Kok Sa-nga, King Cobra Village

Kok Sa-nga Resident Fights A King Cobra

About two weeks ago, I watched a very interesting National Geographic documentary titled "Hiss of Death" from 2004.  The program dealt with a small village in Northern Thailand where King Cobras are kept as pets and used in local shows.  As it turned out the village, Kok Sa-nga, is located in Isaan outside of Khoen Kaen which is 90 minutes south of our home in Udonthani.  Much of the program dealt with a young 8 year old boy, "Touk", who wanted to be a snake fighter like his uncle, Khun Tongkum.

In 1951 a man named Khun Ken Yongla from Kok Sa-nga discovered an herbal remedy for poisonous snake bites.  He prepared the medicine and sold it to local people who were happy with the product.  Mr Yongla went door to door selling his remedy.  To increase sales, he decided to bring a snake in a wooden box with him as he went from village to village.  As people gathered around to look at his cobra, he would market his product.  Even today traveling medicine or "snake oil" shows ply the back roads of Isaan.  I wrote of one such experience in Tahsang Village over a year ago in my blog
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/09/snake-oil-salesman-health-care.html  Originally Khun Ken used a spitting cobra in his marketing strategy but after 6 (!!) years he changed over to using a King Cobra which does not spit its poison.  The King Cobra has to strike in order to utilize its venom.  This makes it safer for the audience.  Khun Ken used to take his children with him out into the countryside on his sales trips.  He developed a wide reputation for his skill in handling snakes.

In 1982 the Tourism Authority of Thailand investigated reports dealing with Khun Ken and Kok Sa-nga Village.  They found that over 200 King Cobras were kept as pets in the village.  It was during 1982 that the King Cobra Club of Thailand was founded at the local Buddhist Temple - Wat Srithumma.

The program was fascinating and with the village being rather close to our home, I decided that we needed to visit the place.  As is standard operating procedure for planning our trips, I researched the location on the Internet.  I found directions to the village as well as more information about the program.  I decided to go on a weekend because village school children take part in the shows when they are not attending school.  My research also indicated that the best time to visit was during Thai New Years (Songkran - Mid April) when there was a large celebration.  Since the village was not far away, I decided to visit it now to determine if it was worthwhile to visit during Songkran.

We located the village with no problem at all.  From Udonthani we took Highway 2 south towards Khoen Kaen.  About 35 km north of Khoen Kaen, we exited left onto Highway 2039 towards Nam Phong.  At 14 KM from Highway 2 there is a narrow dirt road on the right that leads 600 meters into Kok Sa-nga.  You take the first left in the village and the first of the snake shows is 1/2 Km on the left.

There are two venues for snake fighting in Kok Sa-nga.  The first one that you encounter is a private enterprise.  The second one which is located about 200 meters further down the road at Wat Srithumma is run by the King Cobra Club of Thailand and receives some government support.  Having been to both shows, with both shows not charging admission, with both shows seeking donations, and with both shows lasting about 20 minutes each, I recommend that people visit both locations.  Both locations also allow photography including the use of a flash.

Our first stop was at the private enterprise.  There appears to be no formal show times.  We had arrived around 11:00 A.M. and were in no hurry or on any schedule.  I was content to just sit around and watch the local residents doing their thing.  My photography is "documentary" style so I do not necessarily have to have a staged event to take pictures that I seek.


A Snake Fighter Kisses The Head of a King Cobra

In front of the show pavilion there were booths that sold snacks, drinks, souvenirs, clothing items, and herbal "medicines".  There is limited parking in front of the pavilion with additional parking across the street.  There were not many visitors on the day of our visit.  We waited about five minutes for the start of the show. The performers congregate around and seem to perform so that visitors do not have to wait very long.

Both shows commence with young girls dancing to Mahlam Lao music.  Midway through their dance, pythons are draped over their shoulders.  After awhile dancing with the snakes the girls place the snake's head in their mouth.  Pythons are none poisonous however as I watched I could not help to be somewhat concerned about bacteria on the snakes getting into the dancer's body.


Kok Sa-nga Man With King Cobra In His Mouth


After the dance, older men fight King Cobras.  At the private show, the man was more violent as well as aggressive with the snake.  He used his fists and feet to actually touch the snake.  At the second venue, the man resorted to more shadow boxing type movements to illicit strikes from the cobra.  Both techniques were interesting to observe.

Man Versus King Cobra

When the older men were completed, a young boy fights snakes but not King Cobras.  The snakes that the young boys fight are extremely quick and aggressive.

