Songkran - Bone Washing

Showing Respect to and Elder Relative in Isaan

Songkran is a very special holiday here In Southeast Asia.  Most people outside of the region may know about it being the "Water Festival", a time when massive crowds gather in metropolitan areas and wage all out water wars.  International television networks every year broadcast clips typically of Bangkok or Chiang Mai of water drenched people, many of them tourists and many of them drunk. dancing about in a hedonistic frenzy.  I know much of what I have just written, for I was one of them, just once, in Pattaya seven years ago.

Just as Christmas has been hijacked with little regard for its origin and original intention, so to a large extent has Songkran, especially so in the metropolitan regions.

I am fortunate now in that I have a Thai family, a very large and extended family that lives in small villages amongst the rice paddies of Isaan.  I have the opportunity and take advantage of the opportunity to experience the more traditional Songkran in a rural and more intimate atmosphere.  There have actually been some instances this year where Songkran has come to Duang and me.

A Three Year Old Visitor Presents Me With A Pumalai Offering

Twice in the past week family members have come to our home for their young children to pay their respects to Duang and me.  The children ranging in age from 1-1/2 to 4 years old kneel before each of us, bow and present us with floral arrangements called pumalai.to show their respect.  Duang wishes them good luck and good fortune.  Since I don't speak their language, I say "Thank You" in Thai and give them hugs and kisses.   They seem to understand. Growing old is inevitable and can not be avoided, however it sure can be pleasurable with traditions such as this.

Getting Old Has Its Advantages

I have long believed that situations do not develop or events occur unto themselves or in a vacuum.  There are precursors to all situations and events that if we are aware are readily apparent.  If we are not fully aware at the time, we can go back later and connect the dots that lead up to either the event or situation that we are now experiencing.  This year's Songkran experience for me is no exception.

Songkran besides being a time for huge water fights in the cities is a time for people to clean their homes.  Tahsang Village was no exception.  The clutter and debris of front and most back yards in the village was gone.  The local government had arranged for trucks to haul away the items that had been thrown out but never removed over the past year.  Songkran is a time for cleaning; cleaning many things.

Songkran is also a time to demonstrate respect for elderly people, especially family members.  Family member from far and near unite in the villages to pay respect to elderly people by kneeling before them, presenting them offerings of jasmine flowers, pumalai, and cash.  The younger people then pour cool scented water over the out stretched hands of the elderly while wishing them good luck and good fortune.  The elderly accept and reciprocate by thanking the younger people, wishing them good luck as well as fortune , and often rub their wet cooler hands on the face, neck or head of the younger people.

Songkran is also the time when Buddhists in Southeast Asia make merit by pouring water over statues of Buddha to cool and cleanse them.  Smaller statues of Buddha are set up on highly decorated tables of flowers for the people of all ages to walk by and reverently pour water over each statue.

This Songkran I also experienced a combination of Tamboon Roi Wan and Tamboon Jaak Khao, "Bone Party" special merit making ritual for the spirits of family members who had been cremated. One aspect of the Bone Party was merit making ritual involving bone fragments placed inside of small metal chedis,  After the ritual concluded the chedis are kept in the family home.  The bone relics are kept in the home for one Songkran and upon the second Songkran a special ritual takes place when the bones are washed prior to internment in a large family chedi on the Wat grounds.

Yesterday there was a "Bone Washing" ritual for members of Duang's family at the Wat inside of Tahsang Village.  I was fortunate to be able to attend and experience the ritual - another dot that connected the progression of life in this world with the spirit world.  In this case it is a dot that is associated with Songkran - another connection to family, cleaning as well as respect for the elderly (deceased).

"Rocketman" Pouring Water Into Metal Chedis Containing Bone Fragments

The "Bone Washing" ritual commenced with the head Monk of the Wat pouring water into each of the three chedi which contained bone fragments.  The tray, a common metal tray used for serving food, upon which the chedis were placed was then removed from in front of the Monks by a male family member and placed on the floor of the Sala.  The tray was placed in front of the family members and behind the offerings of drinking water and toiletries that would be presented as later part of the ritual.

Family members, one by one, poured water into each of the chedis that contained the bone fragments.  Soon the chedis were overflowing with the water.  The water flowed gently over the chedis and was contained by the metal tray.  Bone fragments floated to the top of each chedi but did not spill out of the metal containers because of the care and diligence of the people pouring the water.

