More Bone Washing In Isaan

Ghoats Containing Bone fragments

Songkran is the time of the year when people wash the bones of their departed loved ones.  This is tied into the theme of the new year being the time for cleaning.  Throughout the villages of Isaan, people clean their homes and yards as part of the Songkran celebration.  Many of the villagers also go to the local temple and assist the Monks to clean the grounds - trimming trees, raking up and burning leaves and trash.  The villagers then go to the tats which contain the bone fragments of their family members to clean and spruce them up.

I have written of the bone washing ritual for Duang's father who died in November.  His bones, at his request, were interned in a tat at the temple located amongst the sugar cane fields outside of Tahsang Village hence I refer to it as the "Outside Wat" whereas the temple located inside of the village I refer to as "Inside Wat"

The "Outside Wat" is a Dhammayuttika Nikaya monastery - a sect of Theravada Buddhism created in 1833 by Prince Mongkut of Siam.  Prince Mongkut was a Monk for a long period of time and was very learned in the ancient Pali scriptures of Buddhism.  He founded the Dhammayuttika Nikaya to be a more orthodox school - a return by the Monks to the more traditional practises of Theravada Buddhism.

The "Inside Wat" is a Maha Nikaya monastery - the older sect of Theravada Buddhism.  Dhammayuttika and Maha Nikaya devotees believe in the same things in regards to Buddhism.  Often Monks from both schools will participate in rituals together.  The differences between the two schools is that Dhammayuttika Nikaya Monks are more orthodox in their practises - such as eating only one meal a day before noon, and more focused on proper pronunciation of Pali than their Maha Nikaya brethren.

For some reason, and I am certain that it really did not boil down to how many meals a day the Monks ate before Noon, Duang's father, who was not very religious, wanted to be interned at the "Outside Wat".  For some reason, Duang prefers the Dhammayuttika Nikaya school also so she had no reservations about fulfilling her father's literal and figurative dying wish.

But just as in any other country, matters of life, death, and religion are not simple and frequently are not easy.  Duang's father's family in the area are devotees of the Maha Nikaya - the "Inside Wat" with a family tat in place with the bone fragments of Duang's grandmother and grandfather.

The interning of Duang's father at the "Outside Wat" was the cause of several discussions with Duang's Aunt who is now the mariarch of that side of the family.  Matters have been resolved and while I can not claim that the decision has been approved or even supported, it is accepted.

Because of the interning of family bones at two different wats, we had to attend two family bone washings this Songkran - one at the "Outside Wat" and one at the "Inside Wat"

Two days after the bone washing ritual for Duang's father, we returned to Tahsang Village for a bone washing ritual at the "Inside Wat" for Duang's grandfather, grandmother, and an uncle who had been a Monk at the "Inside Wat"

I often write about funerals and use the term "Same, Same but different".  This is also true in regards to bone washing rituals - although the ritual and its intent is the same, each ritual is often unique.

Whereas the ritual at the "Outside Wat" had been held outside at the base of the tat, the ritual was performed in the usobot of the "Inside Wat".


"Rocketman" Pours Water Over Bones

For this bone washing ritual, the bones contained in ghoats were first presented to the Abbott of the wat.  He poured water over the bones.  The trays upon which the ghoats were placed were then moved off  of the raised platform and placed on the floor of the bot in front of the offerings to the Monks between the Monks and the laypeople .

Offering Food to the Spirits of the Departed Relatives

A sii sein was placed from the offerings for the Monks, wrapped around each ghoat and up to the raised area where the Monks were seated.  The sii sein was held by each of the Monks with the spool of the unused cotton string carefully placed on an ordinary plate next to the Monk at the end of the row of Monks.

After the offerings had been made to the spirits, the ordinary metal serving trays were returned to the raised area off to the sides of the Monks.  The sii sein was adjusted and the odinary merit making of offering food to the Monks was performed.

The ghoats which contained the bone fragments of Duang's uncle, the Monk, were brass and pot metal.  The brass ghoat was rather sophisticated and resembled one of the chedi at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.  The pot metal ghoat resembled an embossed drinking cup.  Bone fragments from her grandparents were contained in recycled Ovaltine glass jars - not elaborate in the least but as a former boss of mine would often point out definitely "Fit for purpose".

