Korb Siarn Khru Ceremony - 2015 (2558)

Korb Siarn Khru Ceremony In the Isaan Countryside

Ruesi Masks

In a Wai Khru ceremony, devotees pay homage and demonstrate their respect for their teachers and the deities associated with their art or practice.  The term, "teachers", is not restricted to the people who are employed to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Teachers in this sense of the word includes all those that have instructed, inspired, and trained others in a wide variety of matters.

Buddha is considered to be the greatest of teachers.  There are teachers of many things such as music, dance, martial arts, astrology, traditional healing, and magic.

The Wai Khru ceremony is not a Buddhist ceremony although Buddhism is often involved in the ritual.  The origins of the Wai Khru ceremony are in the Animist and subsequent influence of Brahmanism.  Animism was the original religious belief system of the native peoples of Thailand and in particular the inhabitants of the region referred to as Isaan (Northeast).  The history of Southeast Asia is fraught with migrations, wars, invasion, and subjugation. One of the consequences of the turbulent past was the spread of different religions and philosophies.  One of the religions that spread to Thailand was Brahmanism, the precursor of Hinduism, originating in Northern India but most likely spread in Thailand from Cambodia as part of the Khmer Empire.

Rather than eliminating the former Animist practices, beliefs and rituals with the arrival of Brahmanism, the old traditions were assimilated into the new system.  The same thing occurred later when Buddhism arrived from Ceylon.

This all makes for a very interesting and quite often confusing religious system which is practiced here in Isaan today.  Today, 95% of the Thai people are Theravada Buddhists but a vast majority of the Thai people's religious beliefs, practices, as well as rituals are vestiges or heavily influenced by Animism and Brahmanism.  The Wai Khru Ceremony is one example.

A Table of Offerings for May 1st's Wai Khru Ceremony

My ambition and goal in photography is "to show extraordinary people doing ordinary things.  In so doing, I wish to show how different people appear, to provide a glimpse of other cultures, to celebrate the diversity of mankind, and to demonstrate that despite our appearances, we are so much alike"

Attending large and well known events such as the Wai Khru Ceremonies and Korb Siarn Khru Ceremonies provide opportunities to meet my ambition and achieve my goals in regards to photography. I prefer the smaller, more intimate venues where there are not television cameras, reporters, or thousands or even hundreds of tourists.  These events and venues, where the people are conducting rituals for their own benefit offer much better opportunities to experience and better understand the event and its impact on the local people.

Living in Thailand and being married to an ethnic Lao, gives me many opportunities to experience and photograph "extraordinary people doing ordinary things."  Often I have opportunities to experience and photograph "ordinary people doing extraordinary things"  Often my wife, Duang, will get a phone call from someone in the extended family notifying her of some ritual, event, or thing that they believe that I would like to photograph.  Just as new religious systems have been assimilated, I have been assimilated into Duang's extended family.

Such an opportunity occurred once again on - May 1.  Duang had gotten a call earlier in the week that a Wai Khru Ceremony along with an associated Korb Siarn Khru Ceremony was going to happen at Wat Pha That Nong Mat, the "Outside" Wat in Tahsang Village.  We drove out to the Wat under the bright and hot sun through the parched sugar cane fields to the "Outside" Wat (the Wat outside of the village as opposed to the Wat inside the village).  The rainy season has not fully arrived yet so the farm land is dry and dusty

A Pig's Head Offering to the Spirits

At the perimeter of the Wat's grounds, near the small huts were the Monks sleep, we went to the small Ruesi shrine.  We had gone to the small shrine a few times for special rituals where Duang and her friend would be doused with buckets of water by the Monk in a special ritual and when Duang's youngest brother received some special blessing while wearing an ornate mask.  Visiting this shrine is not a common occurrence for us.

Three pavilions had been erected around the shrine with plastic chairs set up for people  to sit out of the strong sun light.  In front of the shrine a large folding table covered with a white cloth had been set up.  Upon the white cloth covered table there were many objects associated with the upcoming ritual.

