The Fruits Of Their Labors

Duang has been very busy the past week learning from her friend how to make pahn, also known as pahn sii kwan and pahn bai sii.  Besides learning how to make pahn, Duang is actually helping to produce pahn for making special offerings during Vassa.

In Thailand the Buddhist Retreat is known as Vassa.  Buddhist Lent starts the first day of the waning moon in the eighth lunar month (typically July).  Buddhist Retreat lasts three lunar months.  During the period, Monks are supposed to remain at their home Wats or monasteries.  The practice predates Buddhism when religious holy men in India would not travel during the rainy season in order to prevent damage to crops growing in the fields, to reduce the likelihood that they could kill insects that they were unable to see in the mud or water, and also to reduce the likelihood that they could injure themselves.

For the Theravada Buddhists of Thailand, there is also a connection between the practice of the Retreat and the life of Buddha.  There is a legend, a belief for others, that Buddha retreated to heaven to give a sermon to his mother who had died seven days after his birth.  He stayed in heaven for three months.  When Buddha returned to Earth, he was welcomed back with great enthusiasm and joy.  The welcome back celebration was so joyous that the gods and goddesses joined in.

We are in Vassa.  During this time, Monks are to remain in their monastery and refrain from overnight travel.  During this time, it is customary for laypeople to make offerings of candles to the Monks because Vassa is a period of intense study of scriptures and teaching by the Monks.

During Buddhist Lent many women made extra merit by wearing white clothing when participating in merit making rituals and when praying.  Some of the women also attended overnight women's retreats at the Wats where they recited and studied scriptures.  Duang has attended one of these overnight retreats already this season.

She and her friends wear white clothing when creating their pahns.

Sunday we traveled 4 hours from our home to make offerings to a special Monk.  We traveled with our daughter-in-law., our grandson Pope, Duang's son, Duang's friend, the Monk from the new Wat near our home, and two other women from the new Wat.  We ended up going in two vehicles due to the threatening weather conditions.

Our journey took us along Thai Highway 2195, a two lane country road, that parallels the Hueang River.  The Hueang River is 90 miles long and empties into the Mekong River.  We travelled along part of the 56 miles of the river that constitutes the border between Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.  In many places the "river" is in a gully about 50 feet from the side of the road.  Across the 50 foot wide river, on the other side, is Laos - literally a stones throw away - even with my rag arm!  For me it sure put a new perspective on the concept of building a wall to secure a country's border.  It was difficult terrain and a great distance even the short time that we traveled along the border.

Thailand does not have a wall but the border is not ignored.  We went through two sections of road where we were forced to navigate around several hefty log barriers topped with concertina wire which narrowed the road to a single serpentine lane.  The checkpoints were not manned when we passed through them.  However on our way to the shrine, we were stopped by a squad of armed military.  I suspect that they were Thahan Phran, Thai Rangers, paramilitary light infantry.  They were all armed with HK33 assault rifles.  We were stopped, questioned as to where we were going, and given a good look over.  We were quite the lot - a Buddhist Monk, a 4 month pregnant woman, a two year old, my stepson, and me - a foreigner!  We were wished a good day and sent along on our way.

We eventually pulled off of Highway 2195 and took country road 3033 up into the highlands to Wat Phon Nong.  Wat Phon Nong is precided over by a very important Monk.  Duang says that he is the Number 1 Monk in Isan.  He is 49 years old and has been a Monk for 17 years.

Pakoo Pawahna Vilotwavi (?) teaches 16 other Monks at Wat Phon Nong.  His patrons are high ranking officers in the Thai military.  He has meditated for as long as 15 days and nights.  His reputation is also for knowing everything ... knowing the future, telling fortunes, as well as being a great judge of character.  These beliefs of the laypeople are strong and very important in Isan culture.

We arrived at Wat Phon Nong during a light rain shower that continued on and off during our entire stay.  I went up to the sheltered portico were some laypeople were seated on the tile floor in front of Pakoo Pawahna Vilotwavi.  The others of our group stayed at some little huts alongside of the road, busy assembling the offerings to be made.