Touk, now 14 years old, Fights A Snake

At the King Cobra Club of Thailand we were greeted just as enthusiastically as we had been at the private club.  I immediately recognized Touk from the National Geographic program.  He is now 14 years old and continuing to learn his uncle's trade of snake fighting.  I did not see or if he was there I did not recognize his uncle Khun Tongkum.

Touk The Snake Fighter

Touk and the Other School Aged Performers of the King Cobra Club of Thailand

This Young Girl Loved to be Photographed



King Cobra Club of Thailand Performer

After the show we stayed around to talk with the villagers.  They were as interested in learning about us as we were in learning about them.  I took photographs of the young performers while Duang continued chatting with the villagers.  Here in Isaan, people never seem to be at a loss for words.
Prior to leaving, the villagers placed two pythons over my neck and shoulders.  I made sure that the villagers had not told the snakes that I had eaten python when I lived in Vietnam.  They had a good laugh.  We all had a good laugh when Duang overcame her fear and posed with one of the pythons over her neck.


Brave Duangchan Holding a Python - Her First

We enjoyed our visit and we will return in April for the large celebration.  We were pleased to have witnessed another unique aspect of life here in Isaan.

Young Kok Sa-nga Villager Dances to Mahlam Lao Music As She Heads Home

No Dancing With the Stars - Just Dancing Under the Stars



You Can Take the Girl Out of the Go-Go, But You Can Not Take the Go-Go Out of the Woman.


It appears that our rainy season is over.  It has been a week of refreshing temperatures, lows around 73F and highs around 80F, humidity around 40%, brilliant sunshine, and no rain.  We no longer are using ceiling fans to keep the house comfortable.  Comfortable?  Comfort is all relative - sort of like beauty being in the eye of the beholder only in this case comfort is in the brain of the person.

Whereas I am in my "comfortable time" of the year here in Isaan, my wife and the other Lao Loum inhabitants are not as comfortable.  Our bed room at night is around 73F - very comfortable for me to sleep without any covers.  However my wife often has to wear a sweatpants outfit and always sleeps under a sheet along with a thick comforter to attain some comfort.

Many people are now wearing winter jackets and knit hats to be comfortable during our cold "weather".  I am enjoying going out in summer slacks and polyester tee shirts and not getting drenched in perspiration.

Duangchan Dressed For the "Chill" - 73F, 23C

 With the change in the weather but not a change in time - Thailand does not change clocks during the year, there are many changes in activities throughout Isaan.  The rice and sugar cane harvests have just started.  The rice harvest will reach a climax at the end of this month.  The sugar cane harvest will continue into the New Year.  Currently the rice paddies are filled with golden grain with drooping heads of rice kernels.  Fortunate farmers have paddies of upright stalks of rice.  Many unfortunate farmers, due to swirling winds, have large portions of their paddies filled with flattened or partially flattened rice stalks.  Harvesting flattened stalks is much more labor intensive and time consuming.  Harvesting is done by hand using sickles.

With the end of Buddhist Lent about 2 weeks ago, Monks are free to roam about the country - not on Southwest Airlines but  any way that they choose.  During Lent they had to remain at one Wat.  Now they can travel to other Wats and spend the night.  During the day more Monks can be seen traveling about the region.

With the improved weather, the Mahlam Lao shows have started up again.  Last night, my brother-in-law had a show in an outlying village.  He had let us know so that I could go and take photographs.  Duang was not all that enthusiastic mentioning something about too much fighting, guns, and that too many of the people had been Communists.  I welcomed the opportunity to see another one of his shows.  Duang agreed and suggested that we have her son or son-in-law drive us because she knew that I do not like the frequent confusion that results in transporting family to an area not on the map and relying on their "instructions".  That suggestion was fine with me.  There was also the added bonus that our 21 month old grandson would sit on my lap as we drove to and from the show.

I did not quite understand how far away the concert site was.  It was two hours from Tahsang Village.  I refer to the place, "Na Kom Noy" or "Na Kom Noi", or perhaps it was "Nakom Noi", as "Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere".  Of the two hour drive, at least 45 minutes was on dirt "roads".  Roads to me imply a maintained path with proper compaction and drainage.  We travelled on dirt paths, areas absent of vegetation and highly rutted in the middle of sugar cane fields and rice paddies.  There were very few signs to indicate where we were or where we might be headed.  We had 4 family members who "knew" the way to the village.  Even with them knowing how to get there, there were many times when my stepson had to slow down and lower a window to get instructions on exactly how to get there.  I am still confused as to why we were not able to take paved roads to the village  but that may be just me being a "falang".  One section of road actually had 50% of its surface deeply eroded and rutted by previous rains.  I was concerned that we would break an axle or break the oil pan on the road.  Duang had thought well - if I had been driving we would never had made it to the concert - I would have lost my cool and returned to Tahsang Village well before two hours were up.  Having Peelawat sleeping on my lap kept me from losing my cool as a passenger - just barely.




