Ban Nai Soi - Soybean Workers

Soybean Worker Carrying Bamboo Ties

As we drove north on Highway 1285 towards Ban Huai Phueng in search of more garlic workers after our first visit to the garlic fields, we came upon one more group of field hands.  I parked alongside of the road and walked down a trail to get where the people were toiling under the hot and bright sun.  If their labor were not difficult enough with the sun and heat, the sky, as is typical this time of year in Maehongson, was filled with a smoky haze.  Mae Hong Son province is very hilly and covered with large forests.  During the dry season, especially at the end of the season in April, Hill Tribe people burn the hillsides as part of their slash and burn agricultural technique.  In addition to the people set fires there seem to be many naturally caused fires.  The burning forests fill the sky with smoke, with the heaviest smoke often settling into the many valleys of the province.  Sometimes the smoke is so heavy that flight operations at the Mae Hong Son (Maehongson) Airport.

There are many fires burning unattended and without any effort to stop them.  At this time, it is necessary to put the fires into a proper perspective.  My wife often tells me "Thailand not like America"  Well in the case of forest fires; forest fires in Thailand not like forest fires in America.  There is a story about the famous American environmentalist, John Muir, encountering a forest fire in the Sierras in the early 20th century.  When the fire approached him, he got up and stepped over it.  A similar situation exists in the forests of Mae Hong Son Province - not that I would try or even recommend trying to step over them.  The trees here drop their leaves due to heat and the lack of water.  Many of the trees are teak which drop very large leaves approximately 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter.  Without fire the forest floor would quickly be covered to knee depth with debris.  If a fire were to occur with knee deep debris, the living standing trees would most certainly become involved in the fire - just as happens every year in Western USA where fire have been suppressed for over 50 years or more.  Here in Thailand with just about yearly fires, the forest floor is kept relatively clean.  The fires burn through an area quickly and relatively cool due to the lack of fuel, more accurately kindling.

Everyday that we drove along Highway 1095 we encountered many areas that were burning sometimes at the edge of the highway. Only a couple times did we see a smoldering tree laying on the ground.  Most of the time we saw burning leaves and weeds. Besides greatly reducing the risk of major forest fires, the fires benefit the environment by returning organic material (carbon and minerals) to the soil and also keep insects under control.

We left Maehongson at 4:00 A.M. and drove a major portion of Highway 1095 in the dark.  At one point I was confused.  In the middle of no where, I was trying to figure out what large village we were approaching. As we got closer and the road turned to give a better perspective, I realized that I was looking at an undulating fire line crossing across several hillsides.  Although the line of fire was very long, the fire was burning slowly and appeared to be no more than 18 inches high.

Women Gathering Up Soybean Plants

It is under these smoke filled skies, that the people of Maw Hong Son live and work year after year.  The second group of workers that we encountered along Highway 1285 were not garlic workers.  They were people harvesting soybeans.  The sun dried soybean plants were being gathered and bundled together using narrow strips of bamboo.

A Worker Carrying Soybean Bundles to A Pick Up Truck

A man would suspend the bundles on each end of a long bamboo pole carried on his shoulder and carry them across the parched fields to a pick up truck parked alongside of the hut where the workers eat. Just as with the previous garlic workers, these soybean workers were just as kind, hospitable, and amused.  I was immediately offered and accepted a drink of water from them.  Duang and I arrived just before lunch so we went with the workers to their rest hut which was located at the end of the fields and adjacent to the flowing stream that runs along the length of the valley.

As the workers relaxed and ate their meal, I stood around and talked to them through Duang.  Without any warning one of the men reached out and gently touched the hair on my forearm - something that has happened many times to me while in Southeast Asia.  I have a great deal of body hair which my wife refers to as "Koh Ling" (Monkey Hair).  Men in Southeast Asia do not have much body hair so in addition to standing out as a foreigner, my hairiness sets me apart from others.  Rather than get upset about people touching me, I make a joke of it all - putting my hand out and asking for 20 Baht ($0.60).  The people are typically shocked and when they realize that I am only joking - we share a good laugh.  I have found that if you are willing to laugh at yourself you will always find someone to laugh with you.  With your guard down and demonstrating that you are approachable, the fun usually begins.