After about 20 minutes, I was joined by the others lead by Duang carrying a completed offering.  The offering was a large sculpted saffron colored candle, about 9 inches in diameter and roughly 4 feet long, mounted inside of a large pottery pot painted like a strawberry.  The women had assembled components of their pahn sii kwan around and along the candle to be a large Naga (serpent) topped off with three heads with interwoven red, white and blue ribbons.  Red, white and blue are the colors of the Thai national flag. Yellow chrysanthemums, pumalai made from chrysanthemums, and ribbons created out of Thai currency completed the candle offering.  The other people of our group carried the other candle offering as well as the smaller pahn offerings and placed them before the esteemed Monk.

After receiving a blessing from the Monk, time was spent in small talk.  I asked several questions to get a better understanding of what I was observing.  One of the Monks then took me on a private tour of the facility which I greatly appreciated.

With another four hours of driving awaiting us before we were once again home, we soon bid our farewell to the Monks and hit the road once again. The weather had not been great but we had had a great day.  Duang and her friends were quite satisfied and pleased with their offerings to an important Monk.  I was pleased to experience yet another unique aspect of Isaan culture and life.

We will return to the area some day when the weather is more conducive to outdoor exploration.

Passing On

Pahn Sii Kwan

"Passing on" - this blog entry is not another entry regarding the funeral rituals of the Lao Loum people who inhabit the Northeast Thailand.  This blog entry has nothing to do with someone's death. rather it is about keeping a culture and a handicraft alive.  They are kept alive by passing on the knowledge and training others to develop the skills required to maintain the traditions.

Here in Isaan, ornate centerpieces created out of banana leaves, chrysanthemums, and jasmine buds are used during many significant events celebrated with rituals based upon Buddhist, Hindu, and Animist religions.   The centerpieces, called Pahn, Pahn Sii Kwan or Pahn Baisii, can be seen at funerals, 100 Day Parties, weddings, ordinations, birthdays, baii sii rituals, and special Buddhist days.

I have seen pahn being created many times and consider them to be one of the hallmarks of life here in Isaan and in Lao.  The making of pahn, like many things here, is a community endeavor.   Prior to the reason for celebration, women, typically older women, will gather to make the pahn.  In addition to making the pahn, the women spend their time eating, drinking, and most of all ... socializing.  Some of the women chew betelnut, a pastime similar to chewing tobacco even down to spitting out copious amounts of darkly colored saliva.

I had mention some time ago to Duang that it would be nice if she learned how to make pahn.  Duang is clever as well as artistic so learning to make pahn seemed natural to me for her.  There was also another contributing factor for her.  Since pahn are used as offerings in religious rituals, merit is earned by their creators.  Duang agreed and said that she wanted to learn how.  She was willing and we only had to wait for a way.

Tearing Banana Leaves to Use for Pahns

For the past two years, Duang has been going to the local market and purchasing pahn for the shrine in our home.  She has also ordered special pahn to take to rituals in her home village of Thasang Village.  Over the time she developed a friendship with the vendor.  Last week through the vendor, Duang learned of the special ritual to cast the Naga at the local rustic Wat.  After our visit for the casting of the Naga, the woman offered to start teaching Duang how to make pahn.

On Sunday, we drove back to the local rustic Wat near our home for Duang to start her training.  I went along to take photographs specifically to work on using speedlights to control the lighting for photographs.

I had not properly prepared to take photographs.  I had not checked on the numerous AA batteries that I would be using to power the speedlight and two radio transmitters to trigger the speedlight.  A total of 8 batteries are necessary for the technique that I planned on using.  After the first few shots, the flash no longer worked either due to its depleted batteries, depleted batteries in the radio receiver attached to the flash or depleted batteries in the radio receiver on top of my camera - or so I thought.  I had not brought my battery tester so troubleshooting was a hit or miss affair - with many misses.  Despite my shaking, reinstallation of batteries and swapping out of batteries along with several "words of encouragement" from me, the flash did not operate consistently or reliably.  It was then that the Abbott who was casting Naga parts just outside of the room where the lessons and photography were going on got involved.  He told Duang that she and her friend needed to make some offerings and say some prayers to the spirits.  The spirits were upset and did not want photographs.

Apparently earlier, a television crew had arrived at the site to make a film.  They were unable to get their equipment to work.  Apparently the spirits were not pleased and would not allow the filming.

