Thamnot Poo Papit Kanet

Siarn Ruesi - Ruesi Mask

The world that I find myself in now is very different from the world that I lived in for so many years of my life.  What I knew of Southeast Asia was dominated by nightly reports on television of the "body count" in Vietnam during the Vietnam, or American War, depending upon your perspective.

Shortly after my 15th birthday, I remember sitting next my grandfather as he drove his 54 Chevy not down to levee but over to Barn Island in Southeast Connecticut on one of our fishing and clamming expeditions.  There was a news bulletin on the radio regarding some ships from North Vietnam attacking one of our naval vessels in the Gulf of Tonkin.  I remember thinking that it was very serious stuff but also coming to the conclusion that it really had nothing to do with me.  Little did I, along with so many other people that day, realize how much that "incident' would affect their lives for the next 15 years or more.

I did not a very high regard for Southeast Asia and its peoples for many years due to the daily coverage of the war and related political events.

It was not until later in my life, when I went to work in Malaysia, that I began to learn and appreciate what a beautiful region and how interesting the inhabitants of the region are.  It is one of the motivational factors that I have in writing this blog and sharing my photographs.  The reality of this region is not what is so often depicted in film or on television.

Living here and being married to an ethnic Lao Loum (Lowland Lao), I have many opportunities to experience and witness unique peoples, cultural events, religious rituals, and traditions that are not available to the vast majority of visitors and tourists.  My wish is to share these with people who only know of this region from the traditional media.

I make a concerted effort to not judge what I see and experience.  I always check with my wife to ensure that what I report as fact is indeed fact and not my observations through the veils of my American experiences and perspective.  I write of what I see, hear, and what I am told.  There is the possibility of some inadvertent miscommunications and confusion.  Today's blog is perhaps one such example but it is my best effort.

Duang and I were invited by one of her cousins to attend a special ceremony on November 1 at her home in Kumphawapi.  Duang told me that her cousin was a special person, a person who was once the grand-daughter of "Papit Kanet".  After some further discussion, I learned that "Papit Kanet" is actually the Hindu deity "Ganesh" - the multi-headed Elephant with the potbelly.

The belief in reincarnation is an integral part of Buddhism and Brahmanism (the precursor to Hinduism).  Duang has been told by a Ruesi (sage, wizard) that she was once the grand-daughter of two Nagas.  Nagas are mythical serpent creatures sort of like dragons that live and rule the underwater world. She was the grand-daughter of "Si Phatoum Ma" (female) and "Si Suttoo" (male).

Many of Duang's family and friends believe that I was once Lao in a former life.  A Monk once told her that I was once a Naga.  However unlike Duang who is related to royal nagas, in a past life I was just an ordinary Naga.  Duang has forgotten my name as a Naga.  The Monk even told her where I used to live.

I have often marveled at how so many people, who believe in reincarnation, in the West believe that they were once royal, noble, or famous.  I have yet to meet someone who claims to have been a serf, slave, or vassal in a previous life.  Considering throughout history how many more slaves, serfs, vassals there were compared to royalty, nobility, or famous, I would suspect that there would be plenty of people today with not so desirable past lives.  Tonight I wonder if being a Naga in a past life here in Southeast Asia is equivalent to the West's preferred past lives.

Duang's Cousin's Home Shrine

We arrived at Duang's cousin's home and after being greeted, we sat down on the floor in the front room of the house.  The room was a shrine, a shrine of paintings, sculptures, offerings and masks associated with the Ruesi tradition, Brahmanism, Hinduism, Animism, as well as Buddhism.  This may seem somewhat strange to have a spiritual and religious focus on so many different faith systems.  However, although confusing to outsiders, the conglomeration of diverse faith systems is a reflection of regional history and culture.  Thai culture is known for its tolerance. 