After the family members had completed pouring water over the bone fragments, the excess water contained by the metal tray was carefully transferred into a plastic insulated cooler that you often see in fields and homes throughout Isaan - for drinking water.

The tray was now placed to the right of the assembled offerings to the Monks and in front of the family members.  The three metal chedis were placed upon the metal serving tray once again and the bone washing ritual appeared to transition into a typical merit making ritual - a ritual performed every day throughout Thailand.

Offerings Being Made to the Monks

Pouring Water Allows Merit to be Transferred to the Spirits, Trays of Food and Drink Nourish the Spirits

Cotton String (Siesein) Connects the Spirit World to Our Present World

A cotton string, called a siesein, was unrolled and placed over the laps of the Monks, across the Sala floor, and laid across the offerings as well as all of the metal serving trays.  The string remained in place until chanting by the Monks was completed at which time the string was rewound on to it bobbin and returned to its storage location on the special area where Monks sit

At the conclusion of the merit making ritual with the Monks, the family members gathered the plastic cooler along with the tray of the chedi and climbed down the stairs of the Sala to the ground level.  A few steps brought the group to the perimeter wall of the Wat complex.  There were several large Chedi placed upon various concrete tiled bases.  Each chedi was for a different family and contained interned bones of their ancestors.  Poorer families, or rather families who can not yet afford a proper sized chedi, have smaller chedis or in some Wats the bones are stored inside of sealed niches in the wall.

The family chedi had the upper access port had been removed in anticipation of storing the bone fragments that had just been washed.  This was apparently in error.  Lacking a hammer a young man picked up a rock and used it to remove the cement seal around a lower access port.  Apparently the upper chamber of the chedi is reserved for the most senior members of the family.  These bones were of younger people so they had to be interned at the lower level.

Breaking the Seal of the Lower Chamber

Interning the Bones In Family Chedi

After the bones had been placed inside of the chedi, the port was placed back into position.  A senior aunt of the family washed the chedi with the bone washing water that had been placed in the blue plastic insulated container.  Out of concern for the future use of the container I asked Duang about what would happen to the container.  She assured me that it would not be used for drinking water but the Monks would use it for water in the rituals.

As I prepared to walk back to Duang's parents home in the village, Duang pointed out a gathering of Monks and people at a different location along the Wat perimeter wall.  In front of two identical chedi another family was participating in a bone washing ritual.

Duang informed me that there had been many more bone washing rituals the previous day.

Like many events and situations in life, Songkran is much more complex and different from what it may initially appear to be.  It often takes time and and patience to better understand what is happening.  Often it requires an open mind to get beyond the blatant demonstration of hedonism so prevalent today to commence to better understand the significance and beauty of the world about us.

With better understanding and a true appreciation of the events and situations, we are able to see how they really are all connected.

The Monk Who Lives In A Cave

On Wednesday, after photographing the young boys being transformed into Sang Long, we set off to achieve another one of OUR objectives for this trip to Maehongson.

While on my first trip to Maehongson in October 2006, I visit and met with a Monk who lived in a cave.  Although he spoke no English, we seemed to have made a connection and a certain bonding.  He gave me a blessing and sprinkled water over my head to wish me good luck and good fortune.  He also placed a red string necklace that had a solid cylinder, created by tightly rolling up copper foil, hanging from the red string.  For the remainder of my trip in October and to this day my life has greatly changed and I have experienced "good luck" and the good fortune of being happy.  I do not believe that all this is attributable to our first encounter however I do cherish what I consider to be a shared experience from our first visit.

The Monk's cave is on the right hand side of Highway 1095 about 17 km north of Maehongson in the Pha Suea National Park just before "Fish Cave" (Tham Pla Forest Park).  Fish Cave is a water filled cavern where hundreds of large carp like fish live.  The shade of the forest and tall limestone craggy hills along with the coolness created by the cold water of the stream flowing out of the cavern make a stop at Fish Cave refreshing as well as interesting. As you enter the park there are also many food stalls where you sit and drink prtected somewhat from the heat and sun of the day.

On all of my subsequent three visits to Maehongson, I have made it a point to drop by and visit the Monk.  I bring him bottled water and make an offering to him to help with his living expenses.  The Monk has remembered me each visit.  Although he does not speak English and I speak neither Thai or Lao to hold a meaningful conversation with anyone older than two years of age, we have been able to communicate through either a guide for the first two visits or Duang on the other visits.

