2 March 2014 Theravada Buddhist Funeral Ritual

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

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

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

Dying In Isaan - The End of Days Part 2

Duang's father died on Tuesday the 19th.  His cremation at the "Inside" Wat of Tahsang Village was planned  for Friday the 22nd.

Wednesday, and Thursday were busy if not frenetic.  Just prior to his death, Duang's father, acknowledging, and accepting the end of his days, had asked her to take care of everything rather than waiting to complete the rituals related to his death.

Here is Isaan, when someone dies they lay in their home for typically three days while arrangements are made and family travel to the home.  The body is cremated on the third day after death.  One hundred days after the cremation there is a ritual called "Tamboon  Roi Wan"  http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/04/busy-times-here-in-isaan-tamboon-roi.html

Tamboon Roi Wan, also referred to as "Bone Party" 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.

Rather than waiting 100 days and going through duplicate arrangements as well as costs of the funeral ritual Duang, in accordance with her father's wishes, decided to have the Tamboon Roi Wan for her father on Sunday November 24th.  This added to the duties and tasks that Duang had to complete.

On Wednesday, Duang had to go to the police station in Kumphawapi with the document that was created by the Tahsang Village headman verifying her father's death.  The rest of the day she spent telephoning family, friends, and others notifying them of her father's death as well as giving them the schedule for the various rituals.  She along with her son and his wife were busy buying huge amounts of vegetables, cases of beer, cases of soft drinks, cases of drinking water to feed the mourners who were already arriving at the family home.

Duang also had to make arrangements for the rental and delivery of canopies, tables, plastic chairs, commercial meat grinder, glasses, cookware, ice chests, and all the other items necessary for the next 5 days.  There was also the matter of purchasing pigs, a cow, and chickens to prepare for the visitors and family's consumption.

Duang's youngest brother, who is in the business, was delegated to making the arrangements for the entertainment both traditional Lao music and the modern upbeat Mahlam Zing for Sunday.

After witnessing the activities that were necessary to support the rituals, I now have a better understanding why I do not witness crying at Theravada Buddhist funerals.  In addition to the Buddhist philosophy that accepts death as a necessary part of living and the preparation throughout one's life for their death, the people especially the close relatives are too occupied with the rituals and preparing for the rituals to be able the luxury of grieving and emotional displays.

Elderly Women Maintain their Four Day Vigil In the Home

During the death watch and up the cremation, a contingent, typically 10 to 15, of elderly women maintained a vigil in the room where the body lay inside of the refrigerated coffin.  These women or similar contingents of women at other funerals spend their time gossiping, eating, and sometimes making special handicrafts for the rituals.  No matter what they were doing they were always chewing betel nut (kill maak).  As part of the funeral arrangements, Duang had to provide the vast quantity of leaves, nuts, and tobacco that these elderly women consumed.  The women provided their own lime, spittoons, and tools for making the plugs that they chew.

Throughout the days and evenings people arrived to pay their respects and make their offerings.  They would make an offering of incense to the spirit of Duang's father.  They would light incense from the large yellow burning candle set on a scrap piece of corrugated metal set on the bright blue tiled floor of the home.  The people would hold the burning incense in their praying hands while they softly chanted or just reverently looked at the coffin.  They then placed the burning incense sticks in a sand filled ceramic bowl next to the yellow candle.  They then would seek out Duang to offer their condolences and give her a white envelope containing a cash offering.  Their cash offering would be recorded in a ledger and made as offerings to the Monks in the name of the donor's as well as Duang's father.

I was continually amazed at the help and division of labor that was swirling about me.  Family and neighbors seemed to instinctively know their function to prepare and support the ritual.  At any given time there were at least 5 women cooking food over charcoal fires and portable propane stoves.  At any given time there were a minimum 6 women washing, slicing, chopping and peeling vegetables to be cooked or served raw to the guests.  Men focused on chopping up the beef or pork to form pastes to be cooked or for some of the beef to be eaten raw after being mixed with seasoning.  The men also took care of cutting the pork and beef.

The pigs arrived at the home split in half with all their parts.  Men drank beer and whiskey as they cut and prepared the various parts that the women would cook for specific dishes.  Liver and intestines went into soups.  Bones were also used in soups.