The first belief system was Animism, the faith in the existence and power of diverse spirits such as the spirits of the land, spirits of the water, and spirits of the home.  As time progressed the region was exposed to Brahmanism which was a precursor to Hinduism.  Rather than discarding the Animist system, the people assimilated Brahmanism into their culture.  As time moved on Brahmanism evolved into the system of current day Hinduism.  Once again the old systems were maintained and the elements of the new system, Hinduism, were assimilated.  Buddhism, the faith of roughly 95% of Thai and Lao people arrived from Shri Lanka.  The tenets of  Buddhism were accepted and assimilated into today's faith system widely referred to as "Buddhism" but retaining much of the prior traditions, rituals, and practices.  It is important in attempting to understand Buddhism is to recognized that Buddhism evolved originally from Hinduism.

Loading Up - Betel Nut Chewing

In the room with us were several young people all of them dressed in white or very pale blue simple cotton clothing.  The simple vestments are worn by woman and men laypeople for participation in special merit making rituals.  The start of the special ritual was the commencement of betel nut chewing by Duang's cousin, her husband, and many of the lay people.  Betel nut is a mild stimulant and it is widely known and accepted that the spirits appreciate and expect the chewing of betel nuts to participate in the rituals.

The ritual was very much like the Korb Siarn Wai Khru ceremonies that I have witnessed and written about before. But as we say, say often, here ... "Same, Same but different"  I was confused that the ritual was being conducted by a women who seemed to be acting like a Ruesi.  From what I know about Ruesi, they can only be men.  I have questioned Duang about this and she confirmed that only men can be Ruesi but women can be like Ruesi (Same, Same but different?).  Women like her cousin can be spirit mediums - able to communicate to and from spirits.

Duang's Cousin, Wearing a Khata,, Chants a Kata

The ritual was very similar to the Korb Siarn Khru ceremonies that I have previously witnessed.  Devotees would kneel before Papit Kanet and listen to her chanting a Kata (mantra), a sort of invocation or spell.  Unlike previous rituals involving Ruesi, in this ceremony the devotees as well as Duang's cousin wore silk scarves around their neck.  The scarf is called "Khata" and is a traditional ceremonial item in Tibetan Buddhism - another element assimilated into what is accepted as Thai Theravada Buddhism.  I did not know about the need for a scarf or even have a scarf but that was not a problem,  Duang's cousin graciously opened a package and presented me with a beautiful red silk scarf and gave it to me as a gift.

Another difference between this ceremony and others was the incorporation of betel nut chewing into the ritual.  The vast majority of the devotees, except for Duang, chewed betel nuts.  All of the people, except for Duang, who actually had the Ruesi mask placed on their heads had chewed betel nuts.  Chewing betel nuts is a mild stimulant and is quite often used as offerings to the spirits.

Duang Receiving the Siarn Ruesi

Another difference with this ritual and previous Khru rituals, was the dancing of the devotees while under spirit possession - that is everyone except for Duang.  This spirit possessed dancing is a common element in Hindu rituals.  At other rituals of this type the people were possessed by animal spirits of their sacred tattoos.  They would become violent and had to be physically restrained by other laypeople.  To break their animal spirit possession, laypeople would have to lift the possessed person's feet off of the ground and rub his ears.  For the Thamnot Poo Papit Kanet ritual performed by Duang's cousin no intervention was required.  However in addition to dancing some of the possessed people would choke, make guttural noises and spit phlegm into small containers lined with plastic bags.  I don't know if the spitting up of fluid was a result of chewing betel nut or possession by spirits.

A Possessed Devotee

Devotee Dancing While Possessed

At the end of the ritual for each devotee, Duang's cousin drew a symbol on their forehead using a long wooden rod and a paste like substance.  An ancient symbol which is a Sat Yank representation for Buddha was the end result of the marking part of the ritual.

Duang Being Marked

My "Marked" Wife

Parts of the ritual were quite intense - chanting of katas, guttural sounds, loud Oriental music punctuated by reverberating drums, clanging cymbals, the odor of burning incense, and the high energy of the participants.  I could feel the energy of the ritual and started to immediately thing about experiencing a small glimpse of mass hysteria.  Eventually the energy level and its intensity subsided - a welcomed denouement.