Lon Makes An Offering Prior to the Show Starting

 We eventually made it to the village.  We had been told that this was going to be a big show - 6 "sexy ladies" (dancers).  It turned out that there actually 8 dancers (I did not find their mullet hairpieces to be all that sexy though) plus a saxophone player in the band. Usually my brother-in-law has 4 dancers and no sax player so this was indeed a big show.  We initially sat behind stage and watched the dancers and other performers prepare for the show.

The Khene Player and Second Male Singer Prior to Going On Stage

I had witnessed performers make religious offerings before and last night was no exception to the need to appease the spirits.  Prior to the start of the show my brother-in-law made an offering.  Some of the other performers did a little meditating before the show. Peelawat was interested in everything and took it all in.


Peelawat Bundled Up for the Show and a Little Tired

The show started at 10:00 P.M.  There was a good sized crowd.  It was readily apparent that many of the people had been drinking - drinking for a while - quite a while.  Mahlam Lao shows are performed for many reasons such as Weddings, Funerals, Weddings, Death Anniversaries, Monk Ordinations, Religious Festivals, political celebrations, fund raisers for a temple, and sometimes - just for fun.  Last night's reason was related to a fund raising for the local Wat.

Na Kom Noi Resident Enjoys a Snack

The spectators sat on woven reed mats, sahts, placed on the prepared field for the show.  One side of the field had carts selling foods, beer, whiskey, and novelties for children.  The other side of the field abutted the wall surrounding the Wat.  People of all ages attended the concert as I have found at all similar events here in Isaan.  Our group represented four generations and was typical of other families at the show.

Everyone Enjoys A Mahlam Show

Once the band started playing there was no hesitation for people to get up and dance.  There are 5 distinct groups that dance at these affairs.  The first group is the "Young Bucks".  The "Young Bucks" are males ranging from 10 years old up to 30 years old.  They are extremely animated, and the ones from 14 to 30 years old are often very drunk.  The younger members of the group being under 14 years old are working on making a favorable impression on the older members - often their brothers or cousins.  The Young Bucks congregate at the front of the stage and strut their stuff by performing very energetic as well as exaggerated dance routines.  It is from the "Young Bucks" that most of the fights break out.  An unintentional bump in the "mosh pit", an intentioned slight,  physical contact to apologize misinterpreted as a gesture to assert dominance; all lead to fists flying and legs kicking.

"Young Bucks" Dancing to the Beat

Young Bucks Moving to Impress



A "Young Buck" Dancing the Night Away

The second group who also congregate at the front of the stage are the "Ladyboys" or "Kathoeys".  They manage to appear at all concerts no matter how isolated the location.  Last night there were only two or three but often there can be as many as 15 or more.  The "Ladyboys" often compete with the "Young Bucks" for "Best Dancers" and often they are the superior dancers perhaps because they tend to not be as drunk.  However the Ladyboys also tend to fight but typically only amongst themselves.



An "Old Buck" Busts Some Dance Moves



This is "Old Guy" Had More Moves than a Box of ExLax

The third group, which is not actually a group but more like a collection, are the "Old Guys".  The Old Guys are individual men who have worked hard all their life and if they have not drank hard all their life they at least have been drinking hard all that day.  They dance by themselves apparently oblivious to what is going on around them.  They are also great dancers and quite entertaining to watch.  They have a great time until a family member intervenes and removes them from the area.  The "Old Guys" are "Dancers" and "Entertainers" rather than "Brawlers" or "Fighters"

The next group that you will typically encounter at these shows are the "Matrons".  The "Matrons" are the wives and other mature women who will dance together off to the side.  They remind me a great deal of my Aunts who would dance together at family weddings.  I have yet to see the "Matrons" mix it up other than to intervene with "Young Bucks", "Old Guys", and even the "Ladyboys" in attempts to restore order or try to restore a certain degree of decorum.

The last group is everyone else - young girls dancing together sometimes while flirting with "Young Bucks", women dancing by themselves in a world of their own and a small number of men dancing with women.