On my first two visits, the Monk actually lived in the small cave.  Outside of the cave he had a vestibule with a corrugated metal roof and tiled concrete floor where he received visitors.  It was in his vestibule where you made merit and received his blessings.  Outside of his cave there were several statues of Buddha set against the craggy hill side that he maintained.

On Duang's first visit with me to the Monk, he had converted the vestibule to a walled in living quarters underneath a large rock overhang from the hillside.  There was also a door and lock on the Monk's living quarters - a reaction to some previous vandalism.  The cave where he had lived before was converted to a shrine which could only be accessed through his living area.

During our last visit, four years ago, I was invited by the Monk to go into the cave shrine.  We had arrived at his once a day meal and a local boy was in the living quarters area cooking food for the Monk.

Duang was just as enthusiastic as I was to visit the Monk this year.  Just as in our previous visits, he remembered us.  But there were many visible changes since our last visit.  The local boy has gone away.  The Monk now was running a noisy gasoline generator to have lighting.  The Buddha statues were now surrounded by fairly heavy vegetation perhaps partly attributable to a diminished effort by the Monk to keep the relentless push by nature at bay.

The Monk looked older and more frail than on our last visit.  His hearing was also much worse.  However his kindness was as great as ever.  He was also sharing his quarters with two dogs.

As he spoke with Duang, I photographed him in the natural sunlight that streamed in through an opening in the wall of his vestibule to the cave.  The Monk was very interested to see the results of my efforts to photograph him.  Since I now shoot exclusively digital, I could easily share with him unlike the first visit when I was using film.

The Monk rummaged through his things and pulled out a digital camera.  It was a nice camera but he explained to Duang that he had dropped it and was now having problems with it.  He asked if I could see if I could get it to work.  The camera started up without a problem and requested that the date and time be set-up.  About 5 seconds into setting up the date, you never got to the point of setting the time, the camera would shut down.  I tried several times without success to get the camera to function.  I returned the camera to him and he said that he would bring it to town some day to see if it can be fixed.

After we made merit, we were blessed by the Monk.  Part of the blessing ritual is to be sprinkled over the head with water.  I believe that we got a special blessing - he used up all the water in a special bowl to sprinkle our heads several times.

Monk Holding Bottle of Special Soap

The Monk then gave us each a special amulet that he had made.  The amulets were a sort of Buddhist version of a St Christopher's medal.  They appeared to be made out of metal and had the pressed image of Standing Buddha on the front. The Monk then handed me two bags of material that he uses to make the amulets and had me smell the contents of one of the bags.  It appeared to me that the bags contained clay and perhaps a type of binder such as epoxy.  The bag that I smelled had a very pleasant mild floral type perfume odor. There was an involved discussion between the Monk and Duang about what she needed to do with the object.  He was telling her about how she needed to use some special water that he went outside and brought back to her in a soda bottle.  This water may be special but it e=was definitely not drinking water.  It looked like it had come from the Black Lagoon.  It was dark and had a great deal of suspended things in it - perhaps run off from the rocks above.  Any how she was to take the objects and bathe them in the special water to which special scented liquid soap had been added.  I was familiar with the special scented liquid soap - it is kind of like liquid Castille soap that is added to water that is sprinkled on the corpse during the cremation ritual at funerals.  The small bottles are often included in offerings of toiletries made to Monks.

We said good bye to the Monk and were off to achieve other objectives for the day... but that was not the last that we saw of the Monk who lives in a cave.  But that is another story for another day.

It had been a very good visit.  Yes, many things had changed.  It was yet another lesson and reminder that life is change, change that we can neither avoid or control.  It was also a lesson that we can control how we react to change and that despite change we still can be happy.  Not bad and it was still before Noon.

Poi Sang Long Festival - Wednesday 03 April 2013

A Young Shan Boy Being Transformed Into A Sang Long

Wednesday 03 April was the official start of the 2013 Poi Sang Long Festival in Maehongson.  we had arrived the day before not only to witness the shaving of the young boys heads in the late afternoon. Another reason that we had arrived in Maehongson the day before the official start of the festival was to be able to get a good night's sleep albeit a short night for the early morning activities of the next morning.

