Pouring of Coconut Water; Pouring of Water

Prepared Green Coconuts

After a relatively long spell, we attended three funerals in the past week.  To some it may seem that I may be chasing funerals for photographic opportunities.  That is not true, family obligations and community obligation to attend funerals gives me plenty of photography opportunities.

Funerals here in Isaan, Northeast Thailand, amongst the ethnic Lao people are milestone life events.  The Theravada Buddhist funeral ritual is  comprised of many rites, traditions, and offerings - all intended to free the spirit of the deceased person, prepare the spirit for the journey to a new world, and help the spirit to come back to a better life upon reincarnation.

The ritual is a combination and adaptation of rites from the Animist, Brahmin (pre-Hindu), and Buddhist belief systems.

Preparing Green Coconuts for Funeral Ritual

One of the last rites of the ethnic Lao Loum (Lowland Lao) funeral, just before rolling the consumable coffin containing the body into the cremation furnace, is to cleanse and purify the corpse by pouring fresh green coconut water over it.

Off to the side of the cremation furnace, while the Monks and laypeople are participating in merit making rituals in the sala, worship hall, a man or sometimes men prepare green coconuts to pour the water that they contain on the corpse.  Using heavy sugar cane knives, the people take three to four slices off of the bottom of the thick fibrous husk of the coconut.  This allows the coconuts to sit flat on the ground and ultimately on the concrete floor of the platform to the doors of the furnace.

After the bottom of the coconuts are flattened. several slices ate taken off the top of the coconut to expose the top of the actual nut buried beneath the husk.  The point of the knife is then used to open up a small hole from which the water will exit.  The prepared coconuts are carried up the side stairway to the furnace platform and placed off to the side of the head of the coffin.

The Abbott along with Ex-Husband of  the Deceased Woman About to Pour Coconut Water

At the conclusion of merit making ritual in the sala, the senior designated Monk leads the Monks up the front stairway to the head of the coffin.  Laypeople remove the tin light weight cover from the consumable coffin.  The senior Monk inspects and supervises the preparation of the corpse for cremation.  At his direction, the string bindings at the wrists, ankles, and waist are severed using either a sugar cane knife or sickle.  The cloth, typically either a wash cloth or hand towel is also removed fro the face of the corpse.

The senior Monk then pours coconut water over the body starting from the head down to the feet.  He is followed by other Monks from the local wat or wats.  The Monks who follow the senior Monk share coconuts between themselves to ensure that each is able to pour coconut water on the body.

Part of the contingent of Monks are male members of the immediate family.  On the day of cremation, sons, some nephews, grandsons, and some uncles will have their heads and eyebrows shaved to become Monks for the day.  The relatives, earlier in the day, had gone through a simplified ordination ritual to be able to participate as Monks to earn merit for themselves and more importantly for the deceased person.

Closely following the Monks are members of the immediate family - each pouring some coconut water on the body.  Some family members will gently and lovingly rub the water over face while wishing the spirit good luck on its journey and subsequent rebirth.

Cleansing the Spirit with Coconut Water

When there is no longer any coconut water available to pour over the corpse, ordinary water is scooped out of a nearby bucket using a bowl or a glass to pour over the body.

Pouring Ordinary Water Over the Body

The pouring of coconut water is a very important aspect of the Lao Loum funeral ritual.  It is believed that since the water is contained in a nut surrounded by a thick husk from high up in a tree, the water is considered pure - unlike the water from the ground. The coconut water is believed to cleanse and purify the spirit for its journey to another world.

From my 8 years of exposure to the ethnic Lao culture, I would say that the banana plant, bamboo, sticky rice, and the coconut are essential to Lao Loum society.  The pouring of coconut water over the corpse is symbolic of the hope that the spirit will be reborn in a place that is fertile and with sufficient water to grow rice.  Since coconut water is enjoyed by many of the Lao Loum people and is recognized for it thirst quenching ability, the pouring also is symbolic of nourishing and refreshing the spirit for its journey.

Pouring of ordinary water also symbolizes the wishes of the people for the spirit to be reborn in a fertile land suitable for rice cultivation.