The Show Goes On



"Sexy Lady" Dancer - The One Without A Mullet Hairpiece




Dancer Showing One of Her Many Moves

 The Mahlam Lao shows can be quite "bawdy" performances but not actually obscene.  The lead performer will often engage the audience in double entendres.  Even the lead female performer will make some rather 'off color" remarks such as what she would like to eat or a remark regarding what she thinks a male spectator has been "blessed" with.  The audience revels in the crude humor. The dancers have some very suggestive dance moves but they are strictly for show.  But this is Thailand and things are not always what they appear to be.  Often the dancers wear body stockings underneath their apparent skimpy outfits.  Last night's dancers were an exception in that 7 of them had bare midriffs.  Typically the dancers wear a pair of short shorts underneath their dance outfits.  Last night one of the dancers wore a pair of women's briefs.  All the dancers wore pantyhose.  So although their outfits appeared rather risque they were actually only dressed suggestively.  Having the ability and privilege to stay backstage I also can observe the wonders of make-up.  It is interesting to see a normal looking girl utilize makeup, hairpieces, sparkles, and false eyelashes to become transformed into a "Sexy Lady"  This transformation is also part of the performance.  The transformation is also part of the illusion for the benefit of people who have a hard life to escape for a few hours.  That's what is entertainment here in Isaan.

As part of the performances, members of the audience will approach the stage to give money or flowers to specific performers.  Sometimes the spectator only wants to or can only afford to shake a hand and give a kind remark.  This ritual is all part of the show with the audience becoming the performers and part of the performance.  It is all very entertaining.  The combination of hard driving music, suggestive dance moves, visual sexual cues, and double entendres along with alcohol consumption make a for a highly charged atmosphere.

In general everyone knows their role in the performance and there are no problems other than fights in the audience.  Last night however was the first time in three years that I saw a spectator cross the line with a performer.  A drunk man went up to the stage and reached his hand up to the lead dancer. She squatted down to touch his hand.  This is done modestly many times during a performance by both male and female performers to receive tributes from the audience.  However the drunk man wanted to touch more than her hand.  He took a swipe to touch her in an inappropriate manner and place.  She avoided his attempt, stood up, and just glared at him.  If I had not seen it before, I finally saw what is meant by the expression "If looks could kill".  I was 50 feet away, had nothing to do with the breach in etiquette,  and I had not been drinking but the look still scared me!

Five songs into last night's show the first fight broke out.  Duang had warned me before arriving at the village to not wander into the mosh pit area. I selected a nice area to place our sahts out in the audience area.   After awhile I wandered to the front of the stage to take some photos when I returned, Duang had decided to relocate to the area where the wall separated the concert from the Wat - also the area where the Police were located.  She said something to a Policeman and a chair was made available for me.  She also got a chair for herself to sit next to me.  I got the impression that I was in protective custody.  I remained there until the second fight of the night broke out - right in front of me.  Despite Duang's concerns I was able to protect myself and stay out of the fray.  She ran back from the refreshment booth across the way to tell me it was time to leave.  We gathered up the clan and left at 12:00 A.M. and we arrived back home at 2:00 A.M.  The concert ended at 4:00 A.M.  Yes, there were more fights but no guns involved.  Duang considered that to be a great improvement over previous years.

It was not the best show that we have attended.  It was nice to spend more time with family.  We arrived home safe.  It was definitely entertaining.  I ended up with photos that I am pleased with so all in all it was another good night here in Northeast Thailand (Isaan).

Now Pitching - Peelawat



Peelawat Winding Up To Pitch With Both Hands His Rocks


Yesterday, while the Animist rituals were being performed at our home, I got to spend some quality time with Peelawat, our 21 month old grandson.  We are never at a loss for things to do.  Peelawat has the natural talent to turn just about anything into a game.  He has an impish sense of humor and takes as much pleasure in making others laugh as laughing himself.  He is also very inquisitive which allows me to review and edit photographs on the computer while he sits on  my lap - good for me and good for him.

With most of the action occurring outside yesterday, we spent a good deal of our time outdoors.  When he wasn't "helping" with the relocation of one of the Spirit Houses, Peelawat busied himself with our landscaping.  Part of our home's landscaping consists of small flat rounded stones as a decorative element.  These rocks are just right for a 21 month old child to keep busy - very busy.