Women Shelling Soybeans Next to Rest Hut

Some of the women had set up next to the hut and were removing soybeans from the dried pods.  One of the women gave me some to eat.  I moved around to take their photographs.  As I was standing taking some photos, the man who appeared to be the big boss was talking loudly to someone.  I continued to shoot when I realized that he was talking to me.  I looked at him to see what the problem was.  Between his pantomime and motions of the women next to me I realized that I was standing on some of the soybean plants.  I was so embarrassed and apologized   I went over to him and offered my forearm and told him that he could have TWO touches for FREE,  He laughed like crazy telling Duang that he was just joking.  He took his two free touches and indicated to Duang that I was a pretty hairy guy.  I pulled my shirt down a little to expose part of my hairy chest to him.  He seemed impressed and laughed. Through Duang I told him that I had a lot more hair but that I was not going to show it even if he paid me.  We all shared a great laugh.

We spent about an hour and one-half with the soybean workers.  Asking and answering questions about each other's life.

We found no other workers that day, and headed back to Mae Hong Son.

We had an objective and were pleased to have attained it.  The key had been making our own decision with input from others.  Our willingness to take a chance to seek out workers and to engage them were paramount to achieving our objective.

Once again our photography efforts were a sort of allegory for life.  One needs an objective to develop a plan to achieve that objective.  Having and embracing a desire to explore the world about you presents opportunities for you to enrich your life and the life of those that you come upon.  As much as we may be tempted to live in fear; mindlessly in fear despite what the actual risks may be, life is so much more enjoyable when lived to its fullest extent.

Toiling In the Fields of Ban Nai Soi

The Garlic Workers of Ban Nai Soi

After our visit with the Monk who lives in a cave, we stopped at  Tham Pla Forest Park (Fish Cave).  We did not stop to see the fish.  We stopped to eat and drink.  Over the years of traveling throughout the world I have developed some rules that help make travel more pleasant.

One of the rules is "Go to the bathroom where you can".  The best time to go to the bathroom is when you find proper facilities or what you suspect are the best facilities for the remainder of the day.

Another rule is to "Eat where you can".  The best time to eat is when you find a place that meets your expectations or at worse, your minimum standards.  This helps to reduce the number of times that you may be forced to compromise.

Following the second rule dictated that we stop at Fish Cave.  We had eaten there four years ago and enjoyed the variety as well as the quality of the food.  Once again on this trip we were shocked at how few tourists there were.  We ended up eating at the same food stall that we had enjoyed our meal on the previous trip.  There were only three other people at the stall and roughly a total of 5 others at the other food stalls.  The owner of the food stall remembered us from our previous visit when we had spoken with her for about an hour.  In talking to her this year, we found out that tourism is down significantly starting about three years ago  After a relaxing lunch of sticky rice, grilled pork ribs, and a coconut water/sugar cane soft drink, we left and continued north to hopefully achieve another objective of this trip.

Duang Helping With the Garlic Harvest - 01 April 2009

Four years ago we had witnessed porters carrying bunches of garlic from the field, across a bamboo bridge, and up a hill to store them alongside the road to be picked up by trucks.  We followed the porters on their return trip to the garlic fields - down the rather steep hill, across a flowing stream using a rickety bamboo bridge, and across the dry rice paddies to where a crew of men and women were harvesting garlic.  It was very interesting and I wrote a blog about our experience.  http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/maehongson-april-1-2009.html 

The Garlic Porter - 01 April 2009

One of my objectives this year was to revisit the area and photograph the people harvesting the garlic.  We had checked with the staff at our hotel, and they had informed us that the garlic harvest had concluded.  We had seen many pick up trucks stacked 10 feet high above beds with bundles of garlic, so I expected that there were some activities associated with the harvest still ongoing.  It is always good to ask around for information but in the end the decision has to be your decision as to what YOU will do.  The information from the hotel was valuable in that we knew not to expect a great deal of opportunities for photographs of people working in the fields.  Undeterred we set out for the fields along Highway 1285 on the way to Ban Huai Phueng.  We spotted some motorbikes parked along the road  and a very large square mound of garlic - a definite sign that people were working down in the fields.  Down and some distance from the highway people were working.

I parked the truck a little further down the road to ensure our safety as well as others along the narrow road. I walked alone to scout out the area down the dirt road that lead from the garlic pile to a bamboo bridge that crossed the same stream that we had encountered four years ago.  Tentatively I climbed up the wide pace rungs that brought me to the bridge.  From my vantage point on the bridge I could see people working the fields.  Pleased and excited at this discovery, I returned to the truck to get my camera gear and Duang.