For the Buddhists, there can be no life without first death.  The funeral ritual and the Theravada Buddhist attitude towards death reinforce and affirm the beliefs of  impermanence and the opportunity to help the departed in their journey to enlightenment.

Preparations for an Isaan Funeral

The day after we attended the funeral for the young man from the village next to Tahsang Village, one of Duang's best friends, a cousin, died.  She and Duang had worked together in the garment factory in Brunei about ten years ago.  The woman was also from Duang's home village of Tahsang Village.

The woman was 41 years old and died of breast cancer.  A double mastectomy and chemo had extended her life by just three years.  The woman was recently hospitalized and was fully aware that her death was imminent.  Duang was helping her to locate the father of her cousin's 8 year old daughter so that her cousin could ask him to be sure to take care of their daughter. There were some rumors that he had died but that did not deter my wife's detective efforts. Duang was able to track him down, spoke with him.  He said that he would come and visit but never did.  He did not attend the funeral either.  Fortunately the young girl has a 19 year old half-sister and an aunt in Tahsang Village who will take care of her.

The following day, Duang went out to the village to help with the preparations for the cremation ritual and to participate in the rituals leading up to the cremation.  I did not go the first day after the death because I had my second dental appointment here in town for my root canal.  I did go to Tahsang Village the second day of preparations - the day before the cremation ritual.

Since the woman had died of natural causes, her remains were located within the family home across the street from Tahsng Village's "Inside Wat" - the Wat inside of the village as opposed to the outside wat, Wat Pha That Nong Mat, located in the cane fields outside of the village.

The refrigerated coffin containing the consumable coffin and body was located in the center of the main downstairs room of the house.  The refrigerated coffin was covered and flanked with large floral arrangements of fresh flowers. The ubiquitous pualeets were above and to the side of the coffins.

Since the deceased person was a family member and good friend of Duang's, we donated a floor fan to be offered to the Monks in the name of the deceased as well as our names ... our a reasonable facsimile of our names.  Duang had gone into the nearby town of Kumphawapi to take care of some errands for the family as well as to buy our pualeet.

Lost In Translation?

This being Thailand, it was not a simple matter of hanging a custom printed manner on a fan and placing it in front of the coffin.  The floor fan was highly decorated with artificial flowers and crinoline fabric - sort of like a 1950's or early 1960's prom dress. The custom banner immediately caught my attention - "... ALLN..." .  I recognized the Thai spelling of "Hale" and I thought that the vendor had printed by name the way he heard it.  Later when I asked Duang about it, the truth came out.  The man did not know how to write my name in English and asked Duang to spell it for him.  She does not have much opportunity to practice her English writing skills and in the emotional stress of the day she forgot about the "E".  We enjoyed a good laugh together especially when I pointed out that I have no idea how to spell her name in Thai.

Tonight I asked Duang what the Thai writing above our names on the banner said.  She said "Good Luck to you.  We love you.  Now you will not be sick anymore. We will miss you. You go up now.  You will be born again -good for you,  Don't complain"  - apparently Thai is a very powerful language - not requiring too many words to express a great deal.  Perhaps I have missed something in that translation.

Off to the left of the coffin, men were sitting, eating and drinking - for some - a great deal of drinking.  Lao Lao is a very powerful whiskey - Lao answer to moonshine.  The woman's brother and an older cousin were in and out of consciousness - the effects of three days of drinking and not much sleep.  The family maintains a continuous vigil in front of the coffin until it is removed from the home to go to the local Wat for cremation.  Upon arrival, I was immediately called over to join the men.  I politely refused to join them in drinking Lao Lao but did start drinking strawberry soda.

Whenever the older cousin became an annoyance, family members, male and female, would grab his arm and lead him outside.  He would stumble outside only to return a short time later to start the process all over once again.

Processing Funeral Notices

On the other side of the room, several women, one young man along with the two daughters were occupied with processing funeral notices.  As part of preparations for cremation ritual, funeral notices are distributed to family, friends, and neighbors informing them of the details for ceremony along with a vehicle for making offerings.  The notices are pre-formatted and only the specific details are added when they are printed locally.