The women and men worked on raised bamboo platforms about 2 feet above the ground surrounded by flies and several village dogs wandering about and often getting underfoot.  Toddlers wandered about oblivious to the work going on all around them.

Younger women and teenage girls traveled back and forth between the tables in the front yard and the people sitting on sahts inside of the home carrying trays of food and dirty dishes.  This is typical at these type of events.  Starting at around the age of 12, young girls contribute to the event by being servers - ensuring that people have food, drink,and ice along with cleaning tables and returning dirty dishes to be washed at the outdoor wash station.

Duang's daughter was for just about the entire time was occupied washing huge plastic tubs of dishes, glasses and cooking pots with plenty of help from younger female cousins.

Duang skitted about welcoming guests, paying bills, socializing, bringing ice to where it was needed, ensuring people were comfortable, and going off several times to local markets to purchase more items.  She had very little sleep during the night because Lao Loum people love to socialize.

I stayed away during the day but returned in the evenings for the evening rituals involving the Monks.

Places Setup for the Arrival of the Monks

Each evening, six to seven Monks arrived at the home around 7:00 P.M.  The purpose of their visit to the home was to conduct a special ritual for the offering of food to the spirit of Duang's departed father.  Duang's cousin who is an Abbott at a Wat in another village arrived each night with the Monk that assists him and most likely replace him in time.  Duang's cousin took the lead in the ritual chanting with "Rocketman" the senior Monk at the "Inside" Wat in Tahsang Village supporting him along with two other monks.  The other Monks did not fully participate in all the chanting.

Duang Making An Offering of Incense to Commence the Ritual As "Rocketman" Looks On

This Spirit Feeding Ritual was special.  There was a special wood carved gilded table that supported  a special wood carved gilded box that contained Buddhist scripture. The special box reminded me of the Ark of the Covenant.  The scripture was a special, perhaps hand printed, book of writing and pictures.  The book was about two feet wide and six inches long.  Before the start of the ritual, the book was removed from the chest, the cover returned to the chest, the book opened to a specific page, and placed on top of the chest.

Duang Makes Offering to Each Monk

As is typical in many of these religious rituals, offerings of cash were made to the Monks.  Cash is presented to each Monk in a plain white envelope.  Themes that I often write on in this blog are "There is the way that things are supposed to be and then there is the way that things are"  and "Things are not always what they appear to be"  These themes definitely apply in the case of these offerings.  Monks give up all their possessions and renounce worldly possessions upon becoming Bhikkhus.  Monks are not supposed to touch or handle money.  Despite that, people seem to always be offering and collecting money for the Monks.  I was shocked to learn that 20,000 baht ($666 USD) had been given to the Monks each night.  I questioned Duang why so much for people who renounced worldly goods.  She told me that it was for electricity, water, septic service and maintenance of the Wat grounds  I make no judgement and only share observations.  We live the good western life in our home - 1,500 baht average a month for electricity, 150 baht a month for service water, and have our septic  tank pumped once a year for 1,000 baht.

Duang Participating In Evening Ritual

Since Duang is the youngest daughter and responsible for taking care of her parents, she represented the family in participating in the ritual.  Rather than sitting with the other women on the other side of the room, she sat on the saht covered floor on the side with the men.  To start the ritual she lit two yellow candles and two joss sticks (incense sticks).  The candles and incense were placed on the top of the ornate table in front of the chest.

This ritual featured some different type of chanting than I am accustomed to.  For the most part of the chanting, the four senior or lead Monks had hand held fan like object shielding their faces.  I asked Duang about what was going on.  The Monks were speaking to the spirit of Duang's father.  When Monks are speaking (chanting) directly to Pii (spirits) they shield their faces.  I asked Duang what they were chanting.  She said that they were saying things like "Good luck to you"  "You go up now"  "You are loved and will be missed by people here"  I pressed her for more details but she did not know.  The Monks were speaking in Pali.  Duang can speak Pali to the extent that it is used in daily offerings but this was beyond her comprehension.  Whatever they were saying it was impressive, almost hypnotic, and reassuring.  Part of the ritual involved the reciting in Pali of the Three Gems of Buddhism which I am able to participate in - always to the surprise of the local people as well as Monks.

