Pha Kwan

Pha Kwan (Pah kwan)  Used In "Marriage" Ritual

I have written that I do not necessarily believe everything that I learn and experience in my life here in Southeast Asia but then again that is also true of my life back in the USA - perhaps even more so because language is not such an issue for me over there.  However I strive to be truthful and accurate in what I have observed and experienced here.  I leave it to the reader to come to their own conclusions based upon the facts that I have shared.

Last week I witnessed the preparations for the Bone Party of a villager in Tahsang Village, my wife's home village.  A big part of the preparations, along with preparing food, making offerings for the upcoming ritual, and building basahts, was making the banana leaf and flower centerpiece for the ritual.  For a long time I have referred to this arrangement as "bai sii su kwan" or "pahn sii khawn".  I did not make it up, this is what I was told by my wife or at least what I heard her tell me.

Duang is ethnic Lao - a heritage and culture more in line with the people who live along the lowlands of the Mekong River in Lao than the majority of Thai people.  The people here speak "Isan" - actually Lao amongst themselves and speak Thai when dealing with government and "high class" people.  As such Duang knows two words, sometimes very different words, for everything.  Two words that she has to translate into English for me to understand.  Take for instance - Jack Fruit, one of my favorite fruits.  In Lao it is, or what sounds like to me - "Buck mee" but in Thai it is or once again sounds like to me - "koh num".  I have mentioned a couple of times, "or what sounds like to me", this is of great importance especially in being able to write an Anglicized version of the word.  But it is extremely difficult here - Isan has six tonal variations for saying words.  The way you say a word completely changes its meaning - talk about apples and oranges!  Thai is also a tonal language but has ONLY five ways of saying a word. This complicates communication at times - all the time when you can only distinguish three of the tones most of the time.

Two pha kwan for Bai Sii related to casting Buddha statue

Well I now learn that what I had been calling "bai sii su kwan" or "pahn sii khawn" is actually "pah kwan" or/and "pha kwan".

Pha kwan is an ornate floral arrangement consisting of banana leaves, ornate pressed metal bowls either silver or gold colored (gold is typically used for more auspicious ceremonies), flower buds, flowers, and pieces of cotton string.

Pha kwan are the centerpiece(s) of an ancient ritual of the Lao peoples (including their cousins now living in Isaan (Isan, Esan, Esarn, Isarn).  The ancient ritual, Bai Sii (Baci, Su Kwan or in the case of my wife - "Bai Sii Su Kwan") harkens back to the time when Animism was the religious belief system of the land - in the time before Brahmanism, Hinduism, and eventually Buddhism arrived.

Bai Sii (baci) rituals dominate life here in Isaan even today.  Bai Sii rituals are conducted to mark significant events in an individual's life or community events.  Bai Siis are performed for marriages, prior to the ordination of a novice Monk, birth of a child, a Bone Party, to heal or cure, to celebrate recovery from illness, to wish good luck before a grand journey, to honor visitors, and to celebrate a success.

It is believed, still today, that there are 32 spirits that inhabit the body.  These spirits are necessary to maintain health, wealth, and fortune.  Sometimes some of the spirits will wander off which creates problem for the individual.  A bai sii ritual is conducted to call back the wandering spirits and to ensure that they remain in place by wrapping around and tying the right wrist of the person with short pieces of cotton string - sai sin.

Elderly Female Villagers Making Pha Kwan Components

The creation of the Pha Kwan is an integral component of the Baci ritual.  The making of the pha kwan is typically the work of the elderly women of the family and village.  They typically sit on top of low wood platforms of rough wood or of bamboo to produce the components for the pha kwan.  If they do not position themselves on the handcrafted platforms, the elderly women will work upon woven reed mats, sahts, placed upon a tile floor.