Kali Standing on Shiva's Corpse

With everyone returned to normal, I was able to ask some questions regarding some things that I had observed - things that I had not seen before.  Off to the left of the raised platform where Duang's cousin was located for the ritual, there was a full sized grotesque black statue that had one of its feet resting upon a supine blue life-sized man. This statue was something that I imagined was related to some type of voodoo ritual in Haiti.  The standing figure was demonic with a long dark red tongue fully projecting from its mouth.  A wreath of skulls was worn around the neck of the statue. A ring of heads encircled the waist of the statue.  This was the substance of children's nightmares and perhaps even mine.

I asked Duang what it was all about.  She quickly informed me that the black statue was Pamet Gali - a good female spirit that takes care of people (OK ... who am I to cast doubts upon someone's believes and besides Duang is my wife BUT I was not convinced)  This good female spirit, Pamet Gali, was the sister of Mare Touranni.  I know about Mare Touranni - she is the deity that protected Buddha while he was meditating.  His enemies had massed to attack him but she came up out of the Earth and created a flood by wringing the moisture out of her hair that drowned the enemy forces.  She is highly revered in Lao and Thailand.  You will often find statues of her - a beautiful young maiden often topless twisting her long hair draped over her shoulder.

Duang went on to tell me that the blue statue under the black statue's foot was her husband, Si Wa Tet, who was in the Army and taking a rest.  I remember that there are some Wats in Thailand named or containing the words "Si Wa Tet" in it, so I was feeling somewhat more comfortable in Duang's explanation but then again there were those skulls and severed heads.

When I write these blogs, I truly want to write the story of the people that I encounter rather than writing my story.  Perhaps I am trying to be a living medium - communicating their story to others through me.  As such I always run what I saw, what I thought that it was all about, and its significance with my wife before I write a blog entry.  I also do Internet research to confirm, verify and better understand the elements and facts of my blogs.

This blog was no exception.  I started researching the Ruesi, the silk Khata, and the chanting of kata.  Lo and behold I stumbled upon information regarding "Pamet Gali" and I even found a very similar statue WITH explanation.

Duang's "Pamet Gali" is actually the Hindu deity - Kali.  The story behind the statue is entirely Hindu and as follows:  Kali is the dark Hindu Goddess of time and change.  She killed a demon named Raktabija, an enemy of her husband - Shiva.  She ill-advisedly licked up the blood of the demon before it could touch the ground to prevent him regenerating.  The demon's blood messed up her mind and she went berserk - destroying everything and everyone that she saw - in THREE worlds.  Her husband Shiva wanted her to stop and snap out of her craziness.  Shiva took the form of a corpse and laid in front of her.  When she tripped over his body, she snapped out of her madness. She was concerned that she in her frenzy had killed her husband.  She placed her foot on the corpse of her husband, Shiva, to bring him back to life.  Shiva came back to life in the form of a crying child.  Kali was so moved with maternal instincts and love, that she shed her fierce form and became Gauri - the radiant mother and giver of life.  AHHH - it started making a great deal more sense ... to me.  Duang, as typical, knew exactly what she was talking about.  The problem is sometimes she "not talk English good" and more often "You English, not understand"  Fortunately we get it all straightened out - often with the help of Google.

Ruesi Papit Kanet and Laypeople

There are connections that tie things to the past, the present, and the future.  The connections are not always readily recognized, appreciated or understood but they exist.

It turns out that one of the sons of Kali and Shiva was Ganesh - the multi- headed elephant deity.  Another connection is that after killing the demon Kali celebrated by dancing wildly about the battlefield.

I was beginning to understand a little better the spiritual world of the people about me.  My learning and experiences into that spiritual world was to continue in November of this year.

Building A Chedi

A Chedi Under Construction Outside of Khon Kaen

This weekend is a long holiday weekend in the USA, Memorial Day.  It is not a holiday weekend here in Isaan but that does not prevent the weekend from being special.