Food Offering On Tray to Feed the Spirit of Duang's Father

Part of the ritual involved placing a tray of food and drink in front of the Monks to be blessed. The tray also contained the same offerings of 3 cigarettes, green leaves, and prepared betel-nut plugs that were on plates next to each of the Monks.  As the Monks were chanting into the hand held shields, the Abbott sprinkled water on top of the offerings for Duang's father.  The sprinkling of water and pouring of water in Theravada Buddhism conveys the merit being made by people of this world to the spirits of departed people.

Duang Pouring Water  To Convey Merit to the Spirits, Specifically Her father's

Duang then carried the tray and drink for her father's spirit the short distance to his coffin and placed it beneath the tripod holding his framed photograph.  She reverently placed the tray on the floor and spoke some loving words to her father in Lao.

The ritual was then concluded with the Monks returning to their Wats and after saying good bye to my wife, me returning to Udonthani.

"Same Same But Different"

A Young Boy Places A Daugchan On the Coffin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Young Girl Places Daugchan On Coffin

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

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

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

Another Child Prepared to Pay Final Respects

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

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

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

Family Members Preparing to Pour Coconut Water

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yet Another Lao Loum Funeral

Monk Pours Coconut Water On the Corpse

In early January of this year, we attended the funeral for another family member, one of Duang's uncles from Tahsang Village.

Poopaw Veeboonkul was 60 years old.  He died three days after slipping in the shower and hitting his head.  He was unable to speak his entire life which made communications difficult for him. He did not let his nephew know about the accident until his internal bleeding due to injuries was too great and too late for the hospital to save him.  A life long bachelor he tended to and raised water buffalo.

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Gambling, other than the National Lottery, is illegal in Thailand.  But just as so many things are not always what they seem to be or even what they are supposed to be, gambling does exist and sometimes you do not have to look very hard to find it.  Typically in the small villages that dot the countryside in Isaan, you will find gambling going on where there is a funeral.  I thought that this might be due to a belief that "It is an ill wind that blows no good" in other words ... someone's misfortune in dying is counteracted by someone else's good fortune in a game of chance.  You know - the eastern philosophy of the ying and yang or achieving some balance in the Universe.  Well the reasoning for gambling at a funeral is not so altruistic.  According to my Lao Loum wife who has been to a great deal more of these funerals than me and speaks both Thai and Lao much better than me, the reason for gambling is to ensure that more people come to the funeral ritual.

Apparently the more people that participate or at least attend the funeral, the greater merit that is earned for the deceased person's spirit.  Wether people participate in the ritual or just gamble, they make an offering to the family of money or rice.  The offerings are than made to the Monks in the name of the donor as well as the deceased person.  In an Isaan take on the theme of the film  "Field of Dreams", rather than "Build it and they will come" the belief is "Have gambling, and even more of them will come". In deference to the Lao Loum mores, the police tolerate this gambling to a point.  Once the body starts to be cremated, it is sort of "all bets are off" and the police will stop any gambling and arrest all participants.

For this funeral, the gambling was across the village street at relatives' homes.  Yes, there was so many people wanting to gamble that there were actually two games of chance going on.  The people were playing a dice game called "Hai Low".  The game uses a vinyl cloth that resembles the betting table for a roulette wheel in a casino.  The people place their cash bets on the numbers, combinations, and permutations indicated on the cloth - just like playing roulette.  Three dice are placed on a plate, covered with the cover of a fartip (woven container for storing cooked sticky rice), shook or stirred, and the cover removed to reveal the dice.

While I was off taking photographs, Duang played for a while.  She ended up winning 1,000 Baht, about $30 USD and was smart as well as disciplined enough to quit.  Her aunt who usually runs a game at funerals, ended up losing 50,000 Baht, approximately $1,666 USD for the day.  At the end of the day I went looking for her.  When I found her I told her that I had heard that she was giving away money and I was wondering where my money was. We all enjoyed a good laugh - winning or losing everyone always seems to be able to laugh.

Procession Walking Through the Streets of Tahsang Village

Around 1:00 P.M., which is typical time, a procession lead by Monks traveled from the man's home to the Wat located inside of Tahsang Village. The procession circled the crematorium three times before the coffin was removed from the refrigerated coffin and placed on steel sawhorses in front of the door to the furnace.