Assembling a Pha Kwan

One woman is recognized as the master or best Pha Kwan.  She is responsible for taking the various components created by the other women and assembling them into a completed pha kwan.  The center of the pha kwan is a cone created from many banana leafs wrapped, twisted, and held together with homemade pegs fashioned from bamboo.  The large cone is placed in the center of an ornate pressed metal ceremonial bowl.  Scraps of banana leaves are bunched around the cone to secure it in the bowl or a banana leaf covered foam ring is placed over the cone and against the interior of the bowl .  Although similar, pha kwan reflect the style and experience of the individual and community that create them.  The often used Thai expression of "Same, same but different" definitely applies to pha kwan.

The other elderly women associated with making the pha kwan were occupied with making smaller cones, placing flower buds at the tips and stringing them together.



Duang's Aunt At Work

The strings of small banana leaf cones will be shaped to form wing like shapes attached to the central cone of the pha kwan.

Soaking Wing Like Structures To Keep Them Fresh

Attaching the Wing Like Structures to Central Cone

Plucking Buds To Attach to Banana Leaf Cones

One of my favorite models in Tahsang Village was part of the group of women working on the pha kwan to be used the next day for the Bone Party ritual.  There are a small group of people that I get a great deal of satisfaction photographing.  It is interesting to document the progression of this life for them.

The baci ritual is intended to benefit an individual - either living or dead.  However, as often in the case here, it is not what it first seems to be .  Besides benefiting the individual, the baci ritual also benefits the family and community by strengthening their bonds - just as the bonds of the sai sin contain the recalled spirits of the individual. Harmony of the community as well as within the individual is a highly respected and a desired state for the ethnic Lao of Lao and Northeast Thailand.

Preparations for Tamboon Nung Roy Wan - Basaht Building

On Day #1 Men Building A Basaht

On Thursday, we drove out to Tahsang Village for me to photograph mushroom workers.  Upon arrival at the village, we found out that the people would not be harvesting mushrooms that day - an apparent change from just the night before.  No matter the case - there was something interesting, as usual, going on.  Workmen were busy constructing a fence, more like a wall, in front of my mother-in-law's house.  I occupied myself observing their tasks and photographing them.  It really  was interesting than one would expect - remember this is Thailand. There will be another blog soon about fence building in Isaan.

Around 10:00 A.M., the sound of ethnic Lao music blasted through the air.  Looking down a side street next to Yai Puu's house, I could see some scaffolding associated with Mor Lam shows or huge speakers for taped music.  Something was definitely going on.

I grabbed my camera and walked down the side street to see what was going on.  As soon as I arrived at the intersection of the side street, a man approached me.  He was serious and determined - he wanted me to take pictures of him and his buddies making two spirit houses underneath a canopy across from his home.

I immediately recognized what was going on - preparations were underway for a Tamboon Nung Roy Wan party.

As part of the ethnic Lao Theravada Buddhist culture, during the Tamboon Nung Roy Wan (100 days after cremation) ritual also known as "Bone Party", offerings are made to the spirits - both to the recently deceased as well as others.

In addition to making offerings to the spirits, offerings are also made to the local Monks.  The making of offerings is a merit making ritual by the family, friends, and neighbors of the deceased person.  Merit is earned in many ways and is a determining factor in a person's reincarnation.  People earn merit for themselves as well as for their ancestors.

Basahts are also used to make offerings to the Monks on special religious days, such as the end of Vassa, also known as the End of Buddhist Lent and End of the Buddhist Rain Retreat - Ok Phansa

For death rituals and 100 Day Anniversary, the offerings to the spirits are made in small spirit houses called "Basahts".  The spirit houses are hand made out of local materials such as bamboo, banana leaves, banana stalks, colored paper, Styrofoam, wax, and foam board. Often plastic chairs or a piece of furniture, either metal or wood, serves as the base for the basaht.

Day #2 - Men Finishing Off One of Two Bassahts

The spirit houses are constructed by men - including the elaborate cutting of colored paper to create lantern type decorations.  I have noticed that there is a distinct division of labor in the preparation for funerals and Tamboon Nung Roy Wan (100 Day Anniversary Party).