Cremation Ritual Notice

Once the notices are printed, they have to folded, inserted in their associated envelope and the name of the recipient added by ball point pen to the front of the envelope.  Duang took a bunch of completed notices and hand delivered them to the local villages.  It is always impressive to see the family, friends, and neighbors coming together to prepare for cremations.

Butchering and Preparing Meat

In the small side room, a typical Isaan kitchen (food prep area) off from the main room of the home, men and women were busy butchering pigs and cattle to feed the people.  For events such as funerals here in Isaan people purchase pigs and cattle to serve.

Purchasing a pig does not involve going to a western style grocery store or hypermarket and purchasing certain number of kilograms of pork chops, certain kilograms of ground pork, certain kilograms of ribs and so on.  Here in Isaan, when you buy a pig, you get it from a local farmer and you bring home a pig's head and the two sides associated with the pig and everything in between.  However when you buy beef you buy just a hind leg from a local farmer.

Once at either the food prep area of the home or the Wat, the meat is cut and prepared.  Much of the meat is chopped using heavy sugarcane knives to produce a paste.  Other pieces and parts are thrown into large kettles of boiling water with other ingredients to make soups.  Other pieces are cooked over wood coals to feed the people, which can be up to 50 or more, preparing food, maintaining the vigil, and participating in other preparations and activities.  A family and community truly comes together at this time.

 

There is no gambling in Thailand other than the National Lottery.  However prior to the latest military coup here, "arrangements" were possible with local law enforcement to have games of chance during the two to three days of the funeral ritual at the home of the deceased person.  When the military took over previous "arrangements" were not possible any more.  Well things seem to be going back to "normal" once again.

Outside of the home but still on the property, there were two games of "High-Low" going on the entire day and I am told all night.  Gambling is an incentive and a method for people to maintain the death vigil until the body is cremated.  People must remain awake for the vigil.  This is good for the spirit of the dead person.  The gamblers also believe that gambling as part of the funeral ritual is good luck for them.  I haven't figured out how that works - some of them must lose for others to win - but then again I do not believe in gambling.

I occupied myself observing the events, the interaction of the people, and taking photographs.  I was getting ready to pack up my gear to return to our home when some family members arrived - two babies - 9 months old.  I ended up spending over an hour more playing with the and taking their photographs.

Getting to Know Each Other

One of the babies did not crawl but she was far from immobile.  She would sit perfectly straight and forcibly thrust her abdomen forward to move to where she wanted to go.  She was quite efficient and proficient in getting around.  No matter how many times that I showed her how to crawl, she ignored me.

I eventually gave up and we worked on playing - sharing, - sharing an offering plate.  Neither baby would share but one would let me touch the plate in her hand.

Exploring their world

The irony of these two young beings embarking upon their lives associated with the ending of another life.  It was, for me, a manifestation of the Chinese philosophy of the Yin-Yang.  It was a reminder that life goes on and that there should always be hope along with the promise of tomorrow.

For Buddhists, there is the comfort that there is the opportunity to do better the next time until liberation is finally attained.

Life is full of lessons if we just look.

Gone too soon - An Isaan Funeral

The Wat's Cremation Furnace

Last week, we attended the cremation ritual for a family member from the village next to Duang's home village of Tahsang Village.

In the six years that we have lived in Isaan, we have attended twelve other funerals.  All the previous funerals shared a get deal of similarities in circumstances and differed only in minor aspects of the ritual.

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

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/09/same-same-but-different.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/11/dying-in-isaan-end-of-days.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/11/dying-in-isaan-end-of-days-part-2.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/12/another-ethnic-lao-cremation.html

http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2014/02/i-have-now-caught-up-with-editing-and.html

In the previous twelve funerals the people had all died of natural causes and were relatively elderly people.

Last week's funeral ritual was different in that involved a 25 year old man who had died violently - a victim of his own sadness.  He went missing in the morning and was not discovered until 5:00 PM that evening on the grounds of the local elementary school hanging from one of the many large trees located at the school.