Yesterday, Saturday, was a special day for my wife and me along with many other people.  We attended and participated in a special and somewhat rare ritual ... the topping off and consecration of a chedi under construction at a Wat.

My wife has a very large family spread out across Thailand.  The family knows of my desire to witness, learn and photograph the unique cultural aspects of their religion and lives.  Often we will get a phone call informing us of some ritual, event, or festival that people believe I would enjoy going to.

Such was the case of yesterday's ritual.  Duang's mother knew about the ritual roughly 90 minutes south of Tahsang Village from a former Monk at Tahsang Village who had relocated to the Wat where the ritual would take place.  It was occurring at a Wat outside of Khon Kaen, Wat Pa Khao Suan Kwang Tat Fah, the very same Wat that we had visited to witness last October the casting of small Buddha statues.

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Chedi, Thai word for "stupa", is a major architectural feature of many Buddhist Wats.  Chedis are revered and sacred structures. Chedi are built for a variety of reasons. Chedi are built to house relics from Buddha or relics from notable Buddhist clergy or notable laypeople considered to be saints.

Chedi, of a grander scale, Grand Palace, Bangkok

Chedi can also be built to house objects associated with Buddha or his disciples.  Sometimes a chedi is constructed to commemorate an event in Buddha's lives or the lives of his disciples.

Samakkhixay Stupa - Luang Namtha, LPDR

Other chedi are symbolic of various aspects of Buddhist theology and others are built to to commemorate visits or to gain merit.

No matter the reason or motivation, the construction and participation in the consecration of a chedi or stupa is a very important religious event for the Buddhist community.

Stupa at That Phum Phuk outside of Luang Namtha, LPDR

The ritual for the chedi being constructed at Wat Pa Khao Suan Kwang Tat Fah after the daily merit making of offering food to the Monks.  Once the Monks had accepted the offerings of food for their one meal of the day, the lay people removed the plates, trays, and bowls of the extra food that the Monks had not taken.  That food was then placed amongst the lay people to consume as part of a community meal open to everyone.  After everyone had finished their meal, most of the people took the short walk to where the chedi was being built.  Those who did not, remained behind to clean up and wash the dishes.

Several pavilions were set up amongst the trees and bamboo to shelter Monks, dignitaries, and lay people from the strong Sun of the mid-day.  A sort of altar was set up next to the chedi.

The altar was constructed of some sturdy metal tables covered with white cloth and an ornate rug.  The color white is very important during many Buddhist rituals.  Many of the men and most of the women wore white or very light blue clothing for the ritual.

Several Pha Kwan, the ubiquitous banana leaf and floral centerpieces of Theravada Lao Loum Buddhist ceremonies, were placed on the ornate carpet atop the tables along with several ornate pressed metal golden bowls used in religious rituals. Some of the bowls contained lotus petals and other bowls contained chrysanthemum petals. Some of the ornate bowls contained a mixture of seeds and beans.  Although this ritual was ostensibly a Buddhist ceremony, its Animist origins were very apparent.  I was told by one of the lay people that the ceremony was to invite the spirits to enter and reside in the chedi.

On a plain cotton cloth which was surrounded by the Pha Kwan and ornate bowls, several different types of amulets were placed. Undoubtedly these amulets would be considered to be powerful objects upon conclusion of the ritual.  Several small glass orbs filled with oil were placed on ornate pressed metal platforms for the ritual.

The construction as well as the consecration of a chedi involves Buddhist teachers.  Buddhist teachers are typically former Monks who lead the lay people in rituals.  These men can be Brahmans or lay people who have received advanced training by Monks - "tapawkaos".

The consecration of the chedi was actually lead by a Ruesi also referred to as a Luesi (OK now, no jokes or snickers about "Flied Lice"!)  Ruesi are hermit sages that meditate, develop psychic powers, collect herbs, minerals and odd things.  They are like wizards.  Their goal is to help people, to use spells to cast away spells, evil spirits and curses.  They can also help bring good luck as well as fortune to people.

