Bun Khao Saht - Celebration of the Dead



Villagers Make Offerings to the Spirits of Family Members



Tuesday was a special day in Isaan.  September 5th, this year, is Bun Khao Saht also known as Boun Khao Salak or "Celebration of the Dead" in neighboring Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos).  It is the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival held on the day of the tenth Full Moon of the lunar calendar.  For Westerners the moon is called the "Harvest Moon".

On this special day, merit making is performed by offering food to the Phii (ghosts) of family members.  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 on this day for older people to give gifts of Kao Tawtek and money to children.

Like many things here in Thailand, Bun Khao 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 in the morning to be able to participate in the daily merit making ritual of offering food to the Monks.  This has been one of the most wet monsoon seasons since I have been in Thailand, even more than last year.  Since we returned to Thailand from our trip to America on July 18th, we have had rain all but three days.  Mud is everywhere and some of the country roads have moving water flowing across them.  Of course the combination of rain and traffic is taking a heavy toll on all the roads.  Potholes and failing pavement are now the norm.

Just as I reached her village to make the turn to drive through the fields where the Wat is located a truck stopped in front of me.  The driver, who I recognized, motioned that he wanted to talk.  Through his limited use of English, my limited knowledge of Thai/Lao, and a great deal of pantomime, I understood that the normal route was closed and I should follow him.

After an even more circuitous route on an even more bumpy road covered with more mud as well as puddles through the towering sugar cane fields, we made it to Wat Pha That Nong Mat.

On Bun Khao Saht, in addition to earning personal merit, the participants earn merit for the spirits of their dead relatives.  It is especially important to make offerings to family members who died during the year since that last Bun Khao Saht.

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 in a future life.

Villagers Make Offering of Food for 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 newly completed Viharn (several years under construction but finished 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.

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 and her 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.

Monks Select their Food from the Offerings Made to Them

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.

Prior to Start of Daily Food Offering Ritual, Monks Bless Food Offerings to the Spirits

At the end of the daily food offering ritual, the villagers gathered up their baskets and went outside. The villagers scattered throughout the Wat grounds selecting specific trees to stop at before going to their family tat where the bones of their family are interned.  The offerings made at the trees were for family members who died prior to the family having enough money to buy a tat as a repository for their bones.

Duang's Mother Lights Two Candles for Offering to the Spirit of her Husband

The food was placed upon banana leaves and consisted of peeled fruits, sticky rice, chili sauces, dried fish, kao tawtek 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 communicated to the spirits.

Water Is Poured Over the Offering In the Act of Transference of Merit

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 residing in the tats 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 family spirits whose bones were not interned in the tat.



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.

After a while, around ten minutes, one of the men rang the Wat's 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.


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 ensuring that there are always "leftovers".

Bun Khao Saht 2016 - Feeding the Family Spirits



Making Food Offering To the Spirits of Parents





Friday was a special day in Isaan.  September 16, was Bun Khao Saht also known as Boun Khao Salak or "Celebration of the Dead" in neighboring Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos).  It is the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival held on the day of the tenth Full Moon of the lunar calendar.  For Westerners it is called the "Harvest Moon".

On this special day merit making is performed by offering food to the Phii (ghosts) of family members.  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, Bun Khao 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.  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 Wat Pha That Nong Mat.  This has been one of the most wet monsoon seasons since I have been in Thailand.  Since we returned to Thailand from our trip to America on July 20th, we have had rain all but three days.  Mud is everywhere and some of the country roads have moving water flowing across them.  Of course the combination of rain and traffic is taking a heavy toll on all the roads.  Potholes and failing pavement are now the norm.

On Bun Khao Saht, in addition to earning personal merit, the participants earn merit for the spirits of their dead relatives.  It is especially important to make offerings to family members who died during the year since that last Bun Khao Saht.  For my step-son and step-daughter, it had the significance associated with the death of their father who died the previous week.

Duang's Daughter Makes Offering to Her Father

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 in a future life.



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.



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 and her 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.

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.

Pope and Peelawat Participate in the Ritual

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 before going to their family tat where the bones of their family are interned.  The offerings made at the trees were for family members who died prior to the family having enough money to buy a tat as a repository for their bones.

The food was placed upon banana leaves and consisted of peeled fruits, sticky rice, chili sauces, dried fish, kao tawtek 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 communicated to the spirits.



 

 

 

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 residing in the tats 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 family spirits whose bones were not interned in the tat.



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.





After a while, around ten minutes, one of the men rang the Wat's 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.