Puffed Rice Is Spread On the Ground to Feed the Spirits

It was a very quiet day in the village up until midway through the funeral ritual.  The funeral was on a school day but it ended up being a half-day of classes.  One of the teachers attended the funeral along with her classes.  Her classes are made up of all my little friends from the village.  They immediately saw that I was taking photographs and wanted to get in on the action.  Of course I was all too willing to accommodate them much to the amusement of the other adults.  These are all children from poor families and I like to share with them some of the outside world as well as introducing them to some of the today's technology.  They get such enjoyment out of seeing themselves in a digital photograph that I can not say no to them or dissuade them.

Some of My Tahsang Village Friends

Wat Crematorium In Tahsang Village

It may seem strange to many readers that elementary classes would attend a funeral but here in Isaan children are not shielded from death.  They are taught from a very early age, as in in one year old, to show respect to older people.  Around the village, I am referred to as "Tahallen" (Grandfather Allen).  By having the class attend the funeral the children show their respect for one of their neighbors and also it reinforces the realization that life is temporary.

The Monk Whom I Nicknamed "Rocketman"  Supervising the Ritual

The ritual was supervised by the head Monk of the Wat inside of the village.  I have nicknamed him "Rocketman".  The first time that I saw him back in 2008, he was supervising the construction of homemade rockets at the Wat.

 http://www.hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/31-august-2008-prapheni-bun-bang-fai.html

He definitely knew a thing or two about building the gunpowder packed PVC pipe rockets and more importantly you could easily see that he really enjoyed it. Later in the day he was at the competition in another village far from Tahsang where the rockets were being fired off into the sky.

A Relative Pours Coconut Water Over the Corpse

Cleansing and Refreshing the Spirit

After people had poured coconut water and ordinary water on the remains of the man, the strings that had bound his hands and legs together were cut using a cane knife.

Cutting the Ties That Bind

A unique aspect of this funeral ritual involved coconuts.  All the funerals that I have attended here in Isaan utilized green coconuts.  The green coconuts do not have a husk and are cut at their top to allow their watery contents to be poured out on the corpse.  However at this funeral, the coconut shells of mature coconuts were also used.  These are the hard half shells of the coconuts that are typically sold in supermarkets in Europe, Canada, and the USA.  One of the man's relatives used a coconut half shell to touch various parts of the corpse.  When he was completed, the corpse was rolled over and the half shell as well as two others were placed beneath the buttocks and legs of the body.

Pouring Hydrocarbon On Charcoal Bed

The saht and comfortor that were in the disposable coffin were removed and placed in a pile off to the side of the crematorium.  The heavy cane knife that was used to cut the bindings on the hand and feet was used to cut drain holes in the disposable coffin.  While this was going on, a man poured hydrocarbon, I suspect naphtha on the charcoal bed of a heavy rolling metal carriage that had been pulled out of the crematorium furnace.  The disposable coffin was then filled with the good luck pieces that mourners had placed on top of the coffin.  The lid was placed on top of the coffin and it was placed on the rolling carriage.  The carriage was then pushed into the furnace.  The heavy door to the furnace was closed and a Monk ignited the charcoal bed using some burning good luck totems.

As the first wisps of smoke exited the chimney of the crematorium, three large fireworks were fired in succession into the air to scare away any bad spirits that might be in the area intending to interfere with the release of the man's spirit for its journey.  Off to the side of the crematorium, a man reverently buried the food and drink that had been placed upon the coffin as an offering to the man's spirit while the man's belonging burned.

After consulting with a person who knew about such matters, we walked directly to Duang's mother's home. Duang was concerned that if we did not first go back to the man's former home, the newly released spirit would follow us to her parent's house.  The man told her that it was OK to go directly to her parents.

Another day in the cycle of life in Isaan came to a close.

A New Photo Gallery Is Available

My latest photo gallery, "October 2012 Lao Loum Funerals", is now available for viewing.  The gallery contains 39 new photographs documenting the ritual and culture of Lao Loum funerals here in Isaan.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/October-2012-Lao-Loum-Funerals/26160815_RZ6ssR

Death Be Not Private - A Lao Loum Experience

A Lao Loum Woman Mourns Her Brother's Death

John Donne in his poem, "Death Be Not Proud", wrote:

          "Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
           Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so; ..."

Here in Northeast Thailand in the region called "Isaan" a similar attitude prevails and from my personal experiences I would add "Death Be Not Private"  In the Lao Loum culture most often a person will die surrounded by family and friends.  One certainty is that their funeral will be a large public event.