Duang told me to wait.  She and her friend moved over to the corner of  the room that contained a shrine.  Together they made an offering of a pahn and said their prayers, Duang beseeching the spirits to allow me to photograph and not to make me angry.

Upon completion of their worship, my flash began to function properly, consistently, and reliably.  Duang is certain that the spirits had relented and allowed me to continue.  Personally I suspect that I had resolved the issue by using my third radio transmitter and scavenging four batteries from my spare speedlight.  In my experiences and travels around this world I have found that man has a need to explain and understand the events that occur about them.  Duang has solace in her faith and I have comfort in my trust of science - different solutions from different perspectives but solutions that satisfy a common need.

With the technical issues resolved, the lesson began.  The commitment and supportive teacher showed her eager student how to fold, bend, staple pieces of banana leaves and jasmine buds to form the components that will stapled and pinned with sewing pins to create simple pahn.

The women kept busy with their craft while I was occupied with taking photographs.  Their efforts and my efforts were periodically interrupted by my need to share with them the results of photograph efforts. It was a very relaxed atmosphere with plenty of conversation and laughter.  Duang and her friend often laughing at my efforts to take photos from different perspectives such as laying on the floor.  I made several quips about Duang's efforts ... when her friend praised her pahn, I remarked that Duang was good but slow!  Truthfully, Duang had done very well.  Her instructor had gone to school for one year to learn the handicraft and has spent 6 years supporting herself, her mother, and her daughter making pahn to sell at the local market so making speed comparisons was unfair.

I was impressed with the patience of Duang's instructor.  She is the type of teacher that we all wish that we have had.  She watched over Duang's efforts without interfering with Duang's learning process.  She was extremely supportive and encouraging.

Duang concentrated on making the simple pahn while her friend moved on to the more complicated components for intricate pahn.

After three hours of intense learning and work, we left.  Duang said that learning to make pahn was "same same" as learning English ... "think think too much, my head hurt"  We shared a good laugh and returned satisfied and content.  Duang enjoyed her lesson and will return tomorrow for more instruction.

I was pleased to see that Duang will be able to maintain a tradition so closely related to her culture.  Like I often find and appreciate in photography there are people who are willing and capable of passing on their knowledge.  Our world is a better place due to their efforts.  Their students are the legacy and testimony of their teachers.

Songkran 2016 (2559 BE) - Bone Washing

We are now past this year's Songkran Festival.  The festival is traditional Thai New Years marked by the passing of the sun into Aires.  In Thailand the astrological calculations are no longer used to determine the start of Songkran. The official Songkran Holiday here in Thailand is April 13 to 15. If any of the official days are a weekend, the day or days are added on to the end of the official period.


That is what is supposed to be but there is the way that things are.  Many places celebrate the holiday for 6 or 7 days no matter what.  Thasang Village, this year celebrated from April 12th to the 16th with Songpoo Day, which has always been before Songkran, being celebrated tomorrow - 21 April. Just to add to the confusion some places celebrate at slightly different times - such as Pattaya concluding their celebration 1, 2, or 3 days after Bangkok.


There is some method to what may appear to be madness either figuratively or literally.  Staggering the local celebration dates allows people, especially those from Isaan and work in the Bangkok or Phuket areas, to celebrate with friends that they work with and still be able to return to their homes to celebrate with family.  Besides it allows a great party to continue even longer.


Songkran is a time when people are expected to return to their villages to pay respect to their elders - living and deceased.  It is a time of family reunions, family parties, celebrations with friends, and religious merit making to go along with merriment in general.  Songkran here in Thailand is like the combining of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and the Super Bowl into one grand celebration in America.


The joy and festivities of Songkran often leads to tragedy.  Newspapers keep a tally of what is labelled Songkrans 7 "Dangerous Days".  Thailand's roads are the second most dangerous in the world and even more so during Songkran. 


Songkran also has a more somber and sober side.  It is during Songkran that Theravada Buddhist families will wash the bones of their ancestors.


During Songkran, Thai people demonstrate care, concern and respect for elders by pouring cool water and placing scented powder on elderly people.  Mid-April is the hottest time of the year and the end of the dry season here in Thailand.  Traditionally the people poured cool water on elderly people to help them deal with the heat.  The tradition is still practiced but the rowdy street parties and roving water wars along public thoroughfare's get the most attention nowadays.