Porters Bringing Garlic to the Highway

We were soon joined by some of the workers transporting garlic bunches suspended from both ends of  bamboo pole balanced on their shoulder.  One of the people appeared to be the big boss and commenced to be a great model for me, sitting on the garlic mound and redistributing the bunches on top of the mound.

The Big Boss

More Garlic for the Pile

After talking with the people along the roadside, we walked down the dirt road and crossed the bridge to where the other workers were loading up bamboo poles with garlic bunches.

More Garlic to Be Hauled Across the Bridge

We had apparently arrived at the worker's lunch break, because after photographing for a while all the workers walked across the bridge to a small raised hut that dot the fields of Thailand.  These raised huts are constructed of timber and have thatched roofs.  The huts provided shelter from the sun during breaks, and are the locations where the workers eat their meals.

One of the Garlic Workers Prepares and Serves Lunch

Curious as to what was going on I wandered over to the hut.  I was immediately offered a cup of cool water from the communal water jug.  In the 95 to 100F heat, I definitely needed a drink and gratefully accepted their hospitality.  Duang caught up with us at the hut.  We were offered to share their lunch but since we had already eaten earlier, we thanked them and declined.  I may be going out on a limb but I do not believe that anyone would go hungry or thirsty in  rural Thailand.  The people are all too willing to share their food and drink; even with strangers.

Workers Eat Lunch With Fresh Banana Leaf "Tablecloth"

As I wandered about taking photos and the workers ate their meal, there was a very animated as well as loud exchange between Duang and the workers.  As much as we were interested in their lives, they were interested in our life - especially about Duang's experience living in America.  This is typical of all our travels, people are curious and interested in others; especially those who obviously have come from far away.  I suspect that these workers in a secluded area of Thailand and out in their fields have not encountered too many foreigners let alone to be able to speak with them for much time.  Our stops along the roads and streets of Southeast Asia often last one hour or more - better opportunities to understand what we are witnessing and to share our experiences with others.

A Worker Crosses the Bamboo Bridge

We left the workers and continued our trip to Ban Huai Phueng.  We encountered some soybean workers further up the road and spent two hours with them - or rather I spent two hours with them while Duang rested in the truck.  As I was returning to the truck she was coming down the trail looking for me.

During our last visit in 2009, we discovered a large open barn where garlic bunches were hung at multiple levels to dry.  Several workers were also working in the field adjacent to the barn which made for some nice photographs - photographs that hoped to replicate during this trip.  I was not exactly sure where the barn was.  Fortunately when we stopped at the Fish Cave to eat there was a loaded pick up truck of garlic.  I had Duang question the driver about the garlic barn.  Although we didn't remember the exact location, we were able to give him a very good description of it.  Without any hesitation, he told Duang that it was in Ban Nai Soi.  I remembered seeing the signs for the road to Ban Nai Soi so on our way back to Mae Hon Song, we took a side trip to Baan Nai Soi.

The Garlic Barn of Ban Nai Soi - Late Afternoon April 03, 2013

We found the garlic barn without any difficulty.  Unfortunately, the field next to the barn had not been used this year - it was just a mass of dry weeds.  I got out to photograph the garlic barn and noticed that a large area in front of the barn was covered with garlic stalks laid in orderly rows.  A man came along and Duang talked to him.  She told him of our wish to take photos of people working the garlic harvest.  He told her that the next morning starting at 8:00 A.M. he would have people working at the barn.  We thanked him and promised him, or maybe we warned him, that we would return the next morning.

Workers Tying Garlic Stalks Into Bundles

We returned to the barn in Ban Nai Soi the next morning and found several Shan workers squatting on the ground gathering stalks of garlic and tying them into bundles using strips of bamboo that had been soaked in water to make them flexible. I am often amazed and impressed in the ability of local people here in Southeast Asia to utilize and incorporate readily available and cheap materials into their work.

Under Smoky Haze, Shan Woman Bundle Garlic In Ban Nai Soi

I was thrilled to achieve another one of the objectives for this trip - much to the amusement of the workers.  They were quite amused and entertained as I crouched and squatted amongst them getting different angles and perspectives to photograph their toil.  My antics and sharing some of the photographs with them put them more at ease and consequently better photographic subjects.