 

Men typically construct the basahts.  Younger men are responsible for cutting and preparing the pigs and cattle that have been purchased from vendors to feed the helpers and participants of what is usually a three day event.  The older women occupy themselves making the ornate centerpieces, Bai Sii Kwan, used in the merit making rituals of the Bone Party.  Middle-aged women typically handle the food preparation and cooking chores with young girls typically serving the food, cleaning the tables, and washing the pots, platters, trays, cutlery, and glasses. Everyone seems to know their job without being told.  The preparation crew is usually around 40 to 50 people.

Inside the spirit houses, household goods such as plates and cups, clothing items, food stuff, and money are placed - all items necessary for the ghosts to have on their journey to the other world.  Other offerings, offerings made to the local Monks, such as money, clocks, fans, pots, pans, brooms, buckets of toiletries, towels, etc. accompany the procession of the spirit house from the home of the deceased person to the local Wat.

"Tamboon Roi Wan" is the funeral anniversary party that has been written about many times in "Allen's World".  Tamboon Roi Wan is a merit making ritual that is held 100 days after the cremation of the body.  If for some reason, typically financial, that the ritual can not be held 100 days after the cremation, the ritual can be held at a later date and is called "Tamboon Jaak Khao". Whether 100 days or many years after the cremation, the ritual is identical and the merit is the same.

After photographing the preparations on Thursday, we returned to our home in Udon Thani.  That night, my wife got a phone call from her village.  The people that I had been photographing earlier, wanted to be sure that I was coming back on Friday to take more photographs.   They still had to finish the basahts and had plenty of other work to do.  They also told my wife that there would be many old people and children for me to photograph

I returned as requested the next morning to find plenty of old people, basaht construction, and children to photograph - just as had been promised.

Two men were busy for most of the morning completing the basahts.  They worked carefully and skillfully.  Using ordinary colored tissue paper, silver contact paper, and homemade wax half-sphere candles the men created a unique cultural icon - basaht.

Fringe on a Basaht

Handcrafted Fringe

After about four hours, my mother-in-law came over to have me return to her house.  Duang wanted me back to help out with some things around her mother's house.

Once again, I had been witness to the self sufficient nature of the Lao Loum people of Northeast Thailand.  The people make the most of what is readily available to them.  Their handicrafts help to bind families closer together and bind the families with their neighbors.

Their religious faith and observances also are very important components of their culture - providing a shared past, a common present, and a path to a future together.


Busy Times Here In Isaan - Tamboon Roi Wan (Bone Party)

This week has been very busy for us with a combination of personal, religious, family, and cultural activities.

Wednesday was the second day of "Tamboon Roi Wan" and "Tamboon Jaak Khao" for three of Duang's relatives.

In early January of this year, we attended the funeral of PooPaw Veeboonkul.  The funeral was documented in my blog entry, "Yet Another Lao Loum Funeral" Feb 1, 2013  http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/02/yet-another-lao-loum-funeral.html  It is now 100 days from the funeral and in the Lao Loum culture time for a unique ritual called "Tamboon Roi Wan" sometimes referred to as "Bone Party".

"Tamboon Roi Wan" is the funeral anniversary party that has been written about many times in "Allen's World".  Tamboon Roi Wan is a merit making ritual that is held 100 days after the cremation of the body.  If for some reason, typically financial, that the ritual can not be held 100 days after the cremation, the ritual can be held at a later date and is called "Tamboon Jaak Khao". Whether 100 days or many years after the cremation, the ritual is identical and the merit is the same.

Villagers Gambling As Part of Tamboon Roi Wan

The two day ritual is a time for family, friends, and neighbors to eat, drink, socialize, gamble, and participate in religious ritual.  It is a grand party.

The first day of Tamboon Roi Wan or Tamboon Jaak Khao is spent eating and drinking.  The host family has the responsibility of feeding and supplying drink to all the guests.  Pavilions are set up in the front yard or if there is insufficient room in the yard, pavilions are set up in the street in front of the home.  Round tables covered with fabric and rented plastic chairs are set up underneath the pavilions. Bottles of beer, Lao whiskey, drinking water, and soft drinks along with a small metal bucket of ice are placed on each table.  As the drinks are consumed, they are quickly replaced.  Trays of food such as laab moo (a shredded pork dish), Chinese cabbage and assorted greens, raw beef paste with chili, fried chicken, fried pork skin, pauk pauk (spicy papaya salad), som tom palaa (soup with fermented fish sauce), mushroom soup with red ant eggs, along with small packets of sticky rice.