There was a Pahn Sii Khwan, a centerpiece made by local women out of fresh banana leaves, jasmine buds and chrysanthemums, along with a smaller handmade arrangement on the table along with food offerings to the spirits and deities. The main food offering was a  cooked pig head.  Offerings of a pig head are not common and typically reserved for special occasions. There were also offerings of eggs, pineapple, cooked prawns, sweet potatoes, coconut, cooked duck, oranges, limes, bananas, mangoes, prepared bananas, sticky rice and coconut wrapped in banana leaves, apples and some bowls of special desserts.

Ruesi (Luesi) Mask - "Siarn Ruesi"

The table also had a silver colored pressed metal ornate tray upon which rolled up sai sin (sacred) string, a tiger skin cloth and a full life sized Ruesi mask (Siarn Ruesi) and a pumalai of chrysanthemums along with jasmine buds.  These items all symbolize things for and in the ritual.

Pumalai symbolize and celebrate beauty of this life but as they age and deteriorate they remind people of the impermanence of this life as well as the fate that awaits all of us.  The tiger skin patterned cloth is symbolic of Ruesi, hermits of the forest some of who make Sak Yant (magical tattoos). In another  silver colored pressed metal ornate tray containing the sweet potatoes were lotus flower buds, white candles and joss sticks.

The young Monk of the Wat performed an typical offering ritual outside at the white covered table while devotees sat in chairs underneath the pavilions.  After completing this part of the ritual, he went inside of the shrine for the remainder of ceremony - the Korb Siarn Khru Ceremony.

Children Observing the Korb Siarn Khru Ceremony Outside of the shrine

The Ruesi shrine was very congested.  One wall of the room was covered with statues and masks related to Ruesi. High on two walls of the shrine panels with many Yant symbols - symbols thousand of years old.  Ruesi is a hermit sage that is prominent in several legends as well as stories in Thai folklore.

Ruesi were and are hermit sages who spend their time meditating and developing their psychic powers - sort of like wizards.  They collect magical herbs, and minerals.  Using magical ingredients they produce love charms, spells and powerful amulets. The goal of the Ruesi is to help others have a happier life by telling their fortunes, conducting rituals and making spells to reduce the effects of bad karma.  Ruesi also are able to ward off evil spirits.  They also help people by protecting them from enemies.  Certain rituals performed by Ruesi can bring good luck and fortune to their devotees. Some of the Ruesi make Sak Yants, the magical and powerful tattoos know throughout this world.

I was about to once again dip my toes, if not enter once again, into a new world, the world of the occult in Thailand - "Saiyasart" (waes -magical spells).

As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz - "Toto, I've a feeling that we're not in Kansas anymore" or at least any parts of Kansas that I visited some 21 years ago!

One of the most important Ruesi rituals is performed once a year is the Korb Siarn Khru - laying the Ruesi mask of the master teacher, Ruesi Por Gae, on the devotee  The Korb Siarn Khru is performed during the Wai Khru Ceremony.  The Siarn Ruesi mask is a full sized mask with head dress with an open mouth, three eyes, two teeth sticking out of the mouth, a moustache, and a beard.  There are also masks of other deities within the Ruesi pantheon - some of them being tigers, elephants, yaks (giants) and other creatures.

Siarn Ruesi As Part of Shrine

Inside of the shrine there was a matrix overhead formed by stringing sai sin  across the room in a checkerboard pattern.  Where the sai sin intersected, separate lengths of sai sin were coiled up.  As the devotees entered the shrine they uncoiled the sai sin and wrapped the free length around their head connecting them physically and spiritually to the Buddha image in the corner of the room, the Ruesi image and the items used by the Monk in the ritual.  A thick sai sin dropped down from the overhead grid just to the right of the Monk conducting the ritual.  He held the thick cord in his hand and several times during his incantations would violently pull on the heavy cord causing the entire grid to pulsate up and down in rhythm to his chanting.  It was at this time that things started getting intense and for many people - very intense.

A Devotee Exhibited the First Signs of Spirit Possession

As part of this initial ritual which involved all the devotees as a group of roughly 20 people, the Monk would sprinkle the crowd with sacred water that had been produced during his chanting by wax dropping from two lit horizontal white candles suspended over a metal bowl of water.