On Thursday I attended the third funeral ritual of this month.  One of Duang's uncles, her father's oldest brother, died at the age of 77. He was a special man. Paujon Veeboonkul (Wirboonkun - Thai names can have several English spellings) had performed our "wedding" http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/19-august-2008-isaan-weddings.html and also officiated at the blessing of our home http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/14-september-2008-isaan-house-warming.html  and http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/17-september-2008-spirit-houses.html

Kuhn Paujon Conducting Our Wedding Ritual

When he became ill two years ago, it was determined by another Brahman that the problem was due to Kuhn Paujon not being fully sanctioned to perform the spirit house installation,  http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/10/having-answers-faith.html. The spirits were upset with him.   At the time the Brahman priest stated that Duang's uncle would die within 2 weeks if the spirit houses were not relocated and properly dedicated.  Duang had the ritual performed and her uncle lived almost 2 years more to the day.  Again, as I have written several times before, I do not judge or proselytize; I merely share what I have observed and experienced.

Kuhn Paujon was a school teacher, a very respected profession amongst the Lao Loum people.  Teachers and Policemen are professions that are held in high regard by the people of Isaan.  These are uniformed positions that although not commonly attained can be attained by the children of the subsistence farmers of Isaan.  Duang's uncle's only son is a policeman and so are two of his grandsons - a source of pride for the family.

Kuhn Paujon besides teaching 14 year old students, was a Brahman priest.  He was familiar with the various religious rituals of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Animist faiths.  His knowledge and services were in constant use for weddings, births, sickness, house blessings, deaths, and all occasions where it was deemed necessary to placate the spirit world.  He had been a Monk for five years before he got married.  After ten years of marriage he had a son.

Duang's uncle was special in another way - he had two daughters.  One daughter was the child of villagers who were not financially able to raise the baby.  At birth, the parents signed papers for Kuhn Paujon and his wife to adopt the baby.  His other daughter is Duang's older sister.  When Duang was born, her family was too poor to raise two children.  Duang's uncle and his wife took in Duang's older sister and raised her as their own child.  Such is the way it is in Isaan, then and even today.

For this and many other reasons, Kuhn Paujon was highly respected and revered in the local community.  He spent the past two months in the hospital ding of what I suspect was colorectal cancer.  His bill for the hospital stay was 140,000 Baht ($4,666  USD).  In Thailand there is no national health coverage and her uncle did not have health insurance.  Family members, friends, and neighbors have contributed to help pay the bill.

While in the hospital, Kuhn Paujon was not alone.  Daily his personal needs were met by attentive family members. Part of the Lao Loum tradition is to have a death watch hopefully that at the time of passing the dying person will hear words of encouragement according to my wife along the lines of " OK, you go now.  Good luck to you.  You not go down down you go up.  Buddha take care of you  You not think too much.  You poor now.  Maybe you come back soon better maybe come back as King. Good Luck to you".  When he died, his body was transported back to his home in Nongdaeng Village to lie in state for three days.  Since Duang was so close to her uncle, she stayed at the village for the entire ritual.  I remained at home but attended the cremation ritual on Thursday.

So why am I writing once again about a Lao Loum funeral?  I am writing once again about a funeral here in Isaan because the ritual and experience here is neither private or an event to be dreaded.  This is very foreign to me and my American experience.  I am fond of quoting the Buddhist attitude towards death as is best expressed by Wade Davis, a renowned Canadian Anthropologist and contributor to National Geographic documentaries. In his documentary series "Light At the End of the World"  he states "The Buddhists spend all their lives getting ready for a moment that we spend most of our lives pretending does not exist, which is the moment of our death"

In Isaan death is a milestone of life which is familiar to and accepted by all from a very early age. The conclusion of this life, which for many has been very difficult, presents the hope as well as opportunity for a better and easier life in the future - another step towards enlightenment.

I share these funeral ritual experiences to provide a perspective on the matter that is most likely not available to many of this blog's readers.  It is not a morbid curiosity or obsession that motivates me.  The blogs on the Lao Loum funeral ritual are documentation on the inevitability of death for all of us, how common and often that it occurs, and how other cultures deal with the event.