"Allen's World" or perhaps more correctly, the world that I now live in is a very spiritual world.  The local people are albeit Theravada Buddhists, their life is dominated and to a great extent influenced by Animist beliefs.  The perceived need to appease, placate, respect, and honor spirits over thousands of years has resulted in a culture, tradition, rituals, and practices that I find extremely interesting.

Typically the body remains inside the family home for three or four days and is cremated on either the fourth of fifth day.  The longer period is usually for very old people who have died and many people want to pay their respects.  People earn merit by being involved in the funeral ritual of people however there is more merit to be earned associated with the death of a very old person.  Of course this is contingent upon the person not dying in a violent manner.  If a person has died violently they are cremated as quickly as possible - typically the next day or two days later.

Violent death is believed to disrupt and agitate the 32 spirits that people believe reside within people.  As such, the spirits create problems, haunt people, and can even kill people.  Because of this belief , the body of someone who has died violently is not kept in the family home awaiting cremation.  Victims of violence are kept at the local Wat for the entire funeral ritual period.  Apparently the grounds of the Wat, are inhabited by good pii (spirits) which keep the evil pii at bay.

Besides the body reposing at the local Wat, the food preparation, cooking, and serving meals took place at the Wat rather than at the home which is the normal practice.

I brought my camera gear to the cremation ritual but I was not sure that I would be taking photographs.  The previous funerals that I have photographed were monolithic ethnic Lao funerals.  In the case of last week's funeral, there was a foreign Step-Father.  Although I know him, I was not certain of his attitude towards photography of such a personal event.  My uncertainty and reservations were quickly abated when upon paying my respects to him he asked me to take photographs and provide him with an album of the photographs.  He then asked for a specific shot that I had not considered taking due to the circumstances of the death.  I agreed to both requests.

People here in Isaan have no issues with taking photographs at a funeral or taking photographs of the open coffin.  People are shocked when I tell them, I would never consider taking photographs at an immediate family member's funeral let alone a second cousin's or friend's funeral back in the United States.  Here in Isaan there are no taboos or issues with photographing funerals.  In fact with the increased popularity of tablets and cell phones, more and more people are joining me.

Woman Paying Respects

The refrigerated coffin was placed in one the pavilions located a short distance from the cremation furnace on the Wat's grounds.  The coffin was covered and surrounded by many fresh floral arrangements.  Three cloth bundles containing material goods such as soap, matches, drinking cup, flashlight etc  offerings for the Monks were located on top of the refrigerated coffin.  Multiple strands of flashing lights, just like Christmas tree lights, were strung over the coffin.  In front of the ornately decorated coffin there three large bowls.  One bowl, the ubiquitous ornate pressed metal type used in all rituals, was for people to drop their envelope containing a cash offering.  A second bowl, a thick ceramic bowl filled with sand, was available for people to place their single smoldering incense stick (Joss stick) after paying their respects.  The third bowl contained a large lit yellow candle surrounded by more incense sticks.

To the sides and above the coffin were several large special offerings.  The special offerings are called "pualeet".  Pualeet are large cardboard squares and rectangles roughly 48 inches and 60 inches covered with clear plastic wrap.  Inside of the pualeet are offerings such as cushions for Monks to sit on, clocks, towels, toiletries, flashlights and other items useful for Monks.  The interior of the pualeet is also tastefully decorated with artificial flowers, sequins, and graphic elements.  All pualeets have a custom banner printed across them identifying the donors and a short message.  The messages are printed and placed on a backing while you wait at shops that specialize in funeral accessories.

Pualeet - Containing offering of a Monk's Cushion and Carry-Bag

Off to the side and in front of the coffin was a common metal serving tray upon which several dishes of small servings of various foods were placed along with a glass of drink .  There was also a kong kao (woven container) filled with sticky rice next to an opened bottle of ice tea drink.  These were the food offerings to the spirit of the young man.