Every Songkran people pour water over Buddha statues in homes and in Wats to clean, cool, as well as to show respect. The grounds of the temples are also cleaned up as well as residential property.  At many Wats there are festivals to raise funds for the maintenance of the temple and related property.  During the Songkran Festival families will remove the bones of ancestors to wash them and then return them to their resting places inside of the family Tat.

Everywhere where you drive about Isaan you will see places with colorful and sometimes gaudy concrete structures can be purchased.  Many of them are "Spirit Houses" but many are Tats.  Tats are elaborate structures on temple grounds in which bones are stored.

As family members die, they are cremated, and some of their bone fragments are retrieved by the Monks.  The Monks store the fragments and bury the remaining fragments and ashes on the Wat grounds.  After the family has constructed a Tat, the retained fragments are interned in a special ritual to place them in the Tat.

We arrived at Duang's Aunt's house on the morning of the 15th around 8:00 A.M..  The bone washing ritual was scheduled to be performed before the daily ritual of offering food to the Monks.  Bone washing rituals can be performed at other locations beside the Wat.  Duang's family, this year, opted to have the ritual in the home of the matriarch of the family.

Sahts were placed on the floor for the Monks, family members, and for the trays used in washing the bones.  Two containers of specially prepared water to be used in the ritual.  Duang's Aunt prepared the water by filling the containers with water and the adding flowers and scented powder to the water.

Serving Tray with Ghoats Containing Bone Fragments

A decorative porcelain or decorative metal urn, ghoat, containing the bone fragments was placed on an ordinary metal serving tray along with a metal drinking cup, as well as a bunch of sprigs from a daugkuhn shrub from the grounds of the Wat.  Another decorative metal serving tray was prepared with small portions of food offerings, two yellow birthday type wax candles, two sprigs of jasmine buds for the spirit of the ancestors. 

Washing Bones

The Brahman supervised and lead the family in the ritual.  Water was drawn out of the large container with the metal drinking cup.  The sprigs of daugkuhn shrub were then dipped into the metal cup and withdrawn to sprinkle the scented water over the bone fragments contained in the ghoat.

After the Monks had sprinkled the bones, the tray was placed in front of the immediate family.  Each family member repeated the water sprinkling.  When they had completed. other family members and others came up to the tray and sprinkled water.  The ritual was not limited to adults.  Children here in Isaan are taught manners and religion at a very young age.  These little girls were no exception. 

Our grandson, Pope 19 months old participated despite being ill.

Part of the ritual which was conducted by the Monks, involved chanting while candles dripped wax into a metal container of holy water and some metal coins placed at the bottom. The candles are traditional offerings and the dripping of the wax into water conveys the merit of the offering to the water which is a major vehicle in Theravada Buddhism for conveying merit between people of this world and the spirits of other worlds.  The coins are offerings to the spirits for use on their journeys.

Making Food Offerings to the Spirits

Food Offerings to Spirits Presented to Abbott

The focus of the ritual then became the offering of food to the spirits of the deceased family members.

As the ritual continued, a sii sein was unfurled to connect the food offerings, the Monks and the bone fragments together. The sii sein, a cotton string or sometimes several cotton strings are used in Buddhist as well as Animist rituals.  The strings are tied on the wrists of people in the Bai Sii Ritual, several strings are wrapped around the steering columns of motor vehicles for good luck, and in a funeral processions a thick sii sein connects the Monks who are leading the procession back to the coffin with family members and friends in between holding on to the sii sein as they walk.  At the Wat during the most part of the ritual, the coffin is connected by a sii sein from the crematorium across to the sala where  much of the ritual is being conducted.  As the Monks chanted, family members placed food offerings to the spirits of their deceased family members on a tray supported by a woven basket like structure.

After everyone, who wanted to, had sprinkled or poured water on the bone fragments, Duang's Aunt placed her hand over the open top of the ghoat and shook it several times to agitate the fragments and water.  She then allowed the water to slowly drain into the metal serving tray.  She then repeated the process.  After the second time she removed the bone fragments and held them in one hand while she drained the water from the ghoat into the tray. After inspecting each fragment and brushing off any sand like particles into the metal tray, she returned the fragments to the ghoat.  The top was placed on the ghoat.