Some of the women had yellow faces.  They were not suffering any type of liver failure or disease that I was aware of.  Rather than suffering liver failure, they were wearing  the traditional Myanmar make up called "Thanaka" or "Thanakha".  Thanaka is a yellowish white paste made from ground up tree bark.  Men and women in Myanmar (Burma) use it as a sunscreen, perfume, and refresher for their exposed skin.  Some women press a leaf into the paste on their cheeks to make a pretty leaf patterned stencil print.

A Shan Woman With Thanaka On Her Face

Shan Workers Amused by a Foreigner

We left the garlic barn to continue our quest for the day to achieve more objectives of this trip.

The Monk Who Lives In A Cave

On Wednesday, after photographing the young boys being transformed into Sang Long, we set off to achieve another one of OUR objectives for this trip to Maehongson.

While on my first trip to Maehongson in October 2006, I visit and met with a Monk who lived in a cave.  Although he spoke no English, we seemed to have made a connection and a certain bonding.  He gave me a blessing and sprinkled water over my head to wish me good luck and good fortune.  He also placed a red string necklace that had a solid cylinder, created by tightly rolling up copper foil, hanging from the red string.  For the remainder of my trip in October and to this day my life has greatly changed and I have experienced "good luck" and the good fortune of being happy.  I do not believe that all this is attributable to our first encounter however I do cherish what I consider to be a shared experience from our first visit.

The Monk's cave is on the right hand side of Highway 1095 about 17 km north of Maehongson in the Pha Suea National Park just before "Fish Cave" (Tham Pla Forest Park).  Fish Cave is a water filled cavern where hundreds of large carp like fish live.  The shade of the forest and tall limestone craggy hills along with the coolness created by the cold water of the stream flowing out of the cavern make a stop at Fish Cave refreshing as well as interesting. As you enter the park there are also many food stalls where you sit and drink prtected somewhat from the heat and sun of the day.

On all of my subsequent three visits to Maehongson, I have made it a point to drop by and visit the Monk.  I bring him bottled water and make an offering to him to help with his living expenses.  The Monk has remembered me each visit.  Although he does not speak English and I speak neither Thai or Lao to hold a meaningful conversation with anyone older than two years of age, we have been able to communicate through either a guide for the first two visits or Duang on the other visits.

On my first two visits, the Monk actually lived in the small cave.  Outside of the cave he had a vestibule with a corrugated metal roof and tiled concrete floor where he received visitors.  It was in his vestibule where you made merit and received his blessings.  Outside of his cave there were several statues of Buddha set against the craggy hill side that he maintained.

On Duang's first visit with me to the Monk, he had converted the vestibule to a walled in living quarters underneath a large rock overhang from the hillside.  There was also a door and lock on the Monk's living quarters - a reaction to some previous vandalism.  The cave where he had lived before was converted to a shrine which could only be accessed through his living area.

During our last visit, four years ago, I was invited by the Monk to go into the cave shrine.  We had arrived at his once a day meal and a local boy was in the living quarters area cooking food for the Monk.

Duang was just as enthusiastic as I was to visit the Monk this year.  Just as in our previous visits, he remembered us.  But there were many visible changes since our last visit.  The local boy has gone away.  The Monk now was running a noisy gasoline generator to have lighting.  The Buddha statues were now surrounded by fairly heavy vegetation perhaps partly attributable to a diminished effort by the Monk to keep the relentless push by nature at bay.

The Monk looked older and more frail than on our last visit.  His hearing was also much worse.  However his kindness was as great as ever.  He was also sharing his quarters with two dogs.

As he spoke with Duang, I photographed him in the natural sunlight that streamed in through an opening in the wall of his vestibule to the cave.  The Monk was very interested to see the results of my efforts to photograph him.  Since I now shoot exclusively digital, I could easily share with him unlike the first visit when I was using film.

The Monk rummaged through his things and pulled out a digital camera.  It was a nice camera but he explained to Duang that he had dropped it and was now having problems with it.  He asked if I could see if I could get it to work.  The camera started up without a problem and requested that the date and time be set-up.  About 5 seconds into setting up the date, you never got to the point of setting the time, the camera would shut down.  I tried several times without success to get the camera to function.  I returned the camera to him and he said that he would bring it to town some day to see if it can be fixed.

After we made merit, we were blessed by the Monk.  Part of the blessing ritual is to be sprinkled over the head with water.  I believe that we got a special blessing - he used up all the water in a special bowl to sprinkle our heads several times.