One framed photograph of the young man had been placed on top of the coffin and another framed photograph was placed next to the coffin.  In anticipation of death, many people will have a professional photograph taken and framed for the specific purpose of being used in the funeral ritual.  My father-in-law had his ready for his death last November and my mother-in-law has hers ready for her day.  If a person does not have a professional portrait, the family has the photograph on the person's National Identity Card reproduced and enlarged into a roughly 14"x20" framed photograph to be displayed on a stand next to the coffin and at the foot of the stairs going up to the furnace later on in the ritual.

Some people who come to pay their final respects make an offering of rice rather than money.  Typically the offering is roughly one quart of rice.  A family member takes the plastic bags of rice and dumps them into a 55 KG sack off to the side of the coffin.  The large sack or sacks of rice are offered to the Monks who will give it to people in need throughout the year.

A Grandmother Mourns

A merit making ritual was performed with the Monks at the pavilion where the coffin had been located since the day of the death. 

Weathered Hands Praying

Upon completion of that ritual there was a procession lead by the Monks to the sala that was next to the cremation furnace.  The procession was lead by the Monks holding on to the sai sin (cotton string) that was connected to the coffin.  To the side of the Monks, a man sprinkled popped rice from a woven basket along the processions path - the popped rice was offerings to the spirits along the way.  Immediate family walked behind the Monks with each person holding on to the sai sin.  Other family members followed behind with friends and neighbors behind them and around the coffin.  Many of the people were carrying clothing, personal items, and bedding of the decease person that would be consumed in an open fire next to the cremation furnace.

 After circling  the cremation furnace three times in a counter-clockwise rotation, the simple ordinary consumable closed coffin containing the body was carried up the stairs of the cremation furnace and placed on a bed of lump charcoal located on top of a very heavy wheeled cart at the doors to the furnace.

Monks Leading the Procession

The pualeet were placed at the foot of the stairs leading up to the furnace doors.  The Monks go to the sala and sit down on the raised platform designated for their esteemed position.  Depending upon their relationship or personal choice, the people either sit on the floor of the sala or sit in plastic chairs underneath temporary awning erected specifically for the ceremony.  Government officials and representatives typically sit in the front row of the pavilion closest to the cremation furnace.

Food Offering Placed By Mother at the Head of the Coffin

Part of the merit making ritual at the sala involves making monetary offerings to the Monks in the name of the deceased person.  Typically it involves people being called in accordance to relationship to the deceased and then by social ranking i.e. government officials to go in front of the crowd to collect an envelope of money from the family.  They then walk over to the cremation furnace, walk up the stairs to the closed coffin, wai (bowing motion of the head towards hands raised in praying posture - Thai sign of respect), place the envelope on a tray, wai once again, and go down the stairs to the side of the coffin.  Upon completion of the offerings, the tray is removed and eventually given to the Monks.

Father Making Offering to Local School

During this funeral, the family chose to make offerings to the local elementary school and to the local government for the benefit of the villagers rather than making a big deal about the offerings to the Monks.

Monks Paying Final Respects

After the Abbott (Sr. Monk - Duang's cousin) had accepted offerings from top of the coffin and paid his last respects, people followed lead by the other Monks to say farewell and place good luck totems, daugchan, atop the closed coffin.

Duang Wishes the Spirit Good Luck and Farewell - for now

Schoolgirls In Uniform

For the next step of the ritual, the daugchan were collected and gathered on metal trays.  The top of the coffin was removed.  The daugchan were placed inside of the coffin covering the body.  One of the Monks stood beside the open coffin as if inspecting the situation and supervised the cutting of the bindings around the wrists, knees, and ankles of the body.  He then was the first person to pour coconut water from a freshly tapped coconut over the face and entire length of the body.  The other Monks followed in pouring coconut water on the body.  Family members followed the Monks and the other people who chose to.  Some of the people ended up pouring water out of plastic bottles on the body.

After the last person had paid their final respects, men rolled the body on its side to place halves of coconut shells underneath it.  They also used a heavy cane knife to cut slots in the bottom of the coffin to drain the water.  Diesel fuel was then sprinkled over the charcoal and inside of the coffin

Several men strained to roll the heavy metal cart bearing the coffin into the furnace.  The heavy furnace doors were closed and dogged off.  A small portal in the door was opened and one of the Monks set the charcoal ablaze using a burning daugchan inserted through the portal.