Peelawat Showing His "Look Away" Technique Prior to Pitching the Rocks

Peelawat started with using the rocks as trucks and cars - complete with sound effects.  He then he used a rock to bang on the concrete pavers.  Amused with his entertaining antics, I had brought out my camera to take some photographs. It was then that Peelawat got into what rocks are really meant for - to a two year old - throwing them.  Peelawat has thrown the rocks before, but yesterday he was really into it- much to my consternation.  After each of his sessions I have to find the the rocks in the grass, driveway, and shrubs to return them to their proper locations.  Peelawat gets so much pleasure out of the rocks that I can not bear to stop him.

Peelawat Fires Away - With Both Hands

Peelawat noticed that I was taking photographs so after each shot, he would run over to me to see the results on the digital camera's monitor.  It is nice to have such an enthusiastic model and a model who works so cheaply, too.


Peelawat Pitching More Rocks - Right and Left Simultaneously!

Peelawat kept busy tossing stones for a lengthy period of time.  My moaning and groaning as he spread rocks over the grass, into the shrubs, onto the driveway, and some even into the street seemed to only encourage him.  He was having a great time.


Peelawat Showing Some Proclivity for A Possible Major League Baseball Career

Towards the end of his performance, Peelawat showed a natural inclination for playing Major League Baseball.  He apparently had an itch that had to be scratched.  Just as many major leaguers will scratch or "adjust" themselves in the batter's box, Peelawat took care of his needs irregardless of the other people around him.  He pulled his diaper partially down and scratched away as he walked away to join his dad.

Some Habits, Bad Habits, Start At An Early Age

After his pitching of rocks, we played futbol (soccer) with a balloon prior to Peelawat returning home to Tahsang Village.  As Duang cleaned up the sahts, and plates from the ritual, I retrieved and relocated the rocks to their proper locations smiling - most of the time.

Peelawat and his Father, Bhet

Having the Answers - Faith

One of the Spirit Houses Being Relocated

Things are not what they always appear to be.

The more that you think that you understand, the less you know.  However it is this dichotomy of perception and reality that keeps life so interesting for a falang here in Isaan.

A little over two years ago, I wrote a blog regarding the installation of Spirit Houses at our home here in Udonthani.

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/17-september-2008-spirit-houses.html

Installing Spirit Houses at homes, businesses, government buildings, and industrial facilities to ensure good luck, prosperity, and harmony for the occupants and owners.  The belief is not related to Buddhism but to the Animist religion that preceded both Buddhism and Hinduism in this region.

A great deal has happened since that day.  There have been great times.  There have been good times.  There have been a few, very few, not so good times.  All in all it has been wonderful and the not so good times, the disappearance of some personal items and my traffic accident last May, have been within the realm of what I would consider normal living - nothing to prevent happiness.

For about a year now, one of Duang's uncles, the Brahman priest, who officiated over the installation of the Spirit Houses, has been in bad health.  After two visits to the Kumphawapi Hospital within a week back in April, he was sent home and instructed not to return.  The hospital had determined that they could not help him.  I have seen him a couple of times since then and while he does not appear to be in the best of health, he is still alive.

In a somewhat related matter, the same uncle has been having troubles with his daughter who is around 20 years old.  Her boyfriend has left Isaan, as so many other young Lao Loum men, to seek a livelihood in Bangkok.  He had decided to cast his lot in the factories of the metropolis rather than the subsistence fields of Isaan.  One week ago, Duang's niece decided to go with her boyfriend to Bangkok.  This became a cause celebre in Nong Dang Village and its environs which includes Tahsang Village.  As I have noted in several blogs, there are no secrets or privacy here in Isaan.  A young woman leaving her family to live with a man who is not her husband is frowned upon especially if she is leaving without her family's blessing.  In order to support their parents, many young women go to Pattaya or Bangkok to work in tourist or entertainment venues.  This is accepted and not discussed.  However leaving in order to cohabitate is a taboo.  I guess the difference is that one is being business and the other is being personal.

For a week and one-half there has been a family crisis involving the niece's desire to go to Bangkok.  Duang's uncle and aunt threatened to disown their daughter if she left. The niece went without eating for three days and threatened to commit suicide.  Duang was contacted to talk some "sense" into her niece.  Duang was apparently successful in getting her niece to recommence eating and to stop talking about suicide.  However her niece remains depressed.

Confronted with the uncle's ill health and problems with the niece, the family sort out outside assistance.  With this being Isaan, the assistance sort did not come from the local government, federal government, or mental health organizations.  With this being Isaan, the first out reach was to the local religious institution - the Monk of the local Wat.  The family also heard about a special Buddha (Monk), a white Buddha, from a village 25 kilometers from Tahsang Village.  "White Buddha" is Duang's term for a Brahman Priest or Shaman and not for a member of the Buddhist religious community.