Spirit Houses (Ban Phii) for the Dead 

Taking advantage of the Songkran holiday and the coinciding 100 day anniversary of PooPaw's cremation, the family also conducted "Tamboon Jaak Khao" for PooPaw's mother and father.  Combining rituals and celebrations is typical here in Isaan for it lowers the overall costs - for the family as well as the guests.  For these celebrations there is a great deal of peer pressure for all family members to attend.  Guests also make donations and offerings as part of the rituals.  Since many family members had traveled to be in Tahsang Village for Songkran, the timing was good to have the "bone party".  By combining three rituals into one, the family reduced its costs significantly.

The first day of the ritual in addition to eating, drinking and gambling was spent in decorating the main pavilion as well as constructing Ban Phii (spirit houses) for each of the deceased people.  In the main pavilion where the ritual would take place, raised bamboo platforms were placed.  The Ban Phii were placed on the platforms.  In front of each Ban Phii a large photo of the deceased person was placed.  Food offerings and glasses of drink were also placed in front of the photographs.  Stalks of bananas were hung from the pavilion framing.  Offerings to be made to the Monks at the conclusion of the ritual were displayed around the Ban Phii.  The offerings included nesting metal food containers, toiletries for the Monks, towels, electric fans, religious decorations, blankets, small square pillows (mons), woven reed mats (sahts).

During the course of the two day ritual, the stack of mons grew larger and larger.  Each person who made an offering gave it with a mon.  Duang and I made an offering of money.  The offering of cash can not just be handed over as bare cash.  The cash is placed inside the envelope that contained our invitation to attend the ritual.  The envelope is then placed upon one of our many mons and given to the people who manned a table at the entrance to the main pavilion.  The mon was placed upon the growing pile of pillows to the side of the Ban Phii.  The envelope was opened and the amount of the offering and our names were logged into a notebook that would be given to the Monks.  People who could not afford cash offerings, donated rice.  Those donations were also logged into the notebook and the rice added to a large sack along with previous donations.

On the first day, some men were occupied making some fancy paper decorations that were to hang from the main pavilion framework.  The decorations were fancy cut outs of green, yellow and red papers. I am constantly amazed at the artistic and handicraft abilities of the Lao Loum people.

Around 10:30 A.M. two plastic chairs were brought together facing each other.

Family Sprinkles Water On Bones Contained In Brass Chedi

A pressed metal decorative bowl filled with drinking water was placed on one of the chairs. A metal tray was placed upon the other chair.  Three small brass chedi each containing bone fragments from each of the deceased people were on the metal tray along with a metal cup containing dainty white flowers call "Daug Mai Kao".  Duag Mai Kao flowers and leaves are used as offerings in Buddhist rituals.  The metal tray also had a fourth brass chedi with its top removed.  Bone fragments from all three deceased people had been placed inside of the opened chedi.  The metal serving tray also had some Daug Mai Kao leaves on it.

Family members approached the plastic chairs and reverently sprinkled water using the daug mai kao flowers on the bone fragments while chanting words along the lines of "Good Luck to you, I miss you, Buddha take care of you. I wait for you to be born again, You not worry, Family is OK"  Each person chants their own special incantation to the spirits.  At the end of Songkran the brass chedis will be interned in a larger family chedi at the local Wat.

"Rocketman" Chanting While Holding Saisin

At the conclusion of this portion of the ritual, a typical merit making ritual of offering food to the Monks was conducted.  Once again I had the pleasure of seeing "Rocketman" and the other Monks from the "inside" Wat along with the Monks from the "outside" Wat of Tahsang Village.