As the fire commenced to blaze inside of the furnace, three large fireworks were set off in succession to drive off any spirits in the area as the smoke billowed from the chimney.  At the same time, handfuls of foil wrapped 1 and 2 Baht coins along with small pieces of packaged candy were thrown from the top of the furnace stairs to the very anxious and enthusiastic throng (all ages) waiting below.  The throwing of the coins and candy signifies the leaving behind the material goods of this world.  It is also considered to be good luck to get the coins and candy for the people waiting.

A while back, I told Duangchan that I would commit suicide rather than endure prolonged suffering or an unacceptable quality of life as well as being a burden to others.  Duang jumped me and told me that I would do no such thing.  She said that I could not kill myself and that she would take care of me.  If she could not take care of me, her son and our grandchildren would take care of me.  I am not sure that she convinced me but I did see how opposed she was to it.

With this suicide, I revisited the subject once again with her.  I noticed and was aware of the people's fear and concern related to "bad pii" (evil spirits) along with the different aspects of the funeral ritual because of the suicide.  However I did not detect any judgmental bias for the man who ended his life.

Buddhism is considered one of the worlds great religions but unlike the other religions it does not have any commandments - any "don't do ...or ..."  Rather Buddhism is more of a philosophy with recommendations on how to achieve a goal of enlightenment (liberation) but it is up to the individual to decide what path they choose to take.  This makes Buddhism a rather "tolerant" religion.  I asked Duang about how people felt about the young man killing himself.  Were they angry?  was he going to "Hell" or not achieve enlightenment for what he did?  She said that people were sad that he was gone.  In talking more with her, I confirmed people's attitude was basically this - "Suicide is not recommended. However, the young man wanted to do it and did it but it was not good for him or his family.  It was up to him.  It will make it longer for him to achieve enlightenment"

Having experienced the devastation on the family, friends, and community that one person's suicide made, I am more inclined not to put my family, friends and community through it.  There are consequences to our actions, I saw some of the consequences of suicide last week and I did not like it.  This was another manifestation of the axiom "There are the ways are supposed to be and then there is the way that they actually are"  It isn't just what you do... do to yourself but what it does to others ... others that you love.

Pha Kwan

Pha Kwan (Pah kwan)  Used In "Marriage" Ritual

I have written that I do not necessarily believe everything that I learn and experience in my life here in Southeast Asia but then again that is also true of my life back in the USA - perhaps even more so because language is not such an issue for me over there.  However I strive to be truthful and accurate in what I have observed and experienced here.  I leave it to the reader to come to their own conclusions based upon the facts that I have shared.

Last week I witnessed the preparations for the Bone Party of a villager in Tahsang Village, my wife's home village.  A big part of the preparations, along with preparing food, making offerings for the upcoming ritual, and building basahts, was making the banana leaf and flower centerpiece for the ritual.  For a long time I have referred to this arrangement as "bai sii su kwan" or "pahn sii khawn".  I did not make it up, this is what I was told by my wife or at least what I heard her tell me.

Duang is ethnic Lao - a heritage and culture more in line with the people who live along the lowlands of the Mekong River in Lao than the majority of Thai people.  The people here speak "Isan" - actually Lao amongst themselves and speak Thai when dealing with government and "high class" people.  As such Duang knows two words, sometimes very different words, for everything.  Two words that she has to translate into English for me to understand.  Take for instance - Jack Fruit, one of my favorite fruits.  In Lao it is, or what sounds like to me - "Buck mee" but in Thai it is or once again sounds like to me - "koh num".  I have mentioned a couple of times, "or what sounds like to me", this is of great importance especially in being able to write an Anglicized version of the word.  But it is extremely difficult here - Isan has six tonal variations for saying words.  The way you say a word completely changes its meaning - talk about apples and oranges!  Thai is also a tonal language but has ONLY five ways of saying a word. This complicates communication at times - all the time when you can only distinguish three of the tones most of the time.