I asked Duang if there was merit making involved in washing of the bone fragments.  She said that people did not earn merit for either themselves or the spirits of their departed relatives by the act of washing the bones but that it was good luck for the living to do so.  However the acts of offering food to the Monks did earn merit for the living as well as the dead.

After the Monks had been offered food and were eating, people gathered up the metal trays and left the bot.  Once outside they respectfully drained the water from the ghoats into the metal trays and poured the water at the base of the many trees and shrubs that grow on wat grounds.

The people then gathered together to bring the ghoats to the appropriate tat for re-internment.  Once the bone fragments had been returned and the tat door closed, people then threw cups of water over the tat to complete the ritual.

Theravada Buddhist Bone Washing Ritual



We are now in the final days of this year's Songkran Festival.  As I am sitting here at my computer I have just heard two ambulances, or what often goes for ambulances here in Thailand, speeding down the main road with their sirens blaring "Bee Paw... Bee Paw ... Bee Paw"outside of our development.

Songkran is a time of greating rejoicing and happiness.  The festival is traditional Thai New Years marked by the passing of the sun into Aires.  In Thailand the astrological calculations are no longer used to determine the start of Songkran. The official Songkran Holiday here in Thailand is April 13 to 15. If any of the official days are a weekend, the day or days are added on to the end of the official period.  That is what is supposed to be but there is the way that things are.  Many places celebrate the holiday for 6 or 7 days no matter what.  Just to add to the confusion some places celebrate at slightly different times - such as Pattaya concluding their celebration 1, 2, or 3 days after Bangkok.

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

Tahsang Village, not ever to be mistaken for Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Pattaya, is celebrating Songkran from April 12 until April 18th.  It can become rather confusing and not just for foreigners either.  The other morning when we drove out to the village, we were admonished by our five year old grandson, Peelawat.  He wanted to know why we had not gone out to the village to see him for Songkran.  Duang explained to him that we were visiting him that day for the start of Songkran,  He was not buying into that and told her that they had already thrown water on cars, people, trucks and motorbikes and were done.  That is true - Peelawat and his friends had started throwing water on April 8th.

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

I have written of previous Songkran Festivals in previous blogs:

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/04/songkran-bone-washing.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/04/busy-times-here-in-isaan-songkran-and.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-traditional-songkran-14-april-2553.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/04/songkran-continues-13-april-2553.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2010/04/songkran-has-started.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/03/songkran.html

The joy and festivities of Songkran often leads to tragedy.  Newspapers keep a tally of what is labelled Songkrans 7 "Dangerous Days".  Thailand's roads are the second most dangerous in the world and even more so during Songkran.  For the first 4 days, 204 people have died, 2,142 have injured in 2,027 accidents.  On 14 April 43 people died, 43% of the deaths were due to drunk driving with 78% of the accidents involving motorcycles. "Dangerous" to say the least!

Songkran also has a more somber and sober side.  It is during Songkran that Theravada Buddhist families will wash the bones of their ansectors.  For our family this was compounded by the interring the bones of Duang's father who died in November of last year into a family Tat at the "outside" Wat.

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

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

People Participating In Bone Washing For Duang's Father

There had been many preparations leading up to the bone washing ritual for Duang's father.  The first step was preparing a portion of the land along the inside perimeter wall of the "outside" Wat.  After the land had been cleared, an excavation was made for the foundation of the new family Tat. A large stepped concrete and brick foundation was then constructed.  Duang asked for my opinion and after giving her my opinion, the contractor reworked the foundation to be "acceptable" - to her, my standards are higher or perhaps I don't mind being confrontational over quality.

A concrete slab was poured around the pedestal foundation.  After the foundation and slab were sufficiently cured, colorful ceramic tile was installed.  Shrubs and flowers were planted at the corners of the concrete slab surrounding the foundation.