From our previous attendance of Poi Sang Long in 2009 and in talking with some of the families during the head shaving ceremony that the boys along with their families would return to the Wat at 5:00 A.M. to prepare for the morning procession through the town.  Preparing for the first day of the festival procession involves applying make-up to the boys face, dressing them in splendid silk garments, gold jewelry, and fancy floral crowns. At the conclusion of the process, ordinary Shan boys have been transformed into "jeweled princes" (Sang Long) reminiscent of Buddha's son, the first Monk, Prince Rahula.

Young Shan (Thai Yai) boys becoming ordained as Novice Monk is a life milestone for them as well as for their family.  Just as with a wedding, this celebration is a grand opportunity and to a certain extent, an obligation for the family to exhibit their success or at least their perceived prosperity. Boys are typically ordained when they are between 9 and 14 years old.  The rite is often deferred until the family has saved or borrowed sufficient money to do it "properly"  The ornate silk clothing that the boys wear is expensive and often fabric is imported from nearby Southeast Asian countries to ensure an expected level of opulence.

Besides the expenses associated with transforming a son into a "jeweled prince", there are costs for the food and drinks for guests to the family home.  There are also the costs of offerings that are made to the Monks.  Family members wearing their finest new traditional Shan clothing also participate in the processions of the festival.  It all makes for a splendid and unique display of Shan culture.

Having been informed that the boys would commence to have their make-up applied and donning their costumes at 5:00 A.M., I decided that we would get to the Wat at 4:00 A.M. to ensure that we would not miss out on anything.  We woke up at 3:30 A.M. to prepare and get to the Wat at my desired time.  Duang is very supportive of my obsessions and never complains about some of our early morning departures in pursuit of photographs. Wednesday was no exception.  Overcoming some difficulties of finding Wat Hua Wiang in the early morning darkness, we arrived at the Sala at 4:15 A.M. By 4:30 the Sala was filled with the 26 boys, their families, television crews, photographers, and about 10 foreign tourists.

Lipstick Is Adjusted Using Finger Tips

One of my main objectives of this trip was to photograph and hopefully capture some of the magic involved in transforming typical young boys into special Sang Long (jeweled princes).  Four years ago I had photographed the process but this year I had a more capable camera that allows me to shoot at a higher ISOs with less noise.  I also had equipment this year to take my flash off the camera and to reduce the harshness of the light created by the speed-lite   Perhaps more importantly I have developed some new techniques to further define my style in these situations.  In the four years since our last visit, Duang also has a new digital camera and has worked on her techniques too.

Unlike four years ago, men were more involved in the application of make-up.  Although many mothers, sisters, and aunts applied the make-up, several fathers and I assumed brothers more than held their own in their proficiency.  Once the lipstick, eyeliner, eye shadow, glitter, and foundation were applied, the family assisted the boys to put on their special clothing.  Once again men were deeply involved in this process.

An Older Brother Dresses His Younger Brother

Father Dressing His Son

Aside from the make-up and elaborate clothing, the transformation into a Sang Long involves adorning the young boys with gold, jewelry  and imitations of those precious items.  After all, every Prince needs to have their bling-bling. Mothers, sisters, and aunts loan their valuables to the boy for him to wear during the festival.

A Father Prepares to Place A Necklace Around His Son's Neck

Family Jewelry Placed on Sang Long

The preparation of the Sang Long is completed with the placing of a very intricate and colorful floral crown.

Dressed and Ready

After all the boys had been prepared, they lined up in two rows once again facing the senior Monk and a large statue of Buddha.  A ritual of chanting both by the Senior Monk and the boys was performed.

Sang Long Participating In Early Morning Ritual

Chanting Along With the Other Jeweled Princes

At the conclusion of the ritual in the Sala, the boys were then hoisted upon the shoulders of their father, older brothers, uncles, or in some cases hired men to be carried outside to wait for the start of the morning procession.  For the remainder of the festival the boys would no longer walk or stand.  They would be carried about.

Outside of the Sala, bands of cymbals and drums beat out a repetitious staccato beat.  Some of the men carrying boys broke out into spontaneous dance.  Women dressed in colorful fine clothing milled about waiting for the start of the morning's procession through the downtown area.

Let the Procession Proceed!

As the procession set off, Duang and I returned to our truck for there were other objectives to try to accomplish on this trip.  The day was still very young and we had places to go and hopeful many people to meet along the way.