The food offerings for the spirit are brought to the two senior Monks who pour water over the offering to symbolize the transfer of merit to the spirit from the family.

Offerings are then made to the Monks in the name of the departed person.  Special bundles had been prepared the day before the Monks.  Items such as tooth paste, tooth brush, hand soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and other toiletries had been placed in three of the bundles each contained in plastic shopping bags.  One bundle, the fourth one for the Abbott, was wrapped in a special plain white cotton cloth with sii sein binding at the top.  This bundle contained new items such as pants, eye-glasses, watch, belt, socks, shoes, wallet, underwear, and shirt for the spirits.


After the ritual, the Monk will give the offered personal items to local people who are in need.

Paper Strips With Names of the Deceased Ancestors Are Burned

After paper strips, each of which had a name of a deceased family member written on it, were burned, the Abbott of the "inside Wat" got up and with the assistance of a family male member sprinkled water from the bowl that contained the coins and wax drippings using a bundle of coarse reeds.  The act of sprinkling the water transfers merit to the assembled family members.


As the Abbott, whom I have nicknamed "Rocketman", start about the room sprinkling holy water on people, I grabbed my camera and moved to the far reaches of the room.  I have been there and had it done before!  Rocketman started smiling and the family started laughing ... there was no escape and I was in Rocketman's sights!  As he approached me, I placed my camera behind me as far as I could reach.  Rocketman gently sprinkled me without getting any water on the camera - thankfully.  As I lowered my head in a gesture of respect, he then tapped me on the top of my head three times with fully loaded brush strokes of water.  As well as soaking my hair with water much to everyone's amusement, the three taps were also significant in that they symbolize the three Gems of Buddhism - Buddha, the Teachings of Buddha, and the Sanga (Buddhist religious community).  No doubt that as a foreigner and a Christian, Rocketman must have believed that I needed additional merit for my journey to liberation.


My merit for the day was not over with the triple tap.  One of the other Monks that always gives me heads-ups for photographing rituals, stopped by me on his way out.  He grabbed one of the metal cups and had one of the male family members fill it with water from washing the bones.  He gestured to me that he wanted me to pour it over my head.  I aim to please, most of the time, so my head got doused once again.


It was a memorable day ... paying respect to the ancestors, being with family, and having some laughs.

A Monk's Cremation

Wan Tong Veeboonkul

Buddhists do not believe in a permanent and fixed reality.  To them everything in this world is subject to change as well as alteration.  Impermanence and change are truths in our existence according to Buddhism.

In Buddhism, impermanence is described in four phrases:

Whatever is stored up is bound to run out.

Whatever rises up is bound to fall down.

Whatever come together is bound to fall apart.

Whatever is born is impermanent and is bound to die.

Everyday, if we look or choose to be aware there are examples as well as affirmations of the four phrases regarding impermanence.  However, it is the death of someone that we know that strongly drives into our reality the truth of the fourth phrase  "Whatever is born is impermanent and is bound to die".

A week ago, one of Duang's cousins died.  Wan Tong Veeboonkul was 72 years old.  We last saw him at a funeral in Thasang Village on October 14th.

Wan Tong Veeboonkul - far right side of this photo

Wan Tong had been a Theravada Buddhist Monk for five years.  He had become a Monk after the death of his wife.  As is very common her in Thailand, many men after the death of their wife and their children leaving to start their own families, will "take refuge" in the Triple Gem (Three Jewels) of Buddhism - the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings of Buddha), and the Sangha (the Buddhist religious community of Monks and Nuns).

Duang's cousin had four daughters and one son who lived near him in Ban Nong Daeng near Duang's home village in Nongwa Subdistrict.

He had not been feeling well for a while - Duang said that his insides were no good.  Last week he went out for a walk and had a heart attack.  Typically when someone dies of natural causes they are cremated three days after their death.  In cases of violent deaths such as accidents or suicides, the person is cremated sooner because the spirits are unsettled by the death - in those cases the body is cremated one or two days later.  However Duang's cousin was a Monk which is an entirely different protocol.