Monk Holding Bottle of Special Soap

The Monk then gave us each a special amulet that he had made.  The amulets were a sort of Buddhist version of a St Christopher's medal.  They appeared to be made out of metal and had the pressed image of Standing Buddha on the front. The Monk then handed me two bags of material that he uses to make the amulets and had me smell the contents of one of the bags.  It appeared to me that the bags contained clay and perhaps a type of binder such as epoxy.  The bag that I smelled had a very pleasant mild floral type perfume odor. There was an involved discussion between the Monk and Duang about what she needed to do with the object.  He was telling her about how she needed to use some special water that he went outside and brought back to her in a soda bottle.  This water may be special but it e=was definitely not drinking water.  It looked like it had come from the Black Lagoon.  It was dark and had a great deal of suspended things in it - perhaps run off from the rocks above.  Any how she was to take the objects and bathe them in the special water to which special scented liquid soap had been added.  I was familiar with the special scented liquid soap - it is kind of like liquid Castille soap that is added to water that is sprinkled on the corpse during the cremation ritual at funerals.  The small bottles are often included in offerings of toiletries made to Monks.

We said good bye to the Monk and were off to achieve other objectives for the day... but that was not the last that we saw of the Monk who lives in a cave.  But that is another story for another day.

It had been a very good visit.  Yes, many things had changed.  It was yet another lesson and reminder that life is change, change that we can neither avoid or control.  It was also a lesson that we can control how we react to change and that despite change we still can be happy.  Not bad and it was still before Noon.

Poi Sang Long Festival - Wednesday 03 April 2013

A Young Shan Boy Being Transformed Into A Sang Long

Wednesday 03 April was the official start of the 2013 Poi Sang Long Festival in Maehongson.  we had arrived the day before not only to witness the shaving of the young boys heads in the late afternoon. Another reason that we had arrived in Maehongson the day before the official start of the festival was to be able to get a good night's sleep albeit a short night for the early morning activities of the next morning.

From our previous attendance of Poi Sang Long in 2009 and in talking with some of the families during the head shaving ceremony that the boys along with their families would return to the Wat at 5:00 A.M. to prepare for the morning procession through the town.  Preparing for the first day of the festival procession involves applying make-up to the boys face, dressing them in splendid silk garments, gold jewelry, and fancy floral crowns. At the conclusion of the process, ordinary Shan boys have been transformed into "jeweled princes" (Sang Long) reminiscent of Buddha's son, the first Monk, Prince Rahula.

Young Shan (Thai Yai) boys becoming ordained as Novice Monk is a life milestone for them as well as for their family.  Just as with a wedding, this celebration is a grand opportunity and to a certain extent, an obligation for the family to exhibit their success or at least their perceived prosperity. Boys are typically ordained when they are between 9 and 14 years old.  The rite is often deferred until the family has saved or borrowed sufficient money to do it "properly"  The ornate silk clothing that the boys wear is expensive and often fabric is imported from nearby Southeast Asian countries to ensure an expected level of opulence.

Besides the expenses associated with transforming a son into a "jeweled prince", there are costs for the food and drinks for guests to the family home.  There are also the costs of offerings that are made to the Monks.  Family members wearing their finest new traditional Shan clothing also participate in the processions of the festival.  It all makes for a splendid and unique display of Shan culture.

Having been informed that the boys would commence to have their make-up applied and donning their costumes at 5:00 A.M., I decided that we would get to the Wat at 4:00 A.M. to ensure that we would not miss out on anything.  We woke up at 3:30 A.M. to prepare and get to the Wat at my desired time.  Duang is very supportive of my obsessions and never complains about some of our early morning departures in pursuit of photographs. Wednesday was no exception.  Overcoming some difficulties of finding Wat Hua Wiang in the early morning darkness, we arrived at the Sala at 4:15 A.M. By 4:30 the Sala was filled with the 26 boys, their families, television crews, photographers, and about 10 foreign tourists.

Lipstick Is Adjusted Using Finger Tips

One of my main objectives of this trip was to photograph and hopefully capture some of the magic involved in transforming typical young boys into special Sang Long (jeweled princes).  Four years ago I had photographed the process but this year I had a more capable camera that allows me to shoot at a higher ISOs with less noise.  I also had equipment this year to take my flash off the camera and to reduce the harshness of the light created by the speed-lite   Perhaps more importantly I have developed some new techniques to further define my style in these situations.  In the four years since our last visit, Duang also has a new digital camera and has worked on her techniques too.