On the morning of the cremation, people arrived at the family home in Nongdaeng Village.  One of the first things that they do after giving wais (prayer type gestures of respect and greeting) to the tables of guests who are seated, drinking and eating is to go to a table next to the public address system.  Seated at the table next to a man that is performing a running commentary over the top of recorded ethnic music is a man with a ledger and pen.  Cash donations are given to the man who dutifully records the name of the contributor as well as the amount of cash donated.  The commentator uses the ledger to announce the arrival of the mourner as well as their cash donation.  The cash will be donated to the local Monks in the name of the deceased, the selected person who presents the donation, as well as the donor. Some people who do not have cash to donate will contribute sacks of sticky rice, the stable food for the Lao Loum people. These contributions are also recorded in the ledger and dutifully announced to the public.  The rice donations are made and kept in front and to the side of the coffin inside of the home.  Periodically the smaller sacks are consolidated  into a large 55 kg bag.  The rice is given to the local Wat in the name of the deceased and donor for the Monks to distribute as needed to very poor people. Costs for the food, drink, and other funeral expenses are paid from family savings, bank loans, family donations, friend donations, neighbor donations and insurance payments.

A Villager Places A Donation of Sticky Rice In Front of the Coffin

Funerals are grand social events in the Lao Loum culture.  It is an opportunity for people to get together and to be seen.  For most it seems to be also an opportunity to be heard. There is a great deal of social pressure to participate in the ritual.  One of the reasons that the cremation takes place three days after the death is to allow family and friends to arrive from distant locales.  The funerals, at times, are not silent and somber events.  There is a great deal of talk, at times even during the religious chanting.  There is typically a great deal of drinking - beer and Lao Lao (Lao version of moonshine whiskey).  Sometimes, but not at this funeral, there is also gambling. However the funerals are always dignified.

Mourners Inside of Kuhn Paujon's Home

Mourners typically wear black or dark clothing at a funeral with the exception of teachers who wear their khaki colored uniforms.  At this funeral there were some woman dressed in white.  We are approaching the end of Buddhist Lent.  During Buddhist Lent some females make special merit by wearing white while making merit and attending religious retreats at the Wat.  My wife did not attend a retreat but she wore white clothing each night while praying before bed.

The Abbott, Paujon's Brother, Recites Buddhist Scripture from a Buddhist Scripture Book

Approximately 350 people including government officials attended the cremation ritual. Children of all ages also attended and participated in the event. Funerals are not life events that children are sheltered from. Lao Loum funerals are rituals just as important and public as weddings, Monk ordinations, and celebrations of birth are for the individual as well as the community.  Funerals are reminders of the fate that awaits all of us.  Funerals are reminders to the Lao Loum of the circle of life and the quest for enlightenment.

Duang's Aunt Pours Water As Part of Merit Making Ritual for her Husband

Part of the standard Buddhist Merit Making ritual involves pouring of water while the Monks chant.  The pouring of the water is a method of transferring merit to the spirits of those who can not participate in the ritual.  After the ritual is completed the water is reverently poured slowly at the base of trees and plants that are around the Wat.  I usually can tell what tree to select because they are often marked with decorations indicating that a spirit dwells within the tree.

Led by Monks Holding Disaisin, Procession Departs the Home For the Wat

After a merit making ritual in the family home, the coffin was loaded upon a pickup truck and transported in a procession to the local Wat led by the Monks holding on to a cotton cord that was attached to the coffin.  A man walked at the head of the procession with the Monks sprinkling the ground with puffed rice carried in a woven basket.  He also stopped at times along the route to mark the journey with small flags.  The puffed rice is offered as nourishment to the local spirits - apparently a well fed ghost is a happy ghost and less likely to cause problems.  The flags are also an offering to the phii (ghosts) and I suspect denotes a demarcation between their territory and the space being used by the funeral procession.

Puffed Rice Is Offered to the Spirits As the Procession Circles the Crematorium

A cotton cord, called "disaisin" is carried by the Monks and is attached at the other end to the coffin. In the Animist world there are many spirits.  In each human there are 32 spirits that are necessary to keep a person healthy and happy.  An Animist ritual which is ubiquitous in the Lao Loum culture is the Baicii or Baisii.  In the Baisii ritual, pieces of cotton string are tied around a person's wrist to bind the 32 good spirits in their body thereby ensuring good luck, fortune, and good health.  For a large congregation of people the disaisin apparently serves a similar purpose - to connect this world with the spirit world.