Monks are considered and treated as a higher class of people than typical people here in Thailand.  Their social status is due to Monks being closer to liberation ("Enlightenment") than average people or even wealthy people.

I have attended over 15 funerals in six years, however this was the first cremation ritual for a monk.  To paraphrase an expression that Duang often uses when I point out something in America or Thailand that Is different from each other - "Funeral for Buddha (Monk) not same for other people"

The first difference is that a Monk is not cremated until 7 days after his death.  Secondly whereas all the cremations that I have attended were around 1:00 PM, the cremation for Monks does not start until after sundown.  Our sunset now is around 5:30 PM so yesterday's ritual did not start until 7:00 P.M. The ritual for the Monk lasted two hours whereas typical cremations that I have attended lasted around one hour.

The ritual for laypeople starts at their home with a procession to the local Wat for the final aspects of the ritual.  The Monk was kept at the Wat where he lived.

Entrance to Wat Udom Nong Daeng

Oh - the biggest difference was Monks are cremated on a funeral pyre on the Wat's grounds and not in the Wat's crematory furnace.  When I arrived yesterday afternoon for the evenings ritual, the Monk was already positioned on top of the funeral pyre.

Funeral Pyre for Wan Tong Veeboonkul

A small ornate pavilion had been erected around the funeral pyre. The pavilion was constructed from four concrete piles placed in the ground to serve as support columns.  The concrete columns served as support elements for horizontal bamboo members that in turn served as attachment points for long thin bamboo members to form a dome above the funeral pyre.

The dome framework was covered with a fine white fabric that very well could have been mosquito netting. The base of the dome was circled by a ring of  homemade ornate consumable panels - thin Styrofoam boards covered with a solid colored foil with an overlay of a different colored foil cut by hand into intricate designs.  I have watched this type of decoration being produced before but on a much smaller scale for "spirit houses" (basahts) used in Tambon Nong Roy Wan parties (Bone Party).

Ornate thin colored cloth panels, reminiscent of delicate summer curtains from my youth in New England were suspended from the dome ring and gathered at their end near the ground to form triangles along the circumference of the funeral pyre.  There was a low wall type structure created from horizontal bamboo poles and fabric covered thin Styrofoam panels.  Two openings at opposite ends of the structure allowed access to the pyre.  Leaning up against the outside  four low walls were many funeral memorial placards readily available for all funerals.  The placards often contain clocks, fans, giant ornamental watches, and sometimes kitchen utensils along with artificial flowers, garlands and custom printed banners of best wishes for the deceased along with the name of the donor.

Underneath the dome, a refrigerated coffin was resting upon a bed of logs.  The bed of logs was comprised of two layers of 9" to 12" diameter hardwood logs perpendicular to each other.  Inside of the refrigerated coffin was the typical consumable coffin containing the corpse.

Outside of the entrance closest to the pavilions where people sat to view the ritual where tables with talisman called daughans that would be placed on top of the consumable coffin by mourners before coconut water is poured on the corpse by Monks, dignitaries and family members.  Men remove the daugchans from the lid of the consumable coffin and place them inside of the coffin before the pouring of the coconut water.

Mourners Carrying Monk Robes Offerings Three Times Clockwise Around Pyre

A very important aspect of the ritual is to earn merit for one-self as well as for the spirit of the deceased person.  Merit is typically earned at funerals by offering robes to the Monks by dignitaries and immediate family members. The people earn merit for themselves and the deceased person by carrying the robe up to the coffin and placing the robe on a ordinary metal serving platter on the coffin at the entrance to the furnace.  The Senior Monk accepts the first offering followed by Monks in descending seniority until all the robes are distributed.  Typically at funerals there are 2 to 5 offerings made.  For the ritual associated with the Monk's cremation, ordinary laypeople made a cash offering in a collection box at one of the tables off to the side of the pyre.  They then took a packaged robe and carefully carried it three times clockwise around the pyre.  It seemed to me that unlike a typical funeral there was no announcing of who gave what for cash offerings.  Unlike typical funerals, poor people who could not offer cash did not offer small bags of rice.  It appeared to me that you offered what you could at this ritual and you got to walk around with the robe.  After people completed their circumambulation of the pyre, the robes were returned to the white cloth covered folding table to be used by other mourners.