Busy Times Here In Isaan - Tamboon Roi Wan (Bone Party)

This week has been very busy for us with a combination of personal, religious, family, and cultural activities.

Wednesday was the second day of "Tamboon Roi Wan" and "Tamboon Jaak Khao" for three of Duang's relatives.

In early January of this year, we attended the funeral of PooPaw Veeboonkul.  The funeral was documented in my blog entry, "Yet Another Lao Loum Funeral" Feb 1, 2013  http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/02/yet-another-lao-loum-funeral.html  It is now 100 days from the funeral and in the Lao Loum culture time for a unique ritual called "Tamboon Roi Wan" sometimes referred to as "Bone Party".

"Tamboon Roi Wan" is the funeral anniversary party that has been written about many times in "Allen's World".  Tamboon Roi Wan is a merit making ritual that is held 100 days after the cremation of the body.  If for some reason, typically financial, that the ritual can not be held 100 days after the cremation, the ritual can be held at a later date and is called "Tamboon Jaak Khao". Whether 100 days or many years after the cremation, the ritual is identical and the merit is the same.

Villagers Gambling As Part of Tamboon Roi Wan

The two day ritual is a time for family, friends, and neighbors to eat, drink, socialize, gamble, and participate in religious ritual.  It is a grand party.

The first day of Tamboon Roi Wan or Tamboon Jaak Khao is spent eating and drinking.  The host family has the responsibility of feeding and supplying drink to all the guests.  Pavilions are set up in the front yard or if there is insufficient room in the yard, pavilions are set up in the street in front of the home.  Round tables covered with fabric and rented plastic chairs are set up underneath the pavilions. Bottles of beer, Lao whiskey, drinking water, and soft drinks along with a small metal bucket of ice are placed on each table.  As the drinks are consumed, they are quickly replaced.  Trays of food such as laab moo (a shredded pork dish), Chinese cabbage and assorted greens, raw beef paste with chili, fried chicken, fried pork skin, pauk pauk (spicy papaya salad), som tom palaa (soup with fermented fish sauce), mushroom soup with red ant eggs, along with small packets of sticky rice.

Spirit Houses (Ban Phii) for the Dead 

Taking advantage of the Songkran holiday and the coinciding 100 day anniversary of PooPaw's cremation, the family also conducted "Tamboon Jaak Khao" for PooPaw's mother and father.  Combining rituals and celebrations is typical here in Isaan for it lowers the overall costs - for the family as well as the guests.  For these celebrations there is a great deal of peer pressure for all family members to attend.  Guests also make donations and offerings as part of the rituals.  Since many family members had traveled to be in Tahsang Village for Songkran, the timing was good to have the "bone party".  By combining three rituals into one, the family reduced its costs significantly.

The first day of the ritual in addition to eating, drinking and gambling was spent in decorating the main pavilion as well as constructing Ban Phii (spirit houses) for each of the deceased people.  In the main pavilion where the ritual would take place, raised bamboo platforms were placed.  The Ban Phii were placed on the platforms.  In front of each Ban Phii a large photo of the deceased person was placed.  Food offerings and glasses of drink were also placed in front of the photographs.  Stalks of bananas were hung from the pavilion framing.  Offerings to be made to the Monks at the conclusion of the ritual were displayed around the Ban Phii.  The offerings included nesting metal food containers, toiletries for the Monks, towels, electric fans, religious decorations, blankets, small square pillows (mons), woven reed mats (sahts).

During the course of the two day ritual, the stack of mons grew larger and larger.  Each person who made an offering gave it with a mon.  Duang and I made an offering of money.  The offering of cash can not just be handed over as bare cash.  The cash is placed inside the envelope that contained our invitation to attend the ritual.  The envelope is then placed upon one of our many mons and given to the people who manned a table at the entrance to the main pavilion.  The mon was placed upon the growing pile of pillows to the side of the Ban Phii.  The envelope was opened and the amount of the offering and our names were logged into a notebook that would be given to the Monks.  People who could not afford cash offerings, donated rice.  Those donations were also logged into the notebook and the rice added to a large sack along with previous donations.

On the first day, some men were occupied making some fancy paper decorations that were to hang from the main pavilion framework.  The decorations were fancy cut outs of green, yellow and red papers. I am constantly amazed at the artistic and handicraft abilities of the Lao Loum people.

