Party" special merit making ritual for the spirits of family members who had been cremated. One aspect of the Bone Party was merit making ritual involving bone fragments placed inside of small metal chedis,  After the ritual concluded the chedis are kept in the family home.  The bone relics are kept in the home for one Songkran and upon the second Songkran a special ritual takes place when the bones are washed prior to internment in a large family chedi on the Wat grounds.

Yesterday there was a "Bone Washing" ritual for members of Duang's family at the Wat inside of Tahsang Village.  I was fortunate to be able to attend and experience the ritual - another dot that connected the progression of life in this world with the spirit world.  In this case it is a dot that is associated with Songkran - another connection to family, cleaning as well as respect for the elderly (deceased).

"Rocketman" Pouring Water Into Metal Chedis Containing Bone Fragments

The "Bone Washing" ritual commenced with the head Monk of the Wat pouring water into each of the three chedi which contained bone fragments.  The tray, a common metal tray used for serving food, upon which the chedis were placed was then removed from in front of the Monks by a male family member and placed on the floor of the Sala.  The tray was placed in front of the family members and behind the offerings of drinking water and toiletries that would be presented as later part of the ritual.

Family members, one by one, poured water into each of the chedis that contained the bone fragments.  Soon the chedis were overflowing with the water.  The water flowed gently over the chedis and was contained by the metal tray.  Bone fragments floated to the top of each chedi but did not spill out of the metal containers because of the care and diligence of the people pouring the water.

After the family members had completed pouring water over the bone fragments, the excess water contained by the metal tray was carefully transferred into a plastic insulated cooler that you often see in fields and homes throughout Isaan - for drinking water.

The tray was now placed to the right of the assembled offerings to the Monks and in front of the family members.  The three metal chedis were placed upon the metal serving tray once again and the bone washing ritual appeared to transition into a typical merit making ritual - a ritual performed every day throughout Thailand.

Offerings Being Made to the Monks

Pouring Water Allows Merit to be Transferred to the Spirits, Trays of Food and Drink Nourish the Spirits

Cotton String (Siesein) Connects the Spirit World to Our Present World

A cotton string, called a siesein, was unrolled and placed over the laps of the Monks, across the Sala floor, and laid across the offerings as well as all of the metal serving trays.  The string remained in place until chanting by the Monks was completed at which time the string was rewound on to it bobbin and returned to its storage location on the special area where Monks sit

At the conclusion of the merit making ritual with the Monks, the family members gathered the plastic cooler along with the tray of the chedi and climbed down the stairs of the Sala to the ground level.  A few steps brought the group to the perimeter wall of the Wat complex.  There were several large Chedi placed upon various concrete tiled bases.  Each chedi was for a different family and contained interned bones of their ancestors.  Poorer families, or rather families who can not yet afford a proper sized chedi, have smaller chedis or in some Wats the bones are stored inside of sealed niches in the wall.

The family chedi had the upper access port had been removed in anticipation of storing the bone fragments that had just been washed.  This was apparently in error.  Lacking a hammer a young man picked up a rock and used it to remove the cement seal around a lower access port.  Apparently the upper chamber of the chedi is reserved for the most senior members of the family.  These bones were of younger people so they had to be interned at the lower level.

Breaking the Seal of the Lower Chamber

Interning the Bones In Family Chedi

After the bones had been placed inside of the chedi, the port was placed back into position.  A senior aunt of the family washed the chedi with the bone washing water that had been placed in the blue plastic insulated container.  Out of concern for the future use of the container I asked Duang about what would happen to the container.  She assured me that it would not be used for drinking water but the Monks would use it for water in the rituals.

As I prepared to walk back to Duang's parents home in the village, Duang pointed out a gathering of Monks and people at a different location along the Wat perimeter wall.  In front of two identical chedi another family was participating in a bone washing ritual.

Duang informed me that there had been many more bone washing rituals the previous day.

Like many events and situations in life, Songkran is much more complex and different from what it may initially appear to be.  It often takes time and and patience to better understand what is happening.  Often it requires an open mind to get beyond the blatant demonstration of hedonism so prevalent today to commence to better understand the significance and beauty of the world about us.

With better understanding and a true appreciation of the events and situations, we are able to see how they really are all connected.