It is believed that the local Brahman is reincarnated from a man who died one thousand years ago.  He has been possessed by "good" spirits and spends his time helping people.  It is said that he goes into trances in which he communicates with spirits to see how to solve problems, set things right, and to foretell the future.

He arrived in Tahsang Village yesterday afternoon, about one hour before Duang's niece was going to get on the bus to Bangkok.  He went into a trance.  He spoke to the family.  He put some stuff into a glass of water for the girl to drink and she then decided to not to go to Bangkok much to the family's relief.  With this wonderful development, Duang was called so that she could meet the Shaman.  In the course of conversation the Shaman determined many things - the biggest item was that the Uncle's health was compromised because he had performed the Spirit House installation at our home and was not properly qualified.  It turns out that Duang's uncle was qualified to perform weddings and Bai Sii ceremonies, he was not qualified for rituals such as Spirit House installations.  This was news to me and the rest of the family.

Offerings to the Spirits

According to the Shaman, Duang has been making the wrong offerings to the spirits at our home.  She had been making offerings of fruit, Fanta Strawberry Soda, flowers, and drinking water when the spirits actually wanted blood, pork, beef and fish.  Apparently Duang's Uncle in addition to not being properly qualified had also given her some bad advice on how to keep the spirits content.  The spirits were not happy and were wanting blood, kind of like as in wanting people dead.  Duang's Uncle is number 1 on their list and he would be dead within 10 days.  Duang would be dead with in one year with Duang's daughter being next to die.  I inquired about my status in this bad situation and Duang told me as she has on several occasions, "You OK, Phii (ghosts) afraid of falang (foreigners)".  Many foreigners complain or more accurate whine about perceived discrimination here in Thailand but this is obviously one situation where it pays to be a "falang".

Duang returned home yesterday afternoon and informed me of this development.  She told me that it would be good for her to have the Shaman come to our home the next morning and set things right.  Apparently the Shaman was going to consult the spirits and relocate the spirit house in a proper ritual that would set everything straight.  This would help Duang's uncle's health and remove the cause for my traffic accident and the loss of our personal property.  I asked her how much money it was going to cost me and she replied that it would not cost anything.  I asked her how much of our landscaping would be destroyed and she said very little.  Sounded like a good deal to me so I agreed especially when Duang added that our 21 month old grandson, Peelawat, would be coming along with the relatives for the ritual.



Preparing Offerings While Shaman Consults

 The relatives and Shaman arrived this morning around 8:00 A.M.  Peelawat and I amused ourselves looking at pictures of him on the computer while everyone else prepared for the ritual.  The ritual started with a sit down, as in cross legged on sahts, breakfast of fruits, rice, soft drinks, fish, and meat dishes that Duang had freshly prepared.  The Shaman maintained a vegetarian regimen unlike the Buddhist Monks in the area.

Shaman Prepares to Relocate A Spirit House While Peelawat Rearranges Decorative Rocks



Peelawat Watches the Ritual

After eating, the Shaman talked with Duang, her family and friends from Tahsang Village.  On several occasions he went into a trance to communicate with the spirits.  Duang's Uncle did not come due to his health but her Aunt and Niece had come to our home to ensure the benefits of the ritual for the Uncle.  The Shaman then walked around the Spirit Houses in our front yard and made the decision to relocate one of the Spirit Houses to our front side yard.


Peelawat "helps" his Grandmother and Father to relocate a Spirit House

 Under the supervision of the Shaman, the family relocated one of the Spirit Houses and made offerings at both of the Spirit Houses.  The Shaman preformed a proper ritual to appease the spirits and set everything back to where it needed to be.  Since we also have a shrine in our home, he went upstairs and had the shrine furniture rearranged to be in a proper configuration.



Shaman Performs Ritual for Relocated Spirit House

After the rituals, the Shaman did consultations for the family.  Duang's Uncle, according to the Shaman, will live for three more years.  Duang will live for five months longer than I will.  I will die in Thailand when I am 90 years old.  Peelawat will take care of us in our old(er) age.  When I am 36 and Duang is 32 years old, in our next life, we will have two children - one boy and one girl.

Peelawat and I have a very close relationship.  Duang and many of the Tahsang Villagers have attributed this close relationship to their belief that he was actually my son in a previous life.  The Shaman confirmed this to be the fact.