Around 10:30 A.M. two plastic chairs were brought together facing each other.

Family Sprinkles Water On Bones Contained In Brass Chedi

A pressed metal decorative bowl filled with drinking water was placed on one of the chairs. A metal tray was placed upon the other chair.  Three small brass chedi each containing bone fragments from each of the deceased people were on the metal tray along with a metal cup containing dainty white flowers call "Daug Mai Kao".  Duag Mai Kao flowers and leaves are used as offerings in Buddhist rituals.  The metal tray also had a fourth brass chedi with its top removed.  Bone fragments from all three deceased people had been placed inside of the opened chedi.  The metal serving tray also had some Daug Mai Kao leaves on it.

Family members approached the plastic chairs and reverently sprinkled water using the daug mai kao flowers on the bone fragments while chanting words along the lines of "Good Luck to you, I miss you, Buddha take care of you. I wait for you to be born again, You not worry, Family is OK"  Each person chants their own special incantation to the spirits.  At the end of Songkran the brass chedis will be interned in a larger family chedi at the local Wat.

"Rocketman" Chanting While Holding Saisin

At the conclusion of this portion of the ritual, a typical merit making ritual of offering food to the Monks was conducted.  Once again I had the pleasure of seeing "Rocketman" and the other Monks from the "inside" Wat along with the Monks from the "outside" Wat of Tahsang Village.

After finishing eating the Monks, all but three, returned to their respective Wats.  The three Monks who remained were special "singing" Monks from a third Wat.  The Monks set up their sound system and sat in very ornately carved wood golden chairs to perform the special four hour allegorical merit making performance of grieving and Buddhist tenants.  Although I have read that Buddhist Monks are not supposed to sing this was the at least third example that I had witnessed Monks singing - things are not always the way that they are supposed to be.  perhaps the is a dispensation because it is traditional Lao religious "singing" rather than modern pop songs or hip hop.

I ended up sitting next to the large gong at the base of one of the Monk's chairs.  I ended up having to hit the gong throughout the four hour ceremony.  At first the Monk that I was sitting next to gave me the sign to bang the gong.  Later people in the audience gave me the sign to bang the gong three times - once for Buddha, once for the teachings of Buddha, and once for the Buddhist religious community (Sanga).  After awhile I believed that I had figured out for myself when to "bang the gong".  To me it seemed that it was time to bang the gong whenever one of the Monks was singing particularly well - long drawn out warbling drawn out wide tonal range - in other words whenever they had the feeling or I had the "feeling".  I think it was somewhat like a fundamental Christian tent revival meeting when someone shouts out "Amen!" or "Hallelujah!"  People told my wife that I did a good job and that I understood how to bang the gong even when our four year old grandson was sleeping on my lap.

Women Participating In Special "Singing" Merit Making While Betel Nut Chewing

The last 30 to 40 minutes of the special merit making with the singing Monks involved feeding the spirits and making offerings to the spirits.  This portion of the ritual started with trays of food and glasses of drink being placed before each of the photographs of the deceased people.

Food To Feed the Spirits of the Deceased Is Placed Before their Photographs

Candles are lit and placed upon the trays of food and drink while family members hold burning Joss sticks to offer the food to the spirits.

After the food and drink had been offered to the spirits, the Monk who was the female voice of the singing ritual commenced to sing a mournful traditional Lao lament of death. - very similar to this song but without the musical accompaniment. http://youtu.be/jzImU9seLWU (Vin yan Mae) "The Mother's Spirit.

As the Monk sang, family members paid their respects to the deceased while holding burning Joss sticks.

Unlike at the cremation ritual, it is during this portion of the Tamboon Roi Wan and/or Tamboon Jaak Kho that there is an outpouring of emotion and grief.  Men and women alike cry as they listen to the mournful laments and think of the deceased.  It is a very moving and touching.  Our grandson sat and attentively observed the ritual - some how instinctively knowing that seriousness and significance of what was transpiring before him.

The merit making ritual ended around 3:30 P.M. when the people returned to socializing, gambling, and drinking.  The children returned to the roadsides to toss water on passing vehicles and people.

At 9:00 P.M. the next element of the "Bone Party" commenced.  Duang's brother had been hired to put on one of his "Molam Lao" shows.  The village street had been blocked off and a large stage erected in the middle of the street.  The show was scheduled to run until around 4:00 P.M. but as so often happens here in Isaan, the police shut down the how before its scheduled completion because of the number of fights.