Laypeople of Thasang Village Partake In Communal Meal

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 ensuring that there are always "leftovers".

Wan Kao Saht - Feeding the Spirits

Making an offering of food to the spirits

Today was a special day here in Isaan.  Today, 1 September 2016, 2559 BE, is Wan Kao Saht.  On this special day of Vassa (Buddhist Rain Retreat) merit making is performed in offering food to the Phii (ghosts).  People also earn merit through offering "Kao Tawtek) to their local Monks.

Kao Tawtek is a traditional Isaan sweet treat made from rice, caramel, millet, peanuts, and shredded coconut.  I refer to it as "Thai Cracker Jacks". It is also traditional for older people to give gifts of Kao Tawtek and money to children.  Today Duang's mother gave Duang some Kao Tawtek.

Like many things here in Thailand, Wan Kao Saht seems to be adapted and amalgamated from other cultures. There is a strong tradition here in Southeast Asia for paying homage to the dead and for making offerings to them.  The Chinese celebrate a Hungry Ghost Festival but that was 17 August to 31 August this year.  In Vietnam, Vu Lan festival was celebrated from August 3rd to August 31st this 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.  Duang could not go this morning because her car was being serviced at 9:30 AM.  I was left to fend for myself until I arrived at Thasang Village where plenty of family and friends were ready to assist me.After driving past many bright green rice paddies,  and through muddy fields lying in fallow, I arrived at the "Outside" Wat, Wat Pha That Nong Mat.  There are two Wats in Thasang Village - one "inside" and one "outside" - Duang's immediate family frefer the "outside" Wat.

Today in addition to earning personal merit, the participants earned merit for the spirit 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.

Installing the Si Sein from Spirit Offerings

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 wihan (worship hall) next to a concrete column.  A si sein (cotton string) was placed across the tops of the baskets.  The si sein ran up the column, across the wihan and ran down a second column near where the Monks would sit slightly above the villagers.  The si sein terminated in a ball placed on a plate at the side of the Wat's senior Monk.

Many of the women were dressed in white uniforms like the attire that Duang wears just about every night during Vassa 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, are participating in a women's retreat at the Wat tonight.  They will spend the remainder of the day and most of the night reading and studying the scriptures and receiving lectures from the Monks.

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 along with a couple of Brahmans chanted in Pali.

Offering Food to the Monks of Wat Pha That Nong Mat

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 selected a large bodhi 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 bodhi trees while meditating.

Yai Puh, Grandmother Puh, laid out food for the spirits of deceased family members.  The food was placed upon banana leaves an 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. Santa Claus take care of you"  Santa Claus?

I think that Duang is trying to help me to understand the ritual in terms that I can better relate to.  I sincerely doubt that any of the villagers there this morning know about "Santa Claus" let alone in the context that Duang refers to him.


Eight years ago we were in Bangkok for Christmas.  I woke before Duang on Christmas morning.  I took one of her socks, placed some money in it and since the hotel did not have a fireplace in our room, hung her sock from the large flat screen television.  When she woke I explained to her the story of Jesus's birth, the three Kings and Santa Claus.  What is the saying about throwing things up against the wall to see what sticks? The "Santa Claus" part of my explanation of Christianity is what Duang has retained.  To her, Santa Claus, is Christianity's supreme being or spirit, - the guy that makes all things happen, the entity that you pray to for favors.


So in that context, I believe that she was helping me to understand that the people were beseeching the supreme power to look after the departed spirits.

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 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).  However, for spirits the offerings are in pairs.

Offering Food to the Spirit of Duang's Father

After feeding the family spirits had been offered food and drink, Yai Puh relocated to the Tat where the bones of Duang's father are kept. She and a close family friend made offerings to Duang's father spirit.

People here in Isaan enjoy being photographed - my mother-in-law is no exception.  She wanted me to take her photograph along with the family friend.  They posed for me atop the base of the tat for Duang's father.

The villagers returned to the wihan (worship hall) 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 they are allowed to take only what they can eat that morning for their one meal of the day.  The food, that the Monks have not taken, is eaten by the laypeople in a community meal in the wihan after the Monks have left.

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 can often be "enlightening".

Wan Kao Saht - Feeding the Spirits

Tahsang Villagers Offering Food to the Spirits

Today was a special day in Isaan.  Today, 19 September 2013, 2556 BE, is Wan Kao Saht.  It is the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival.  For Westerners it is the "Harvest Moon".