The family and Shaman piled into the pickup truck around 12:00 P.M. to return to their homes.  Duang was pleased and content that everything had been straightened out with the spirits.  She had answers for why things have happened and knowledge of things to come.  Her world had balance and harmony returned to it.  She had done the right thing and her faith gives her a road map for the future.

My wife is happy, so I am happy too.  She has answers.  I understand a little bit more and perhaps know a little more.

It was another interesting day here in Isaan.

A New Gallery Available - Phuket Vegetarian Festival

A Mother Shields Her Son from a Fusillade of Firecrackers

A new gallery, "Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2010", has been created on my photography website at the link below.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Phuket-Vegetarian-Festival/14384463_SK22G

The gallery is a work in progress but is finally to the point were sharing is possible.  With over 2,000 photographs to review and edit, it has kept me very busy since our return from Phuket.

A Ma Song - His Cheek Pierced By a Samurai Sword

Friday 15 October 2010 - Fire Walking

A Ban Neow Ma Song Fire Walks

Friday morning was rainy.  During an early morning lull in the rain, we headed out to the wet market.  We were out on the streets at 7:00 A.M. so Duang was able to earn merit by offering food to a Monk who was making his alms walk.  She may have earned some merit but her good deed did nothing to improve the weather situation.  We got just about one-half of the way there when the rains started up again.  We had brought our rain jackets and an umbrella so using them and taking advantage of balconies as well as canopies we arrived at the wet market relatively dry.  The market was not anything special but it offered protection from the rain.  We spent some time and took only a few photographs.

It rained fairly hard on our return to the hotel.  After waiting for the rain to diminish somewhat, we walked over to the procession route to observe the devotees from Kathu Shrine parade through town.  I took only about 41 photographs due to the inclement weather and fatigue setting in from combating the weather. Thinking that the procession was finished at 9:30 A.M., we returned to the hotel.  In reality it was only a brief respite in the procession, it continued on to late in the morning.

We spent the afternoon as we had spent the previous afternoons - in our room watching television, napping, and writing in my journal.  The weather continued to be horrible - I was actually beginning to contemplate the possibility that our flight the next afternoon would be cancelled.  The combination of wind and rain often reduced visibility to 300 meters.

One of my goals on this trip was to photograph the fire walking ritual.  We had not attempted to witness the previous scheduled fire walking rituals or sword ladder climbing due to bad weather.  I had attempted to photograph fire walking two years ago but failed due to a combination of distance and lack of light.  This year I had a new camera which is far superior for taking pictures in low light conditions.  In addition, the Ban Neow Shrine venue is much more intimate than the previous Saphan Hin location.


A Phuket Tuk-Tuk Taxi


The fire walking ritual was scheduled to commence at 8:00 P.M. so we left our hotel at 6:00 P.M.  We took a Tuk-Tuk, a small (very small) truck taxi to the Ocean Shopping Mall which is very close to Ban Neow Shrine.  We had dinner at the Pizza Company, Thailand's knock-off of Pizza Hut, and walked the remaining short distance to the shrine.



Devotees Tend the Large Wood Fire in the Ban Neow Shrine Courtyard

 Ban Neow is a small shrine in the heart of the commercial district of Phuket Town.  The front courtyard of the shrine was just about completely barricaded off to form a large rectangle.  In the middle of the barricaded area area was a very large wood fire.  When we first arrived, the fire was about a meter and a half, 4 feet, high.  Occasionally eight men would drag a wide board across the coals and embers to flatten as well as to spread out the fire.  They also used the same board and bamboo pole assembly to tamp down the coals to form a dense bed of coals.  The men wore white clothing as is required of participants during the festival along with tee shirts or towels that had been drenched in water as some protection from the fire.  Interestingly, most of the men were barefoot.

Devotees Spread Out The Coals In Preparation for Fire Walking Ritual

We arrived just in time.  The courtyard was rapidly filling up we spectators.  We ended up 3 people back from the metal barricade at the lower right hand corner of the rectangle - at one of the four altars set up in each of the corners.  We were not there very long when the rains began - once again.  The Public Address announced that the coming one hour before the start of the fire walking was a good omen.  She was 1/2 right it was an omen but not a good omen!    We had arrived prepared for rain - we each had a rain jacket, hat and umbrella.  We had brought one of the large hotel umbrellas from our room.  We put on our rain jacket and I placed my camera underneath my jacket.  Some men moved some large beach umbrellas from the refreshment booths over to protect the crowd along the barricade.  It was my good fortune to be directly beneath the center of one of the umbrellas.