Lead Female Performer Backstage

The propensity for violence at these shows is widely known.  We asked our 4 year old grandson if he wanted to go to the show.  He said "No, I want to go home and sleep.  There are too many fights!"  There were several policemen at the show as well as one of the large paddy wagons to detain and transport offenders.  The problems during this show started after I had left.  Tahsang Villagers and their rivals from another local village kept getting into fights and ignored the police.  There has been bad blood between the villages since the murder of one villager by a member of the other village.  When people refused to cooperate with the police, the police shut the show down.

A Dancer Backstage

Performing A Song With Khene

It had been quite a party - a Bone Party or Party Phii (Spirit Party).  It was a party that involved the entire community as well as the large extended family of the deceased.  Just as Thai food is a melange of various colors, textures and flavors ranging from sour to sweet, spicy to bland, the party encompassed a wide range of emotions and activities.  There was the solemn respect for the deceased, the sense of community, the reminders of life is suffering, the open displays of grief, the homage to Buddha and spirits, and finally in the end the joy and energy as well as enthusiasm of the Lao Loum culture.  People of all ages participated in all aspects of the day.  Death is not kept hidden from children.  From an early age children are aware of the inevitability of death.

Busy Times Here In Isaan - Songkran and More

 

Tambon Nongwha Official Pours Cool Water On Back of  Elderly  man In Tahsang Village

It has been exactly one week since we returned to our home in Udonthani from our visit to Maehongson.  It has been a very busy week for personal, family, and cultural matters; many of them presenting some interesting photographic opportunities.

On Tuesday, I reported to the Immigration Police in Udonthani for my "90 Day Report".  As a condition of receiving a Long Stay Visa, foreigners have to report their address to the Immigration Police every 90 days that they remain uninterrupted in the country. If a person with a Long Stay Visa leaves Thailand and then returns to the country, they start their 90 day period start over from "0" upon arrival.  Reporting involves filling out a one-half page document and presenting the form as well as your passport to the Immigration Police.  The procedure can be accomplished through the mail, but I prefer to handle it in person rather then trust the reliability of the mail.  Normally the process takes no more than 15 to 30 minutes.  This week however was an exception.   Monday was a national holiday. Wednesday was also the last day this week that the office would be open due to the upcoming Songkran holiday.

Songkran is a very special holiday in Southeast Asia and in particularly in Thailand.  It is New Year based upon the solar calendar of the sun moving into Aires which falls on either the 13th or 14th of April.  It is now fixed as 15th of April.  It is a time when Thais return to their homes to celebrate with their family - sort of like family expectations of Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.  In the days leading up to and following Songkran, the roads, planes, trains and buses are filled with travelers.

Songkran occurs during the hottest time of the year here.  Our high temperatures for each day have been hovering around 100F (38C) with several days 104F and even one day 107F.  Fortunately because of low humidity, typically around the 35%, the heat is somewhat manageable.  It is said that there are two seasons in Thailand - "Hot and Dry" and "Hot and Wet".  We are currently at the tail end of the :"Hot and Dry" season with the return of the rains anticipated in May.  Traditionally Songkran was a festival where people sprinkled water on elders as a show of respect and an effort to help them cope with the heat of this time of the year. They also paid homage and clean Buddhist statues. Thai people also clean their homes - inside and out at Songkran.

On Wednesday, 10 April, Duang and I drove out to Tahsang Village for the start of the Songkran celebration.  10th of April?  Start of Songkran?  Didn't I just write that Songkran was fixed as 15th April?  Well life here in Isaan is like life elsewhere - there is the way things are supposed to be and the way that they are.  Although Songkran is fixed as April 15th, it is affected by weekends and by local customs.  In Pattaya it is actually celebrated on 19th and 20th of April.

Tambon Nongwha Government Officials Addressing Tahsang Villagers

In Tambon (Sub-District) Nongwha, which Tahsang Village is part of, the start of the celebration started on April 10th.  On April 10 and April 11, Tambon Nongwha government officials visited each of the villages in the sub-district.  The officials wore colorful flowered cotton shirts traditional worn at Songkran.  They arrived with their own truck mounted sound system to play Lao music and a fire truck to brink water to the village.  Here in Isaan there are very few, if any, municipal hydrant systems.  Fire trucks carry their own water and have a monitor on top of the truck to spray the water.