I have been calling it "Wan Kao Sa" but this afternoon after consultation and closer listening to my wife, I have confirmed it to be "Wan Kao Saht".  On this special merit making is performed in offering food to the Phii (ghosts).  People also earn merit through offering "Kao Tawtek) to their local Monks.  It is also traditional for older people to give gifts of Kao Tawtek and money to children.  I was hoping to photograph the giving of the Kao Tawtek and money today, but it was apparently occurred yesterday.

Like many things here in Thailand, Kao Saht seems to be adapted and amalgamated from other cultures. The Chinese celebrate a Hungry Ghost Festival but that was 7 August to 4 September of this year with "Ghost Day" on 20 August.  In Vietnam, today is the second biggest holiday with an emphasis and focus on children.

We 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.  After picking up our young grandson we drove through the bright green rice paddies, "high as an elephant's eye" sugar cane fields, and muddy fields lying in fallow, we arrived at the "Outside" Wat.

Today in addition to earning personal merit, the participants are earning merit for the spirit 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.

We had brought offerings of bottled water, food, and toiletries for the two Monks of the Wat.  We were not alone.  About one-half of the Tahsang Villagers were at this Wat.  I assume that the other half of the village were at the "Inside" Wat where "Rocketman" is the senior Monk.

Baskets of Food for the Spirits Connected by Si Sein to 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 Sala next to a concrete column.  A si sein (cotton string) was placed across the tops of the baskets.  The si sein ran up the column, across the sala and ran down a second column near where the Monks would sit slightly above the villagers.  The si sein terminated in a ball placed on a plate at the side of the Wat's senior Monk.

Many of the women were dressed in white uniforms like the attire that Duang wears just about every night during Vassa 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, are participating in a women's retreat at the Wat tonight.  They will spend the remainder of the day and most of the night reading and studying the scriptures and receiving lectures from the Monks.

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 along with a couple of Brahmans chanted in Pali.

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 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 an 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. Santa Claus take care of you"  Santa Claus?

Feeding the Family Spirits

I think that Duang is trying to help me to understand the ritual in terms that I can better relate to.  I sincerely doubt that any of the villagers there this morning know about "Santa Claus" let alone in the context that Duang refers to him.

Five years ago we were in Bangkok for Christmas.  I woke before Duang on Christmas morning.  I took one of her socks, placed some money in it and since the hotel did not have a fireplace in our room, hung her sock from the large flat screen television.  When she woke I explained to her the story of Jesus's birth, the three Kings and Santa Claus.  What is the saying about throwing things up against the wall to see what sticks? The "Santa Claus" part of my explanation of Christianity is what Duang has retained.  To her, Santa Claus, is Christianity's supreme being or spirit, - the guy that makes all things happen, the entity that you pray to for favors.

So in that context, I believe that she was helping me to understand that the people were beseeching the supreme power to look after the departed spirits.

Offerings to the Hungry Ghosts At the Base
of Bodhi Tree (Ficus religiosa)

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 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.

Food Offering to the Hungry Spirits

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.

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 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.

The villagers returned to the sala 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.  The food, that the Monks have not taken, is eaten by the laypeople in a community meal in the sala after the Monks have left.

Young Villager Enjoying the Community Meal

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

Duang's Nightly Vassa Ritual

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".

New Gallery - Phi Ta Khon Festival

A new gallery has been created for the Phi Ta Khon Festival Lao Loum ghost/spirit masks and costumes at the link below.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Isaan/Phi-Ta-Khon-Festival/12601767_ZtrEu#905314353_zo46v

Phi Ta Khon Festival - Friday 11 June 2010

While back in the USA, I had used the Internet and determined that the 2010 Phi Ta Khon Festival was going to be held June 11 to June 14 this year - despite some websites indicating that it is going to be held at the end of this month. When I found the actual schedule of events for the Festival along with the Mayor's message indicating that the celebration was 11 June to 14 June, I was confident as to when the event would start. I wanted to witness this unique Lao Loum cultural event. Upon my return to Thailand, I did additional research and completed arrangements for our visit to Dansai for this year's celebration.

Although the event started on Saturday morning - early Saturday morning as in 3:00 A.M., I wanted to arrive on Friday to reconnoiter the area for event locations, best photography locations, and become familiar with the area for parking, as well as dining opportunities before the start of the festival.