Unlike four years ago, men were more involved in the application of make-up.  Although many mothers, sisters, and aunts applied the make-up, several fathers and I assumed brothers more than held their own in their proficiency.  Once the lipstick, eyeliner, eye shadow, glitter, and foundation were applied, the family assisted the boys to put on their special clothing.  Once again men were deeply involved in this process.

An Older Brother Dresses His Younger Brother

Father Dressing His Son

Aside from the make-up and elaborate clothing, the transformation into a Sang Long involves adorning the young boys with gold, jewelry  and imitations of those precious items.  After all, every Prince needs to have their bling-bling. Mothers, sisters, and aunts loan their valuables to the boy for him to wear during the festival.

A Father Prepares to Place A Necklace Around His Son's Neck

Family Jewelry Placed on Sang Long

The preparation of the Sang Long is completed with the placing of a very intricate and colorful floral crown.

Dressed and Ready

After all the boys had been prepared, they lined up in two rows once again facing the senior Monk and a large statue of Buddha.  A ritual of chanting both by the Senior Monk and the boys was performed.

Sang Long Participating In Early Morning Ritual

Chanting Along With the Other Jeweled Princes

At the conclusion of the ritual in the Sala, the boys were then hoisted upon the shoulders of their father, older brothers, uncles, or in some cases hired men to be carried outside to wait for the start of the morning procession.  For the remainder of the festival the boys would no longer walk or stand.  They would be carried about.

Outside of the Sala, bands of cymbals and drums beat out a repetitious staccato beat.  Some of the men carrying boys broke out into spontaneous dance.  Women dressed in colorful fine clothing milled about waiting for the start of the morning's procession through the downtown area.

Let the Procession Proceed!

As the procession set off, Duang and I returned to our truck for there were other objectives to try to accomplish on this trip.  The day was still very young and we had places to go and hopeful many people to meet along the way.

Poi Sang Long Festival - Tuesday 02 April 2013

We arrived in Maehongson from Pai around 11:00 A.M.  After checking into our hotel we drove into town to have lunch at the Sunflower Cafe across Nong Jong Kham from Wat Jong Kham and Wat Jong Klang.  Four years ago when we attended the 2009 Poi Sang Long Festival , the festivities were either at or originated at these two Wats.

This year, unlike four years ago, there were no sounds of banging drums or clashing cymbals emanating from the Wat complex. After our lunch we walked over to the Wats to determine when the head shaving ritual would take place.

The Wat complex seemed deserted when we arrived.  I found one man, a workman, sleeping underneath one of the elevated buildings.  There were no people wandering around. anxiously waiting for the start of the ritual.  There were no decorations or floats that would be paraded through town.  In fact the Wat appeared to have fallen on harder times.  Fallen leaves littered the grounds.  A pavilion that displayed intricate religious carvings had been removed.  Many portions of the stucco walls were in need of painting.  Both Duang and I had the distinct impression that the senior Monk or Abbott from four years ago was no longer present at the complex and it had been taken over by a less caring or effective administration.

We walked behind the Wat and crossed the street to a school where I noticed that there were some people. From them Duang found out that festival was being held at Wat Hua Wiang this year.  Apparently the actual  location for the festival changes each year.  Wat Hua Wiang is located in the center of Maehongson -there is a pedestrian gate to the Wat from Th Khunlum Prapat (Highway 1095) however vehicle access is through the market (a narrow two lane street narrowed to 1-1/2 lanes by overreaching, overextended, and encroaching market stalls.  The remaining 1-1/2 lanes of the street are shared by one way vehicular traffic, four way or more motorbikes, parked trucks loading and offloading goods, and, soi dogs,  pedestrians, some wandering about oblivious to the danger surrounding them.

Wat Hua Wiang Bot

We eventually managed to get inside of the Wat complex and determined that the head shaving ritual would commence at 4:00 P.M.  Unlike the Wats at Nong Jong Kham, there was a great deal of activity at Wat Hua Wiang.  Inside an open sided building, several women were cooking food over two wood fires while several other women and young girls were busy preparing vegetables to go into the large pots that were set over the wood fires.  Outside a delivery truck of crushed ice was being off loaded into two large insulated covered plastic bins.