Disaisin Connects Coffin to Nearby Sala for Part of Funeral

The procession circled the crematorium three times - symbolic for Buddha, The teachings of Buddha, and the Sanga (Buddhist religious community).  At the conclusion of the circumambulation, the inner coffin containing the corpse was removed from the refrigerated coffin, carried up the concrete stairs and placed upon metal sawhorses located in front of the door to the oven

Paujon's Nephew Escorts His Uncle's Coffin Around the Crematorium

The Sala is a covered open sided building where the Monks gather for merit making rituals.  They as always are seated above the congregation of people.  This is symbolic of the respect the people have for them and a demonstration of the higher status in this life that Monks have attained.

Some people are selected to present offerings such as Monk's robes.  These too are placed atop the closed coffin

Seated In the Sala, Monks Pass Daisaisin That Links Them to the Coffin

Off to the side of the Sala there is a commentator and public address system. Part of the ritual involves reciting a eulogy for the deceased. Another part of the ritual is to announce and call up esteemed guests, family members, and close friends. The selected people are each given a sealed envelope containing cash to be offered in their name and in the name of the deceased. The selected people, one by one climb the crematorium stairs, pay their respects and place the offering on the coffin.

Following Her Sister, Duang Makes An Offering to Her Uncle

After the selected people had gone up the crematorium stairs to present and place cash offerings on the coffin the tray of envelopes were removed and people were called out to take an envelope and place it in front of a Monk seated in the Sala as an offering in the name of the presenter as well as the deceased.

After the ritual of offering and accepting, all people picked up a totem called a "daugjen" from a table at the foot of the crematorium stairs.  Daugjens are small handicraft items that are constructed of bamboo and/or paper that symbolize good luck tokens for the spirit about to be released by the flames on its journey.

A Young Girl Prepares To Place A Daugjen On the Coffin

After Knocking Three Times, Some Final Words

In a poignant and respectful gesture, one of the mourners after placing a daugjen in a common metal tray atop the coffin, bent down at the side of the coffin, rapped three times on the coffin's side and quietly uttered some last words of farewell.


 

Daungchan Places A Daugjen On Her Uncle's Coffin

Headman of Tambon Siaw Places A Monk's Robe On the Coffin

 

Monks Accepting Robe Offerings

After the offering portion of the ritual was completed, the top of the coffin was removed to expose the corpse.  Starting with the Monks, followed by family members and then selected guests, coconut water was poured over the corpse.  The pouring of coconut water is the final cleansing of the body prior to cremation and to nourish the spirit for its upcoming release and journey.

A Novice Monk Prepares To Pour Coconut Water On the Corpse of His Grandfather

After pouring of the coconut water is completed, the saht (a woven reed mat) and or comforter that the body was laying on is removed and taken off to an area at the base of the crematorium to be burned with other personal possessions.  Holes are punched into the bottom of the coffin to drain the coconut water.  The coffin is then lifted and placed on to a wheeled metal carriage containing charcoal. doused with a hydrocarbon accelerant and wheeled into the crematorium oven.  As the flame starts to ignite the body, fireworks are launched into the air to scare off any bad spirits that may be hanging around the area.  The intent is to clear the way for the deceased person's spirit as it starts its journey.

At the same time that the funeral fire is starting and the fireworks are exploding, in an act of renouncing this world and its worldly possessions, family members throw wrapped hard candy and colorfully wrapped coins to the awaiting crowd consisting mainly of children.

Children Scramble to Gather Candy and Coins Tossed As a Demonstration for the Renunciation of Worldly Goods and Possessions

This was yet another funeral that I have witnessed.  But during this funeral I found myself internally celebrating and taking comfort in the ritual.  The familiarity of a ritual that has been practiced over 2,000 years seemed to provide a link to the past all the while of serving as a map to a future destination. Death seems to be more familiar and less frightening; something that I have just begun to experience but is taught from an early age in Isaan.  Like so many situations in life, fear and the lack of knowledge impart greater power than is justified by facts.

                   "Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
                    Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so; ..."

As I have at every funeral here in Isaan, I walked away impressed with the dignity, respect, and compassion that the community had demonstrated  for one of their own.



Young Boy Watches the Smoke Ascending From Crematorium