At most cremation rituals there are 6 to 14 Monks in attendance.  However for the ritual involving a Monk there was about 34 Monks participating.

At 7:00 PM the ritual commenced.  The start was initiated by the ringing of a bell - sounded like the ringing of a steam locomotive bell.

A senior education official did the "Master of Ceremony" duty - announcing and keeping things organized in accordance to the supervision of another one of Duang's cousins - an Abbott at another local Wat.  Both the education official and Duang's cousin are common participants at the local funerals.

The Start of the Ritual - School Official Shows Sign of Respect for the Deceased

A big difference in this ritual as opposed to a typical funeral was the offering of robes to the Monks.  Besides the sheer number of robes that were offered, there was a different way to offer them.  A dignitary or family member would be called, go up to the table of robes, take a robe on a gold colored pressed metal ornate raided bowl, and carry it to the area just inside of the pyre area.  Once the person had place the bowl with the robe on a table next to the coffin. a Monk would walk barefoot about 20 meters from their pavilion to accept the offering.  Each Monk said a chant before accepting the offering.

As part of the ritual. laymen removed the refrigerated coffin from the pyre and set it off to the side.

After the coconut water had been poured over the corpse and the daugchans placed inside of the consumable coffin, laymen punctured the bottom of the coffin to drain away the liquids in the coffin and to facilitate the cremation of the corpse.  They then placed additional long logs that had been stored off to the side of the funeral structure.  The logs were placed to form a large and dense teepee around the consumable coffin. The pyre was then doused with naphtha rather than the typical diesel fuel to start the fire.

As a Monk entered the funeral structure with a candle and started the pyre fire, fireworks were launched into the black sky.  Typically three are launched to scare away any malevolent spirits that might interfere with the release of the deceased person's spirit.  For the Monk's ritual there were several fireworks shot into the sky - it was difficult to count because each firework had several secondary explosions once it got up to elevation.  I was busy taking photos but I would estimate roughly 24 explosions and colorful bursts.

Like all funeral rituals, the symbolism of turning away from the materialism of this world, candies and foiled wrapped coins were tossed to the eagerly awaiting crowd - especially the children.

The cremation ritual last night took two hours to complete.  Typical funeral rituals take one hour once the coffin arrives at the local Wat.

Whatever is born is impermanent and is bound to die.

Feeding the Spirits - Wan Kao Saht 2558 (2015)



A Villager Makes Food Offering At the Base of A Tat for the Spirit of a Departed Relative

Sunday was a special day in Isaan.  September 27 2015, 2558 BE, was Wan Kao Saht.  It is the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival.  For Westerners it is the "Harvest Moon".

On this special merit making is performed in offering food to the Phii (ghosts).  People also earn merit through offering a special treat called "Kao Tawtek" to their local Monks.  Kao Tawtek is a mixture of freshly popped rice, caramel, peanuts, shredded coconut and millet.  It is made in backyards, front yards, and side yards throughout Isaan just prior to Wan Kao Saht - typically in huge woks over wood fires. It is also traditional for older people to give gifts of Kao Tawtek and money to children.

Like many things here in Thailand, Wan Kao Saht seems to be adapted and amalgamated from other cultures. The Chinese celebrate a Hungry Ghost Festival and "Ghost Day" around the same time.  In Vietnam, the second biggest holiday with an emphasis and focus on children is celebrated at this time of the year.

I drove out to Tahsang Village, my wife's home village, early this morning to be able to participate in the daily merit making ritual of offering food to the Monks.  Although I left early in the morning, I was not as early as Duang.  She left our home at 6:00 A.M. to prepare for the ritual at the Wat outside of the village.  I drove through the bright green rice paddies, "high as an elephant's eye" sugar cane fields, and muddy fields lying in fallow, before I arrived at the "Outside" Wat (Wat Pha That Nong Mat).

On Wan Kao Saht, in addition to earning personal merit, the participants earn merit for the spirits of their dead relatives.  In the Lao Loum culture, as well as other Southeast Asia cultures, the people have to take care of the spirits of their family as well as other ghosts.  Spirits need merit in death as well in life to assist them in their journey to enlightenment.  Merit is the basis for determining what form and status a person will be reincarnated as.