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

Duang's Son Hangs Jasmine Garlands On Family Tat

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

Making Offrings From Banana Leaves and Jasmine Buds

The day before the scheduled bone washing ritual on April 12th, several of Duang's aunts gathered at the Wat to make special offerings for the next day.  The offerings are made from banana leaves and jasmine buds. The intricate floral arrangements, like all floral arrangements used in Buddhist rituals, are reminders of the impermanance of this life.  The creation of these offerings is a folk handicraft that for me is quintessencial Isaan.

Completed Floral Offerings

We arrived at the wat on the morning of the 12th around 8:00 A.M..  The bone washing ritual was scheduled to be performed before the daily ritual of offering food to the Monks.  Bone washing rituals can be performed outside in front of the Tat or inside the Wat's ubosot.  Duang's family to opted to have the ritual in front of the family Tat.

Sahts were placed on the ground in front of the Tat.  An additional saht was placed upon the tiled slab of the Tat where the four Monks would be seated for the ritual.  Two containers of specially prepared water to be used in the ritual.  Duang's Aunt prepared the water by filling the containers with water and the adding flowers and scented powder to the water.

A decorative porcelan urn, ghoat, containing the bone fragments was placed on an ordinary metal serving tray along with a metal drinking cup, and a bunch of sprigs from a daugkuhn shrub from the grounds of the wat.  Another decorative metal serving tray was prepared with small portions of food offerings, two yellow birthday type wax candles, two sprigs of jasmine buds for the spirit of Duang's father.  Interning the bone fragments in the Tat was very important - since his cremation, Duang's father's spirit has been resident to Tahsang Village.  Upon internment of his bone fragments in the Tat, his spirit is released to continue on its journey to reincarnation.

The Brahman who took over duties when Duang's Uncle was no longer able to lead the laypeople in rituals supervised and lead the family in the ritual.  Water was drawn out of the large container with the metal drinking cup.  The sprigs of daugkuhn shrub were then dipped into the metal cup and withdrawn to sprinkle the scented water over the bone fragments contained in the ghoat.

Water Sprinkled Over Bones Using Sprigs of Daugkuhn

After the Monks had sprinkled the bones, the tray was placed in front of the immediate family.  Each family member repeated the water sprinkling.  When they had completed. other family members and others came up to the tray and sprinkled water.  The ritual was not limited to adults.  A toddler, daughter of Duang's cousin from Bangkok, was very interested in the ritual.  Children here in Isaan are taught manners and religion at a very young age.  This little girl was no exception.  She was lead by her grandmother's hand and sprinkled the bones with water.

Learning At An Early Age

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

The focus of the ritual then became the offering of food to the spirit of Duang's father.

Food Offerings For the Spirit of Duang's Father

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

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

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

Upon completion of the ritual, Duang's son took the ghoat and placed it in the upper chamber of the Tat.  This week a ceramic plaque with Duang's father's picture, his birth date and date of death will be installed on the opposite side of the tat from the small door where the ghoat was placed.  Duang had ordered it from a vendor in near by Kumphawapi.  The vendor told her that it would take four days.  She protested not knowing the process involved to produce the plaque.  The vendor informed her that the plaque was not like foreign food - you did not put it in the microwave, push a button, and have it done in 2 minutes.

This was not the end of bone washing this Songkran, but that will be the subject of another blog.

Next Songkran, the bone fragments of Duang's father will be removed from the Tat, washed, and returned.

"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!

Life Along the Water - It Is All About Water

It is already March here in Thailand. Today is a holiday - the start of Buddhist Lent. It is also the start of the four day Mango Fair in nearby Non Wai in Amphoe Nong Wau Sor. We will go to the fair later this afternoon.

February went by so quickly. It doesn't seem all that long ago that we were returning home from our trip to Luang Namtha. Perhaps because the trip was so enjoyable that our memories and thoughts over the past month numbed our consciousness to the passage of time.

Throughout our trip, I was impressed with the importance that water played in the day to day life of the minority people of the Luang Namtha region. For many of us, water is taken for granted. It is readily available and at our disposal by merely turning a faucet open in our kitchen, in any number of our bathroom sinks, flush one of our toilets, our bath tub or tubs, our shower or showers, and the valves outside our home for watering the lawn and plants in our yards. Many of our refrigerators automatically create ice from the water that is hooked up to the appliance. We have no reservations about pouring a glass and drinking straight from the tap. The water is always there. The water is always potable.