Two pha kwan for Bai Sii related to casting Buddha statue

Well I now learn that what I had been calling "bai sii su kwan" or "pahn sii khawn" is actually "pah kwan" or/and "pha kwan".

Pha kwan is an ornate floral arrangement consisting of banana leaves, ornate pressed metal bowls either silver or gold colored (gold is typically used for more auspicious ceremonies), flower buds, flowers, and pieces of cotton string.

Pha kwan are the centerpiece(s) of an ancient ritual of the Lao peoples (including their cousins now living in Isaan (Isan, Esan, Esarn, Isarn).  The ancient ritual, Bai Sii (Baci, Su Kwan or in the case of my wife - "Bai Sii Su Kwan") harkens back to the time when Animism was the religious belief system of the land - in the time before Brahmanism, Hinduism, and eventually Buddhism arrived.

Bai Sii (baci) rituals dominate life here in Isaan even today.  Bai Sii rituals are conducted to mark significant events in an individual's life or community events.  Bai Siis are performed for marriages, prior to the ordination of a novice Monk, birth of a child, a Bone Party, to heal or cure, to celebrate recovery from illness, to wish good luck before a grand journey, to honor visitors, and to celebrate a success.

It is believed, still today, that there are 32 spirits that inhabit the body.  These spirits are necessary to maintain health, wealth, and fortune.  Sometimes some of the spirits will wander off which creates problem for the individual.  A bai sii ritual is conducted to call back the wandering spirits and to ensure that they remain in place by wrapping around and tying the right wrist of the person with short pieces of cotton string - sai sin.

Elderly Female Villagers Making Pha Kwan Components

The creation of the Pha Kwan is an integral component of the Baci ritual.  The making of the pha kwan is typically the work of the elderly women of the family and village.  They typically sit on top of low wood platforms of rough wood or of bamboo to produce the components for the pha kwan.  If they do not position themselves on the handcrafted platforms, the elderly women will work upon woven reed mats, sahts, placed upon a tile floor.

Assembling a Pha Kwan

One woman is recognized as the master or best Pha Kwan.  She is responsible for taking the various components created by the other women and assembling them into a completed pha kwan.  The center of the pha kwan is a cone created from many banana leafs wrapped, twisted, and held together with homemade pegs fashioned from bamboo.  The large cone is placed in the center of an ornate pressed metal ceremonial bowl.  Scraps of banana leaves are bunched around the cone to secure it in the bowl or a banana leaf covered foam ring is placed over the cone and against the interior of the bowl .  Although similar, pha kwan reflect the style and experience of the individual and community that create them.  The often used Thai expression of "Same, same but different" definitely applies to pha kwan.

The other elderly women associated with making the pha kwan were occupied with making smaller cones, placing flower buds at the tips and stringing them together.



Duang's Aunt At Work

The strings of small banana leaf cones will be shaped to form wing like shapes attached to the central cone of the pha kwan.

Soaking Wing Like Structures To Keep Them Fresh

Attaching the Wing Like Structures to Central Cone

Plucking Buds To Attach to Banana Leaf Cones

One of my favorite models in Tahsang Village was part of the group of women working on the pha kwan to be used the next day for the Bone Party ritual.  There are a small group of people that I get a great deal of satisfaction photographing.  It is interesting to document the progression of this life for them.

The baci ritual is intended to benefit an individual - either living or dead.  However, as often in the case here, it is not what it first seems to be .  Besides benefiting the individual, the baci ritual also benefits the family and community by strengthening their bonds - just as the bonds of the sai sin contain the recalled spirits of the individual. Harmony of the community as well as within the individual is a highly respected and a desired state for the ethnic Lao of Lao and Northeast Thailand.

Preparations for Tamboon Nung Roy Wan - Basaht Building

On Day #1 Men Building A Basaht

On Thursday, we drove out to Tahsang Village for me to photograph mushroom workers.  Upon arrival at the village, we found out that the people would not be harvesting mushrooms that day - an apparent change from just the night before.  No matter the case - there was something interesting, as usual, going on.  Workmen were busy constructing a fence, more like a wall, in front of my mother-in-law's house.  I occupied myself observing their tasks and photographing them.  It really  was interesting than one would expect - remember this is Thailand. There will be another blog soon about fence building in Isaan.