Typical Daily Ritual of Making Food Offerings to the Monks

The villagers, in addition to the normal offerings of food for the Monks, had brought baskets of special foods wrapped in banana leaves.  The baskets were carefully placed on the floor of the incomplete Viharn (several years under construction but it does have a tile floor now) next to a concrete column.  A sai sin (sacred cotton string) was placed across the tops of the baskets.  The sai sin ran up the column, across the Viharn and ran down a second column near where the Monks sat slightly above the villagers.  The sai sin terminated in a ball placed on a plate at the side of the Wat's senior Monk.  The sai sin connects this world to other worlds, the laypeople to the Monks and conveys the merit making to the deceased people.

Baskets of Food Offerings for the Phii (Spirits)

Many of the women were dressed in white uniforms like the attire that Duang wears just about every night when she conducts her ritual upstairs in our home where my roll top desk has been converted into a shrine.  The women, including Duang's mother, were participating in a women's retreat at the Wat.  They spent the remainder of the day and most of the night reading and studying the scriptures and receiving lectures from the Monks.

In Buddhist Rituals, You Can Smile and Even Talk If You Want To

The offering of food to the Monks was a typical daily ritual with one exception, while the Monks ate their one meal of the day, the women in the white costumes along with a couple of Brahmans chanted in Pali for most of the time.

At the end of the ritual, the villagers gathered up their baskets and went outside.  The villagers scattered throughout the Wat grounds selecting specific trees to stop at.  My mother-in-law and several other women selected a large bohdi tree (Ficus religiosa).  She squatted down next to the exposed roots of the sacred tree.  It is considered sacred because it is said that Buddha sat under bohdi trees while meditating.  Yai Puh, Grandmother Puh, laid out food for the spirits of deceased family members.  The food was placed upon banana leaves and consisted of peeled fruits, sticky rice, chili sauces, dried fish, and other typical Isaan foods.  Off to the side was a banana leaf with betel-nut chewing items.  After the foods were laid out, water was poured over them as the family members said things along the lines of "You come down now to eat.  Good for you.  I miss you.  You look after family.  Good luck for you.  You go back up to Buddha. 



The offerings to the spirits also included two lit yellow candles and two sprigs of "dogkhut" - I suspect Thai jasmine buds.  When offerings are made to the Buddha, three of each item are offered - one for Buddha, one for the teachings of Buddha (Dhamma), and one for the Buddhist religious community (Sanga).  For spirits the offerings are in pairs.



After the family spirits had been offered food and drink, the people hung filled thin banana leaf packets in the trees throughout the grounds.  The banana packets contained food offerings to the other spirits.

Placing Banana Leaf Packets of Food for Phii

Duang and some other women, made food offerings to the spirits of relatives whose bones are kept in highly decorated steeple or spire shaped structures called "Tats".  Tats are reliquaries for bone chips of departed ancestors.  More affluent villagers have a free standing tat and those less affluent will often have a niche inside of the block walls that surround Wats.

Food Offerings At A Family Tat

Duang Making Food Offering to Her Father's Spirit

After a while, perhaps ten minutes, one of the men rang the Wat large bell three times signifying that the spirits had completed eating.  The small banana leaf packets were quickly removed from the trees and returned to the family baskets.  The packets will later be placed in the sugar cane fields, rice paddies, and other lands to feed the spirits (ghosts)  that inhabit them.  In return for feeding the hungry ghosts, the people ask that the spirits watch over the land and its crops bringing success as well as good luck to the owners.

Offerings to the Ghosts

The villagers returned to the Viharn to have a community meal with the food leftover from the offerings to the Monks.  There is always too much food offered to the Monks and since they are allowed to take only what they can eat that morning for their one meal of the day there are always "leftovers". The food, that the Monks have not taken, is eaten by the laypeople in a community meal in the Viharn after the Monks have left.

We returned to our home for a relaxing afternoon.  In the late afternoon, Duang offered food and drink outside our home to the spirits of our land.  After dinner she put on her religious attire and performed her nightly ritual which lasts about one hour.

Life goes on here in Isaan measured in part by the seasons of the crops and the cycle of religious events.  Whether it is the seasons of the crops, the cycle of religious events, or personal life milestones, life here always is interesting and is often "enlightening".