That is the way that it is in our world. We may have concern regarding the availability of oil and its associated products. We are definitely concerned about the price of oil and its associated products. Seldom and perhaps never, are we concerned about the availability or cost of water. But this is not the way it is in most of the world.


We can live without oil albeit not as comfortably as we do now but all people, all creatures as well as plants, must have water. Unfortunately, for many people in the world access to water is not often reliable, convenient or even potable. To address some of the water issues, many people have settled alongside sources of water.

Every village and settlement that we came upon in the Luang Namtha region was along the banks of a river, stream, or spring. These sources of water were heavily utilized. In the late afternoon, we could see the villagers bathing in the flowing water. Typically in the morning, clothes were washed in the water although some people multi-tasked by washing clothes as part of their bathing ritual. No matter the time of the day for bathing, buckets of water were gathered and carried back home. At the Boat Landing Guest House and Restaurant, small pumps take water directly out of the adjacent Nam Tha River and lift the water to elevated storage tanks to be used as required. In some of the settlements the source of household water was nothing more than a slow flowing drainage ditch between the road and the house. The same water used for washing clothes, and bathing is often is also used as a food source and for drinking water. The same water is often used by children as a playground. The same water is also used by the villager's livestock. What water is readily available is well utilized.

There was photographic opportunity that most likely will forever be fixed in my mind. Outside of Xieng Kok on the road back to Muang Sing, we came upon a mother standing in a shallow ditch in front of her home no more than 12 feet from the edge of the main road. She stood ankle deep in the water, having completed her bathing, wringing the water out of one side of her sarong that due to some semblance of modesty she was still wearing. Joining her in the ditch were three little boys and a little girl - all under three years old. Watching over the scene were three other little children. I often write about the lack of privacy here in Isaan but this scene often repeated during our Lao trip exceeds what is the situation in Isaan.

Once in Peru, my wife at the time remarked about the personal hygiene of the local people in Cusco, Peru. Shortly after she made that remark, I saw out of the train window, a small girl, perhaps 6 years old, struggling to carry two filled yellow Prestone Anti-Freeze containers of water from the small community water tap in the middle of a flat compacted bare earth area at the edge of the village. I pointed the scene out to my wife and remarked that the child was bringing water back to her home for cooking as well as bathing. I asked my wife how many baths would she take and further pointed out the water was cold. Again, for much of the world bathing is not as convenient nor as private as is our experience. Most people do not have the luxury of closing a door, turning a faucet or two, and enjoying an unlimited amount of hot water upon demand. Our Lao experience reminded us of our fortune - a fortune that we should not take for granted.

So today as I wind up reviewing and editing the photographs from our Luang Namtha journey, so many of them having water in them, I reminisce about the experience mostly of life along the river.

Life along the river, life along the stream, and sometimes life next to the ditch - I can almost hear once again the sounds of clothes being slapped against rocks, the soft ruffling of clothes being hand washed, the occasional plop of a fish as it reentered the water after catapulting upwards to snare a meal, the sharp staccato of rocks hitting upon each other as village women wade upstream overturning them in their search for food to bring back for the family meal, the sound of wet clothes being beat with a wooden club to clean them, the excitement as well as exuberance of young boys and girls exploring the banks together - each discovery evoking a conference as well an animated discussion with one child naturally evolving to be the group's leader, the sounds of community gossip in a six tonal language by village women as they congregate in mid-thigh high water to bathe, the soft crescendo of mono filament fishing nets being flung over the waters as the sun sets and a full moon rises ... Yes it is all about the water. - Life along the river in Laos.

We will hopefully never take our water for granted again.

Isaan Rice Harvest - 14 and 15 November 2009

Undaunted by the previous, Friday 13th, day's adventures and motivated by the opportunity to spend some more time with 9 month old Peelawat, we returned to Tahsang Village on Saturday and Sunday to contribute to the harvesting of the family's rice crop.

On Saturday and Sunday the crop that was planted in July just outside of Tahsang Village was being cut. This field does not have red ants so I was looking forward to spending a great deal of time documenting and observing the activities there.