Around 10:00 A.M., the sound of ethnic Lao music blasted through the air.  Looking down a side street next to Yai Puu's house, I could see some scaffolding associated with Mor Lam shows or huge speakers for taped music.  Something was definitely going on.

I grabbed my camera and walked down the side street to see what was going on.  As soon as I arrived at the intersection of the side street, a man approached me.  He was serious and determined - he wanted me to take pictures of him and his buddies making two spirit houses underneath a canopy across from his home.

I immediately recognized what was going on - preparations were underway for a Tamboon Nung Roy Wan party.

As part of the ethnic Lao Theravada Buddhist culture, during the Tamboon Nung Roy Wan (100 days after cremation) ritual also known as "Bone Party", offerings are made to the spirits - both to the recently deceased as well as others.

In addition to making offerings to the spirits, offerings are also made to the local Monks.  The making of offerings is a merit making ritual by the family, friends, and neighbors of the deceased person.  Merit is earned in many ways and is a determining factor in a person's reincarnation.  People earn merit for themselves as well as for their ancestors.

Basahts are also used to make offerings to the Monks on special religious days, such as the end of Vassa, also known as the End of Buddhist Lent and End of the Buddhist Rain Retreat - Ok Phansa

For death rituals and 100 Day Anniversary, the offerings to the spirits are made in small spirit houses called "Basahts".  The spirit houses are hand made out of local materials such as bamboo, banana leaves, banana stalks, colored paper, Styrofoam, wax, and foam board. Often plastic chairs or a piece of furniture, either metal or wood, serves as the base for the basaht.

Day #2 - Men Finishing Off One of Two Bassahts

The spirit houses are constructed by men - including the elaborate cutting of colored paper to create lantern type decorations.  I have noticed that there is a distinct division of labor in the preparation for funerals and Tamboon Nung Roy Wan (100 Day Anniversary Party).

 

Men typically construct the basahts.  Younger men are responsible for cutting and preparing the pigs and cattle that have been purchased from vendors to feed the helpers and participants of what is usually a three day event.  The older women occupy themselves making the ornate centerpieces, Bai Sii Kwan, used in the merit making rituals of the Bone Party.  Middle-aged women typically handle the food preparation and cooking chores with young girls typically serving the food, cleaning the tables, and washing the pots, platters, trays, cutlery, and glasses. Everyone seems to know their job without being told.  The preparation crew is usually around 40 to 50 people.

Inside the spirit houses, household goods such as plates and cups, clothing items, food stuff, and money are placed - all items necessary for the ghosts to have on their journey to the other world.  Other offerings, offerings made to the local Monks, such as money, clocks, fans, pots, pans, brooms, buckets of toiletries, towels, etc. accompany the procession of the spirit house from the home of the deceased person to the local Wat.

"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.

After photographing the preparations on Thursday, we returned to our home in Udon Thani.  That night, my wife got a phone call from her village.  The people that I had been photographing earlier, wanted to be sure that I was coming back on Friday to take more photographs.   They still had to finish the basahts and had plenty of other work to do.  They also told my wife that there would be many old people and children for me to photograph

I returned as requested the next morning to find plenty of old people, basaht construction, and children to photograph - just as had been promised.

Two men were busy for most of the morning completing the basahts.  They worked carefully and skillfully.  Using ordinary colored tissue paper, silver contact paper, and homemade wax half-sphere candles the men created a unique cultural icon - basaht.

Fringe on a Basaht

Handcrafted Fringe

After about four hours, my mother-in-law came over to have me return to her house.  Duang wanted me back to help out with some things around her mother's house.

Once again, I had been witness to the self sufficient nature of the Lao Loum people of Northeast Thailand.  The people make the most of what is readily available to them.  Their handicrafts help to bind families closer together and bind the families with their neighbors.

Their religious faith and observances also are very important components of their culture - providing a shared past, a common present, and a path to a future together.