We had been talking and joking with the people around us, so we gave our umbrellas to the people at the barricade who had no protection from the rain.  I tried to collect rent for the use of umbrellas but the people knew that I was only joking.  There were at least three showers, some of them with strong wind gusts, prior to the start of the fire walking ritual.  There were several announcements to be aware and on alert to pick pockets.  Surprisingly the warning was specifically warning about child pick pockets.  There were no children around us and my wallet was in in my front pants pocket underneath my rain coat.  Duang also was keeping a good lookout over me.

The announcer also warned that people born in the year of the snake or monkey to not look at the ritual.  This was in addition to the warning to menstruating women (Duang's "friend" was no longer visiting so she was safe), pregnant women, or people who were mourning.  No warnings other than being born in the year of the snake or monkey applied to falang (foreign) men - so I was good to go - at least in my mind.  I don't know what year I was actually born in.  Since I really wanted to photograph the ritual, I adopted the US Military policy of "Don't ask, Don't tell."  After about one-half of these warnings there was a correction - it was for people born in the year of the D-R-A-G-O-N or Monkey.  It turned out that people born in the year of the snake could watch the ritual after all!  I wonder how many snake people had already left.

Shooting the ritual was a great challenge.  Besides the rain to contend with, everyone was sticking their hand up to shoot photos with their cell phone.  I took several blind shots by extending my arms above my head and eye balling the bottom of my lens to get the angle.  The English language television channel at the hotel had been broadcasting a program about modern day military snipers so I was inspired as well as motivated.  After a while and a big rain shower, 2 people left the metal barricade.  Although somewhat easier, shooting was still a challenge.  Attendants inside of the rectangle were constantly in the way.


Offerings to the Nine Emperor Gods and Spirits Are Made at One of the Altars


The fire walking ritual commenced around 8:15 P.M. due to the adverse weather conditions.  A big part of the pre-ritual preparations was preparing the fire bed.  The attendants ensured that the embers were spread out to form a bed about 3 feet (1 meter) thick.  They also took great efforts to compact the embers to create a dense bed.

Ma Song Throws Prayer Papers On To the Fire

One of the Ma Song was supervising the fire bed preparation.  Other Ma Song came out to pray and make offerings at the altars in the corners of the large barricaded area.  Part of the worship at the altars involved lighting candles and burning wood.  Based upon the copious amount of smoke that I ended up inhaling, I believe the wood was some type of cedar. The Mar Song did some chanting, and would crack the whip that they carried.  You could see that they were working themselves into a trance-like state.

Final Preparations Being Completed

Prayer Papers Burn In Front of a Ma Song



A Ma Song Walks Across the Fire

A Ma Song, who appeared to be a leader, inspected the bed, threw some rice on the embers, and threw some prayer paper on the bed.  The rice popped like popcorn and the paper immediately ignited.  Seemingly satisfied with the preparations, the Ma Song walked to the far end of the fire.  Many other Ma Song were at the far end of the fire awaiting the word to proceed.  Upon the leaders arrival at the far end, the Mar Song commenced walking across the fire.

After the Ma Song completed their fire walking, some of the other devotees walked across the fire under the supervision of the Mar Song.




A Devotee Walks Across the Fire

 We left as the fire walking was coming to a close.  One-half a block from the shrine the sky opened up - the heaviest rains of the trip up to that point.  Fortunately we were clear of the jam packed crowd back at the shrine.  We quickly sought and found shelter under the extended balcony of a store front.  With the heavy rain and ensuing street flooding, it was obvious that we were not going to be walking back to the hotel.

A motorbike pulled up and the operator asked if we wanted a ride.  In Thailand there are four main modes of transportation in urban areas - motorbikes, Tuk-Tuks, Somlaws, and Songthaews or buses.  In Phuket I did not see any somlaws, three wheeled motorcycles, but there were plenty of roving motorbikes offering rides for a negogtiated price.  Motorbikes are involved in many accidents.  With the rain, road conditions, poor lighting, and crowds, I did not want to hop on the back of a small motorbike.  I told Duang that I did not want to ride on a motorbike.  I told her that I was afraid.  She told the motorbike woman.  The motorbike woman told Duang to stay where we were and she would return with a taxi for us.  About five minutes later the motorbike returned followed by a sedan.  The motorbike woman was concerned about me crossing te street and assisted me to cross the street in heavy traffic.  We returned to our hotel safe and sound - thanks to the kindness of a stranger.