Duang splits her time between caring for Peelawat and cutting rice. Duang's daughter and Duang's mother have been sick so extra help is required to look after the nine month old baby. Saturday ended up being a "baby care" day. Duang's daughter was feeling well enough so she spent the day cutting rice. However, Duang's mother was still not feeling well. She had been to the hospital two days earlier with gastro-intestinal distress. On Saturday she was still rather weak. No problem - her youngest son came over to take care of her.

"Number 4", as he is referred to as since he is the youngest of four children arrived in Tahasang Village with an IV bottle and assorted items related to infusion. He is not a doctor. He is not a EMT. He is not a nurse. He is an entertainer. Apparently anyone with the money can buy IV materials for home personal use or on willing subjects. I was astounded. The IV bottle was made out of glass and contained a yellow liquid. I tried to read the ingredients but the writing was all in Thai. The bottle as well as contents looked identical to what I had seen being used on patients in the hospital.

A saht, a woven reed mat, was placed on the tile floor of the family market for Duang's mother to lay on. Polyethylene packaging twine was used to suspend the IV bottle from a wire that ran from a column to the exterior wall of the room. Duang's brother declined to use my belt as a tourniquet on his mother's arm to help bring up a vein (I had seen a belt used in many films where people were shooting up - wrapping around the upper arm and using their teeth to maintain tension around the arm). Instead he used several rubber bands to create an elastic band to tie around her arm. I was impressed with his knowledge and skill up to this point. He had flooded the IV tubing, installed a vent in the IV bottle, evacuated the air out of the tubing and run some liquid out of the needle. Now it was time to insert the needle into a vein. Finding the vein and inserting the needle proved to be more difficult. Eventually the process was successfully completed. Momma layed quietly on the saht for the afternoon.

Once Momma was settled in with her IV, our attention focused upon Peelawat. He had been sleeping in his hammock on the opposite side of the room and woke up as the set up of Momma's IV was completed. After he woke up completely and got accustomed to everyone, Duang decided that it was time for his bath. Since it was a hot and sunny day, Duang took a small plastic tub outside to the backyard to bathe Peelawat. She filled the tub with water from a hose and used the hose to rinse him off. Peelawat enjoyed his bath even though the water was not heated.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent working on the computer to edit photographs and playing with Peelawat.

On Sunday we spent most of our time out in the rice fields. I shot photographs in the morning and then the late afternoon to take advantage of the better light.

It was hot and humid all day long. I had left Duang back in the village to take care of Peelawat. After photographing the family at work in the fields, I took a walk towards the sun. I walked towards the sun for two reasons - I wanted the setting sun at my back to photograph the workers and there several groups of other workers in that direction. Walking over towards the other workers was rather difficult. The recessed paddies were filled with dry stalks of rice either vertical or laying almost flat. Out of respect for the farmers I did not want to trample over the unharvested rice. That left me the option of walking along the tops of the berms around the perimeters of the paddy. The raised area along the paddies are now overgrown with 4 months of unabated weeds. To make matters even more difficult, the berms are periodically cut by narrow trenches - perfect ankle twisters and ankle busters. The overgrown vegetation pretty much camouflages them. I had also watched a program the previous night about people getting bitten by cobras. I pretty much convinced myself that no snake would hang around the dry rice paddies so I cautiously plodded along.

I spent about 2 hours on this trek, stopping to photograph interesting scenes and stopping to rest as well as await the sun to get lower on the horizon. It was extremely hot and I sweated a great deal. I sweated so profusely that my fingertips became wrinkled as if I had stayed in a bath too long. Midway into my solo journey, I thought that I heard Duang's voice. I was too far to see her even if the rice had not hidden her. After deciding to return to the family, I had some good fortune - I found a piece of aged bamboo - a perfect walking stick. With the use of my walking stick, my walk back was much easier and less intimidating. When I got back to the starting point, Duang was there cutting rice. She had correctly surmised that I was going to be thirsty and had a can of Pepsi along with a glass of ice awaiting me. I have to admit that it was the best Pepsi that I have had in my life. The best Coke is a fountain drink at O Sanctuario outside the entrance to Machu Picchu but the best Pepsi is in a can out in an Isaan parched rice paddy.