The Phi Ta Khon festival is a unique celebration of the Dansai district in Loei Province of northeast Thailand. The celebration is actually the combination of two different festivals. The first festival is the merit making holiday, "Bun Pha Ves", "Boon Phra Wate" and "Bun Phra Wet" - in Thailand Anglicized spelling is more or an art than a science. There are many English spellings as well as pronunciations for many Thai words - this can make travel with a road map extremely interesting if not confusing. This festival involves merit making by listening to 13 Buddhist sermons - the story, The Mahachet, of Buddha's last reincarnation prior to becoming Enlightened.

Associated with this merit making opportunity, there is a Buddhist folk legend that Prince Vessandara, Buddha's last reincarnation before becoming Enlightened, had been banished from his village. After many years in exile and a very long journey he returned to his village. The villagers were very happy that he had returned. They had a joyous celebration to welcome him home. The celebration was so great and loud that it awoke the spirits who joined in the welcome home party - a party that was akin to being so loud and wild that it woke the dead.

In Dansai they have a tradition of celebrating this legend, by preparing masks and clothing to become spirits during their festival which is held with the sixth or seventh lunar month. The exact timing of the festival in Dansai can only be determined by the consultation of the local male spiritual medium leader, Jao - Por Guan, a female medium, Jao - Mae Nang Tiam, and a group of male mediums, Saen, with the spirit that protects Dan Sai, Jao Saen - Muang. In a ceremony the actual date for the Phi Ta Khon is determined.

The second component of the Phi Ta Khon Festival is the Bun Bang Fei, Rocket Festival, which is also celebrated throughout Isaan at the end of the dry season and start of the rainy season. Homemade gunpowder rockets are fired up into the sky over northeast Thailand as offerings to the spirits for the return of the rains as well as fertility of the land.

Only in Dansai, the two festivals are combined into a ghost and fertility festival with merit Buddhist merit making ritual - a unique cultural event.

After a pleasant three hour drive on good roads with very little traffic, we arrived at our hotel just outside of Dansai around 10:30 A.M. After checking in and unpacking, we had a small lunch before driving down into the valley where Dansai. One logistic concern was resolved - Dansai is 15 minutes from the hotel. We found the local Wat, Wat Phon Chai, and parked inside. The Wat grounds were being prepared for the next day's start of the festival. To the right of the Wat there was a nice stage erected for entertainment. To to right of the stage was a set of bleachers with a cover to protect spectators from sun and rain.

The Wat is situated on a mound in the center of the Wat grounds. Staircases lead from the low level where we parked, and where the many various booths were being set up up to the higher ground where the religious buildings were located. On the high ground, the Dansai Folk Museum is also located. We entered the museum and were very pleasantly surprised. We were the only visitors. The museum had several straw mannequins on display wearing masks and clothing of the Phi Ta Khoen, spirits. I was able to spend about an hour photographing the displays unencumbered. I sat on the floor, lay on the floor and crouched to get different angles as well as perspectives of the colorful masks and costumes. During my shooting, Duang spoke with the museum employees to determine the locations for the various events over the next three days. This being Isaan, she was soon involved in animated conversation with them as if they were relatives reunited after a long absence. Once again the Lao Loum sense of community was very evident and apparent.

The Phi Ta Khon masks are created out of the base of coconut trees, huad, and wood. The huad along with the reed wind instrument, the khene, the pakama, and the long skirt for women are the ubiquitous symbols of Lao Loum, lowland Lao culture. The huad is a quasi conical shaped woven bamboo basket that is used to steam kao kniouw (sticky rice) that is the staple of the Lao Loum diet. After soaking in water overnight the sticky rice is placed in the huad which in turn is placed over an urn of boiling water over an open flame and steamed until cooked. The Phi Ta Khon of Dansai have hats made out of huad.


The Phi Ta Khon masks are beautiful folk art. They remind me a great deal of the artwork on goalie masks in the National Hockey League. The spirits or ghosts have very ornate designs as well as bright and bold colors. They typically have very large and sharp teeth to go along with a large hooked nose. The masks come in many different colors.

The Phi Ta Khon wear clothing, imitating burial shrouds, made from strips of cloth from sheets and blankets. The result is a very colorful and intricate costume. The costumes reflect a great deal of pride and skill of the villagers. It is impressive to see such local craftsmanship and artistry. Fortunately the impact of the global economy has not penetrated or poisoned the culture in Dansai. Massed produced cheap costumes and masks from China are not a reality yet and hopefully never will be.

After completing our visit to the museum, we returned to our hotel for dinner and an early bedtime. I went to sleep still considering the possibility of witnessing the start of the festival at 3:00 A.M.

This is the first of three blogs about this interesting and entertaining traditional cultural event in Isaan.