After finishing eating the Monks, all but three, returned to their respective Wats.  The three Monks who remained were special "singing" Monks from a third Wat.  The Monks set up their sound system and sat in very ornately carved wood golden chairs to perform the special four hour allegorical merit making performance of grieving and Buddhist tenants.  Although I have read that Buddhist Monks are not supposed to sing this was the at least third example that I had witnessed Monks singing - things are not always the way that they are supposed to be.  perhaps the is a dispensation because it is traditional Lao religious "singing" rather than modern pop songs or hip hop.

I ended up sitting next to the large gong at the base of one of the Monk's chairs.  I ended up having to hit the gong throughout the four hour ceremony.  At first the Monk that I was sitting next to gave me the sign to bang the gong.  Later people in the audience gave me the sign to bang the gong three times - once for Buddha, once for the teachings of Buddha, and once for the Buddhist religious community (Sanga).  After awhile I believed that I had figured out for myself when to "bang the gong".  To me it seemed that it was time to bang the gong whenever one of the Monks was singing particularly well - long drawn out warbling drawn out wide tonal range - in other words whenever they had the feeling or I had the "feeling".  I think it was somewhat like a fundamental Christian tent revival meeting when someone shouts out "Amen!" or "Hallelujah!"  People told my wife that I did a good job and that I understood how to bang the gong even when our four year old grandson was sleeping on my lap.

Women Participating In Special "Singing" Merit Making While Betel Nut Chewing

The last 30 to 40 minutes of the special merit making with the singing Monks involved feeding the spirits and making offerings to the spirits.  This portion of the ritual started with trays of food and glasses of drink being placed before each of the photographs of the deceased people.

Food To Feed the Spirits of the Deceased Is Placed Before their Photographs

Candles are lit and placed upon the trays of food and drink while family members hold burning Joss sticks to offer the food to the spirits.

After the food and drink had been offered to the spirits, the Monk who was the female voice of the singing ritual commenced to sing a mournful traditional Lao lament of death. - very similar to this song but without the musical accompaniment. http://youtu.be/jzImU9seLWU (Vin yan Mae) "The Mother's Spirit.

As the Monk sang, family members paid their respects to the deceased while holding burning Joss sticks.

Unlike at the cremation ritual, it is during this portion of the Tamboon Roi Wan and/or Tamboon Jaak Kho that there is an outpouring of emotion and grief.  Men and women alike cry as they listen to the mournful laments and think of the deceased.  It is a very moving and touching.  Our grandson sat and attentively observed the ritual - some how instinctively knowing that seriousness and significance of what was transpiring before him.

The merit making ritual ended around 3:30 P.M. when the people returned to socializing, gambling, and drinking.  The children returned to the roadsides to toss water on passing vehicles and people.

At 9:00 P.M. the next element of the "Bone Party" commenced.  Duang's brother had been hired to put on one of his "Molam Lao" shows.  The village street had been blocked off and a large stage erected in the middle of the street.  The show was scheduled to run until around 4:00 P.M. but as so often happens here in Isaan, the police shut down the how before its scheduled completion because of the number of fights.

Lead Female Performer Backstage

The propensity for violence at these shows is widely known.  We asked our 4 year old grandson if he wanted to go to the show.  He said "No, I want to go home and sleep.  There are too many fights!"  There were several policemen at the show as well as one of the large paddy wagons to detain and transport offenders.  The problems during this show started after I had left.  Tahsang Villagers and their rivals from another local village kept getting into fights and ignored the police.  There has been bad blood between the villages since the murder of one villager by a member of the other village.  When people refused to cooperate with the police, the police shut the show down.

A Dancer Backstage

Performing A Song With Khene

It had been quite a party - a Bone Party or Party Phii (Spirit Party).  It was a party that involved the entire community as well as the large extended family of the deceased.  Just as Thai food is a melange of various colors, textures and flavors ranging from sour to sweet, spicy to bland, the party encompassed a wide range of emotions and activities.  There was the solemn respect for the deceased, the sense of community, the reminders of life is suffering, the open displays of grief, the homage to Buddha and spirits, and finally in the end the joy and energy as well as enthusiasm of the Lao Loum culture.  People of all ages participated in all aspects of the day.  Death is not kept hidden from children.  From an early age children are aware of the inevitability of death.