A Tapawkao (white) and a Rusei Performing Ritual

Before the start of the ritual, back at the hall where people were eating, Duang pointed out one the Rusei to me and told me that the man had been crazy before but now he had "pii" (spirit, ghost) inside of him so he was OK now.

Well it turned out that this man was the person who actually performed most of the ritual.  He may have been crazy before but there was nothing wrong with him now.  Without the benefits of any book or notes, he performed the ritual with pause or any indication that he did not know what he was doing.  I was definitely impressed.  A tapawkao who assisted needed notes for his part in the ritual but not the Ruesi!

A couple of the Monks who were seated off to the side underneath one of the pavilions came out a couple times and touched a couple of things on the tables but it was apparent that the Monks were in a supporting role.  It was the Ruesi's show.

After the ceremony had been going on for a short while, a nice looking van arrived.  I could tell from the reaction of the people that someone important had arrived.  Perhaps a politician?  Perhaps a government leader?  An Army General?  I saw a young Monk get out of the van first so I figured that the van must be transporting a high ranking Monk.  My theory quickly dissolved when I saw the next person exit - it was a Ruesi.  This Ruesi, that my wife told me was the "Number 1, all Thailand" Had the longest hair that I had ever seen on a person - he had dreadlock type hair that went to the ground.  How did he keep from getting it dirty or tripping on it?  He draped it over his left shoulder.  I know that it touched the ground because a couple times he let his hair down and I saw it touch the ground.

Ruesi and Monks Holding Sai Sin

The Rusei entered the pavilion were the Monks were seated and after paying his respects to them and accepting their respects, he took the seat of highest honor at the right end of the row.  Like the highest ranking Monk seated to his left, he occupied himself chewing betelnut.

Lay People Participating In Ritual

When I had first arrived at the site of the chedi, I noticed some cords going from the top of the chedi down to ground level amongst a bamboo and tree thicket area.  Attached to the cable at grade level was a styrofoam Naga assembly.

Naga Assembly

In front of the Naga was a Monk's bag.  It was obvious that the Naga would be hauled up and most likely transport something up to the top of the chedi.

Remember in the old days when you spent many spring and summer days playing "Marbles" or "Shooters"?  Our vocabulary and focus was centered upon "Cats Eyes", "Boulders", "Steelies", "Pee Wees", and the most desired of all ... "Puries".  "Puries" were marbles of pure single color solid glass - you could look at the world through colored puries.  Puries were highly valued ... to be shared, to be enjoyed, to be treasured and very seldom put at risk of loss in a game of marbles!

Well a variation of puries is highly regarded and considered powerful here in Isaan and it has nothing to do with child's games.  It has everything to do with "Nagas"  Nagas are serpents of the underwater world.  Nagas are an integral component of the belief system of the Lao Loum people of Northeast Thailand and LPDR (Lao People's Democratic Republic).  The balls, of many different sizes, of pure colored glass are associated with the eyes of the Naga.

In my wife's shrine upstairs in our home, she has several of the "Naga Eyes" some roughly 5mm in diameter and some approximately 150mm in diameter.  You can also find these objects in many of the local Wats.

At one point in the ritual. some men scrambled up the makeshift scaffolding to the top of the chedi - the point where there was an open gold colored ornamentation.  At the same time a special basket containing a large colored glass orb was attached to front of the Naga assembly.  A sai sin (sacred thread) was attached to the Naga assembly.  The sai sin ran from the orb to the area where the chief Ruesi and Monks were seated and was terminated amongst the bowls and pha kwan on the tables.  Great care and caution was taken to prevent the sai sin from touching the ground.

Lay people congregated around one of the cables and pulled on it to transport the Naga assembly to the workers on top of the Chedi.