Several canopies had been set up with several tables and many chairs placed beneath them to shield guests from the glaring and intense sun as well as heat.  We set up ourselves at one of the tables to set up my photography gear and a restful spot for Duang to rest.  Eventually we were joined by a Frenchman and two Italian young women.  Unlike four years ago, there were not many foreign tourists attending the Poi Sang Long Festival.  I saw four other foreign tourists during the festival.  The first night at our hotel, there was a total of 16 guests.  Even in discussions with our friends in the refugee camp on the border, we were told that tourism is down significantly in the past four years. This really a shame for the local residents who count on tourism for their livelihoods   Apparently the combination of weak world economy, floods last year in Thailand, and political unrest in Thailand four years ago have contributed to the decline in tourism. Hopefully many more tourists will return to a fascinating area and visit the wonderful people of the Maehongson region.

Decorated Sala for Poi Sang Long Festival

Around 3:00 P.M. the musicians arrived and immediately commenced to play the pounding staccato beat that I have come to associate with this unique Shan cultural festival.

Dancing to the Music

I went into the Sala to prepare for the arrival of the young boys who would be taking their first step towards becoming Novice Monks.

Inside the Sala - Offerings For the Next Morning's Procession

The  26 young Shan boys who would be having their heads shaved that afternoon are following Buddha's son, Prince Rahula's path in becoming a Monk at an early age. In Prince Rahula's time long hair was symbolic of royalty.  Removal of hair then as well as today in the Buddhist culture symbolizes the renunciation of worldly possessions and goods.

One of Two Rows of Young Boys Bow One of Three Times Inside the Sala

Around 4:00 P.M., the 26 young boys and their families assembled inside of the Sala.  As part of the ritual, the boys bowed before a statue of Buddha three times - paying and showing respect to Buddha, the Teachings of Buddha, and the Sanga (Buddhist religious community).

After the boys had completed paying their respects, the senior Monk of the Wat inspected them and took a roll call to account for everyone who was supposed to participate in the upcoming ritual.

The senior Monk Taking Roll Call

As part of the ritual, a part that I found very touching, the two rows of boys turned and bowed to their families. Here in Thailand respect for elders and respect for your family are extremely powerful elements of society.  The government does not provide many social services.  The needs of people are provided directly by their family and neighbors.

At the conclusion of the preliminary preparations inside the Sala, everyone went outside where 26 plastic chairs had been lined up.  The boys sat in the chairs with their family positioned behind them.  As the musicians pounded on their drums and clanged the cymbals, families commenced to cut the young boy's hair with ordinary scissors. The boys were taking a very important step in their religious and their temporal life.  The stress on some of the boys was very apparent.  The boys were now the center of attention and the representatives of their family in this cultural and religious ritual.  Although they were between nine and fourteen years old, it was obvious that they were conscious of bringing honor to their family and people.

The boys sat with a lotus leaf covered pressed metal ceremonial bowl in their lap.  As their hair was cut, family members placed the hair onto the lotus leaf.  At the conclusion of the ritual, the lotus leaf was folded up into a small packet.  The hair filled packet was then taken to the family home and buried at the base of a tree.

Once the boy's hair had been cut closer to the head, the family brought out safety razors and commenced to shave the boy's head. This year we noticed several boys who were nicked in the process and had blood commingling in the rivulets of water that flowed down his face and head.  As the boy's head became smoother and smoother many of them became more uncomfortable.  The cut hair and shavings dropping on to the boy's body irritated the boys.  I also suspect that all the attention that they were receiving also irritated them but in a different way.

A Monk Shaves A Boy's Head

An important part of the ritual is to have a Monk shave each boy's head.  It was at this point that the stress of the event showed on some of the boys  Some were physically uncomfortable.  Some were squirming in their seats.  At least two were visibly upset to the point that they were crying.

Once the heads had been completely shaved, water was poured over the boy to wash away the many hairs that had fallen onto each boy's body and clothing.  The head was dried with cloths and a salve made of the ubiquitous Myanmar beauty application, Thanaka (Thanakha) paste. Thanaka, which is made from certain tree barks, provides cooling effect to the skin, sun burn protection, and is anti-fungal; just what you need for a newly shaved head.

After the ceremony ended there were family photos after which the families returned home most likely for an early bedtime for they had to be back at the Wat the next morning at 4:30 A.M.