The arrival of the Tambon officials in Tahsang Village coincided with the monthly payment of public funds to the elderly people.  There is no Social Security system in Thailand.  The elderly are expected to be taken care of by their families.  However there are monthly payments to the elderly depending upon their physical condition.  People in good shape receive 700 Baht a month ($23 USD) and people with disabilities get 1000 Baht ($33 USD).

All the elderly villagers were assembled in the Tahsan Village Center - a small structure where village meetings, government classes, and voting take place.  It is a small structure with a concrete floor and cinder block 3 foot high walls with no doors or windows - just a corrugated metal roof.  It is sparse but suits the purpose.  It makes a nice place for the younger village children to play, too.

After numbered slips for the appropriate stipend were distributed to the person called out from a master list, the highest echelon of government officials arrived.  They addressed the elderly people and wished them a happy Songkran, good luck for the future, and apologized for sometimes talking bad to the people.  How unique!  How refreshing to witness a politician to humble himself before the people!  One aspect of Songkran is the commitment of some people to do better in the upcoming new year.  The sub-district headman was definitely taking that to heart if not extreme.

The head official and many lower ranked officials then entered the village center and using water from the fire truck to which they had added flower petals they squatted before each of the seated elders gentility poured water over their hands and down their back paying their respects.  The last official in the entourage gave each of the seniors a new umbrella.

Apparently I am also considered to be a senior too.  The headman came over and poured water on me too. later some young women came over and poured some more water on me and rubbed scented powder on my face.  Everyone was careful and considerate to not get either water or powder on my camera gear.

At the start of this ritual I had been joking with the villagers about being afraid.  I was acting concerned and afraid of the fire truck spraying water on all the seated people.  Little did I realize how close I was to the truth!  After they had received their new umbrellas, the villagers assembled outside in the narrow street.  To the pounding and throbbing beat of ethnic music, the people opened their new umbrellas and commenced to dance.  While this was happening, a young man from the sub-district climbed atop the fire truck and commenced to spray water over the assembled elderly people.

Government Official Commences to Shoot Water Over the Villagers

The villagers reveled in the water that was cascading over them, quickly getting them wet and wetting down the dust covered street.  The people in a sing song demeanor cried out about the rains were coming, the rains were coming soon.

Villagers Enjoying A Cooling and Refreshing Shower

The government officials then left the village and moved on to the next village.  Tahsang Village was left to continue on with their extended Songkran celebration.  The children of the village quickly set up along farm road 2125 to throw water at passing motor-bikes, cars and trucks.  With this year's drought conditions, the Tahsang Village water system has been dry for about three weeks.  Two homes have wells that have water in them and the slough at the edge of the village still has some water.  People use wheel barrow type carts to fill jerry cans with water from these sources and bring water to where they need it.

Bringing a New Load of Water to the Edge of Highway 2125

Naturally I got myself positioned where the action was to photograph it.  My little friends either out of respect or fear did not toss water at me.  I made sure to share to share my photos with the children.  They enjoy having their photos taken. I was also able to use some of my training as an engineer to help the children with regards to their water jugs and cart.  They would empty the water cans into a small plastic waste container from which they filled their small hand pails to throw the water.  Since the jugs were very heavy for them they would start emptying the jugs closest to the waste container and placing the empties in their original position.  Very quickly the cart would tip forward spilling some of the hard earned water as well as causing a panic.  After the second incident I intervened and redistributed the jugs and pointed out the need to keep the weight towards the back of the cart to keep it from tipping.  I didn't give the explanation about levers, fulcrums or moments but the children seemed to understand the principle quickly.

Road Hazards and Menaces Along the Road Outside of Tahsang Vilage

The children spent the entire afternoon tossing water on just about anything that came along the road - especially motorbikes.

"No Country for Motorbikes"

Public Transport Passengers Are A Target of Opportunity

We returned home in the early afternoon but not without having water thrown on our truck several times.  We passed at least five roadblocks along the roads back home - although they were not in operation yet they were a big reminder that one should not drink and drive during Songkran ... or any other time.

We were to return to Tahsang Village the next day for another unique Isaan cultural event and family obligation - "Tamboon Roi Wan", "Tamboon Jaak Khao"

Back With More Ammunition