Naga's Eye Being Transported to the Top of the Chedi

Once at the top of the Chedi, the workers set the glass orb to close the opening at the top of the Chedi.  The orb was secured in place with caulking and mortar.

Ruesi Breaking Sai Sin Into Pieces for Lay People

Back down at the ground level, the sai sin was being broken off into small pieces by the "No 1" Rusei and given to the lay people.  My wife is rather reserved in day to day things, but in matters of faith, she always seems to manage to get to the front of the crowd.  So it was yesterday.  She got some of the sacred thread from the Ruesi.

At this point in the ritual the senior Ruesi took over the ritual.  He went up to the tables and did some chanting as he handled the amulets, and the vials of oil. He sprinkled the items with lotus petals.

As he was finishing up the ritual he sprinkled lay people with chrysanthemum petals followed by handfuls of the seed and bean mixture.

"Not So Shy" Duang Getting Her Blessings

As the Ruesi departed the area to return to his vehicle, people knelt along his path to receive his blessing.  I saw him touch one man's shoulder with the tip of his dreadlocks - no doubt a special blessing.

It had been a great day but this is not the end of the story.  Near the end of the ritual, one of the two nice women who befriended us got on the PA system and made an announcement.  After a while she started speaking in English and invited me by name to return on June 1 for a big special celebration and to take photographs and write a story.  Of course we will return - who can refuse an invitation like that and ignore such an opportunity?

 Definitely not me!

What Goes In, Eventually Must Come Out

Grandmother Placing Betel Nut In Her Mouth

Most people have undoubtedly heard the adage of "What goes up must come down".  This statement refers to gravity and indicates that whatever is thrown up or placed in an elevated position will eventually succumb to gravity and return to the ground.  Here in Isaan, or for a matter of fact any where, there should be another adage just as valid - "What goes in, eventually must come out."

We all are knowledgeable regarding the consumption of food or feed and how eventually the waste products of digestion are eliminated.  Well here in Isaan there is another biological process or rather habit where what goes in must eventually come out - betel nut chewing or betelnut chewing.

I have written about this tradition a couple of times in this blog:

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Yesterday, 12 August, was Mother's Day here in Thailand.  Duang and I drove out to Tahsang Village to pay our respects to her mother and one of her aunts.  There always seems to be something interesting for me to photograph so I brought along my camera backpack.

Sure enough there was plenty to photograph - children paying respect to their mothers, children playing, road side produce stands, peanut harvesting, and saht weaving.

 A grandmother and her grand-daughter were set up in the community building(?) of Tahsang Village to weave locally harvested reeds into sahts.  The community building is an open sided corrugated metal structure with a full concrete block wall on one end and three three foot high walls on the remaining perimeter.  There are opening in two of the low walls to allow the passage of people, dogs, chickens, and children in and out of the sheltered area.  The structure is used for village meetings, local as well as national voting, government sponsored instructional programs, Songkran celebrations, occasional marketplace for traveling kitchenware or household goods vendors and most of all as a  play area for children.  It has a roof and a concrete floor so the children frequent the area to play out from the sun and/or rain; besides the low walls are great for climbing on and jumping off.

Yesterday besides being an area where our grandson and other village children were playing, the area was being used by the grandmother and her grand-daughter to weave the ubiquitous Lao Loum floor and ground covering - the saht.

When I arrived the grandmother and grand daughter were engaged in stringing the loom that had been placed on old sahts placed over the concrete floor.  After working together to get the loom fifty percent restrung, they took a break.  The grand daughter went off to visit friends next door to the community area and the grandmother retired to one of the plastic chairs kept in the area for events.  As she walked across the floor the chair she was carrying a small woven basket with her; a small woven basket that you often see being carried by older Lao Loum women here in Isaan.  The basket does not contain food (far from it!).  The basket does not contain needlepoint or embroidery supplies.  The basket contains her accouterments for chewing betel nut!

Grandmother Getting Some Lime (Chemical not Fruit) for Betel Nut Chewing

I am not a fan or proponent of betel nut chewing which I find akin to chewing tobacco or "dipping".  I was traumatized by my introduction to chewing tobacco many years ago.  I was born and raised in New England and never played baseball so I was not accustomed to chewing tobacco or even "dipping".  After I had graduated from university and joined a large engineering/construction company, I was assigned to a project in Lake Charles, Louisiana where many of the men chewed tobacco.

One of the subcontractors had a very colorful superintendent, I believe by the name of Hub or Hoke Meadows.  He constantly chewed tobacco and therefore was frequently spitting out tobacco juice wherever and whenever he chose to.  He was involved in the site preparation of the site in an area that I was responsible for.  One day there was a problem and he drove me over to the site in order that I could assist in the resolution of the problem.  It was terrifying for me sitting in the front passenger seat of his company pickup truck.  It was not his driving that bothered me.  It was not exactly the rough and bumpy terrain that we were driving over.  What bothered me immensely, was the rocking back and forth of the coke can that he kept on the dashboard of the truck,  the coke can that was about half filled with his spittle and tobacco juice!  As he drove, he would reach for the open topped container and add to its contents.  I lived in fear that the can would topple over and spill its contents on to me.

Here in Isaan I do not have that fear because the people spit the red juices from betel nut chewing into a plastic lined small bucket.  However I find the practice just as revolting as tobacco chewing.  My mother-in-law chews betel nut as well as most of her friends.  I tease her in Thai about if there is "red water in the truck" I will not let her ride in our pickup truck ever again.

Chewing betel nut involves a process involving a tree leaf, betel nut slices or chips, and chemical lime.  These ingredients are combines to produce a plug or packet that is placed in the mouth.  I have witnessed two distinct rituals to prepare the ingredients.  One method is to use small mortar and pestle to grind everything together and then pack it into a metal tube to make a small plug to place in the mouth.

My mother-in-law just like the woman whom I photographed yesterday use a less labor method to prepare their "chew".  They take a leaf or two in their hand, sprinkle some betel nut slices or chips on to the leaf, smear some chemical lime paste on to the betel nut and then fold up the leaf or leaves much as people fold up a chimichangas (Mexican food), and place it in the side of their mouth.  After a while the packet or plugs produce copious amounts of red spittle that they discharge from their mouth into their little buckets.

What Went In Is Now Coming Out

Yes, what goes in, eventually must come out but I often wonder why it was even necessary for it to go in. However, I am a guest.  This is their culture and it is not mind so I will keep my mouth shut ... just like I did in Louisiana.

Another Lao Loum Funeral Here In Isaan

Hands Pressed Together, A Young Child Participates In the Funeral Ritual

Sunday we attended another funeral ritual, the cremation of my wife's former mother-in-law.  Although Duang has been divorced for many years, attending the ritual was expected because family ties, even former ties, are strong here in Isaan.  Duang's children also attended the cremation ritual for their paternal grandmother.  Duang's son drove six hours from Rayong to participate in his grandmother's funeral.  He did not shave his head and shave his eyebrows like some of his cousins due to his work considerations.  Our grandson, Peelawat, also attended his great grandmother's funeral.

Duang Makes Prayer Offering For Her Former Mother-in-Law

Every funeral that I have attended here in Isaan has been similar but different enough to make each ritual unique.  For this funeral, there was no procession from the home to the local Wat.  When we arrived before the scheduled start of the ritual at 11:30 A.M., the coffin had been placed in front of the Wat crematorium.  There were some people milling about the home of the deceased person but the outdoor kitchen, hustle and bustle of preparing food, tables filled with food and drink were absent.  There was no gambling anywhere to be seen for this funeral.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages were served to attendees in the Wat's sala (meeting hall) next to the crematorium.  Like all the other funerals that I have attended here in northeast Thailand, the "Old Mamas" were organized into several small clusters; busy gossiping and chewing betelnut.  Funerals here are large social events with family and friends travelling great distances to attend. There is a great deal of noise from people greeting each other and getting caught up on the latest news as well as gossip.

"Old Mamas" Socializing and Chewing Betelnut in the Wat's Sala

Just over a week ago I posted a comment on one of my photographs of an old woman's hands preparing betelnut, "Experienced hands, just like faces reflect the trials, struggles, and triumphs of a long life".  I did not have that comment in mind when I set about to photograph this funeral, but afterwards when I was editing the days worth of photographs, I was struck by the number of shots that involved hands.

A Young Child Bows During The Merit Making Ritual

Although I have photographed several Lao Loum funeral rituals, I am still very interested in them and still find different aspects to photograph.  Apparently for this funeral ritual, my focus although subconscious was on "hands".

Hands Pack the Ingredients for Betelnut Chewing Into A Tube to Create a Plug

Experienced Hands Prepare the Chewing Plug

Helping Hands Are Always Welcomed

The Compacted Chewing Plug Is Forced Out of the Tube

At Last - Time to Enjoy the Fruits of Labor

Duang's former mother-in-law had eight children. With such a large family there were many sons and grandsons to participate in the ritual as Monks.  There were 17 Monks for the funeral ritual - the most that I have seen at a Lao Loum funeral.

As is integral to the merit making ritual, the offering of gifts; cash, robes, and electric fans on behalf of the donors and the deceased was a prominent display.  Apparently because she was once married to one of the woman's sons, Duang's name was announced for her to walk up and take one of the envelopes containing some of the donated cash.  As part of the merit making ritual at Lao Loum funerals relatives, close friends, dignitaries, and esteemed guests are called up to take an offering of money which they place in front of the Monks who are always seated above the other participants of the ritual.  For this funeral there was also a different treatment of the offerings made to the Monks.  A white cotton string that is always used in the ritual to connect the Monks and the coffin, was placed over the offertory envelopes with the Monks placing their index finger on the envelope as they chanted.

Monks Accepting Offerings of Cash As part of Merit Making Ritual

The connection of the Sanga (religious community) and the deceased person with the cotton string is very strong visual symbolism.  Once again the interaction of hands and physical as well as metaphorical objects came to be strong elements of my photographs for the day.

The cotton string that connects the deceased person to the Sanga passes through the hand of a grandson who has become a Monk for the funeral ritual

Grandsons Participating In Their Grandmother's Funeral

Duang Pours Green Coconut Water Over the Corpse

At this funeral the ritual of pouring green coconut water over the corpse to prepare the spirit for its upcoming journey was a more public display than the funeral that we attended earlier in the month.  Besides the Monks, family members either poured coconut water or sprinkled water on the body using white chrysanthemum type flowers.

Experienced hands, just like faces reflect the trials, struggles, and triumphs of a long life

I photographed the hands of the corpse because, to me, they were reminders of the suffering as well as triumphs that this old woman had endured during her life time.  These were hands that had worked countless seasons of planting rice seedlings - pulling sprouts from ankle deep mud in flooded paddies, repetitiously setting transplanted seedlings into flooded paddies under the heat and glare of the Isaan skies.  These same hands gathered and cut innumerable sheaves of rice over countless harvests. It is quite possible especially in the earlier years that these hands threshed the rice to separate the grains from the stalks - yet another task of survival to feed the family. During the other times of the year, her hands were used to cultivate sugar cane, peanuts, corn, and cassava.  These were the hands that had nurtured and cared for eight children. Hands that cooked thousands of meals over open fires or charcoal fires.  With these hands the woman had made merit and prayed many times in her quest during this life for enlightenment.  With these hands the woman had sewed, repaired and laundered the clothing of her family during her lifetime.  The hands reflected a long and hard lifetime here in Isaan.  Now these hands were freed from their toil and released from suffering.

An assistant hands a container of fuel to the deceased's brother to prepare the cremation fire

When we returned home that night from the funeral, we received word that Duang's uncle had died.  His cremation will be tomorrow.  Personal reminders of the cycle of life and of death continue here.