A sort of mass hysteria developed in the devotees as the volume, intensity, and rhythm of the Monk's chanting increased.  Some of the devotees would have their bodies stiffen and go into spasms.  They would begin to hyperventilate followed by roars, squeals, and animal sounds. Their limbs would start to flail about followed by the entire body going into convulsive spasms.  The devotees who have Sak Yant tattoos adorning their body, are now in the possession of their internal animal spirits - animal spirits associated with their Sak Yant tattoos.

It was quite an experience being in the midst of all this confusion and intensity.  Rudyard Kipling's poem, "If" comes into my mind after the event.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs ...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!                        

To be honest, I had anticipate a certain degree of this when I first entered the shrine.  I positioned myself between the two stations where the Monks were situated. I was just to the right of the young Monk that conducted the ritual.  I was also next to a huge young man, a Thai man, perhaps the biggest Thai I ever saw - I estimate that he was 2 meters tall (6' 3") and 135 KG (300 pounds) and muscular - he looked like an NFL player!  He and about 4 other young men were responsible for controlling the people who had gotten out of control due to spirit position.  They would restrain the people, talk gently to them and as a last resort lift the people off of the ground.  It is widely known that to bring someone out of spirit possession you need to get their feet off the ground - it works about 95% of the time.  If it does not work - you get the possessed to lay flat on the ground and ride out their possession.  I have also used the technique of pulling on their ear lobe three times (signifying the three gems of Buddhism) to bring people out of spirit possession.  Perhaps it was really the realization that a falang (foreigner) was trying to bring them back that actually snapped them out of their possession.

For additional protection I had one of the shrine's structural columns at my back and a Rusei shrine also on my back.  That was one direction that I did not have to worry about.  I did not have to worry about in front of me where the Monks were.  I figured that the huge Thai guy had my left flank covered leaving me to only worry about my right flank.

To be honest, there were moments when I felt very uncomfortable with all the screaming, growling, screeching, and  growling along with the highly unusual movements of the possessed people about me. Once or twice I thought about bolting out of the shrine - but it was just too interesting to leave.

Lan Sai (Grandson)  Peelawat Enthralled By the Ritual

The intensity quickly diminished once the young Monk sprinkled the devotees with the sacred water.

Sprinkling Devotees and A Falang With Sacred Water

The devotees then scrunched forward to the Monk with their pre-prepared offering plates (candles, joss sticks, flower buds, three cigarettes and sprigs of leaves) along with their money offering.  The individual plates were gathered and placed first on a gold colored pressed metal tray and then transferred to the raised platform where the Monks were seated.

Monk Accepting A Batch of Offerings

As their turn arrived the devotees, who had not made their offerings previously, would place themselves in front of one of the two Monks involved in the ritual.  Once in place they would make an offering and give it to the Monk.

A Lady-Boy Makes Offering to the Monk

After accepting the offering and placing them on the raised  area off to the left from where he was seated, the Monk would start chanting.  It was a special chant called a "Kata".  Chanting a Kata is necessary to cast a spell.  As the Monk was chanting, he selected a Ruesi mask and placed it over the face and head of the devotee.  As the Monk's chanting became louder and more animated, the devotee tensed up with his arms and hands becoming rigid as if going into a catatonic state or becoming possessed - for some ; once again.

Placing A Ruesi Mask On the Devotee's Head

A Devotee, Wearing A Siarn Ruesi, Tenses As He Becomes Possessed

The devotees would grunt, howl, and screech the sounds of the animal or deity that was possessing them - their spirit.  The devotees would then start to writhe, crawl, jump, and hop as the spirit took control of their body.  To prevent damage to the devotee, Monk, observers and the shrine, layperson assistants flanking the devotee, would restrain the devotee as the possession reached its apogee.  The Monk would then blow upon the devotee to energize the Sak Yant tattoos and to complete the transference of the spell.  The Monk would then remove the mask.  The devotee, physically and emotionally spent, would then perform a wai (bowed, raised hands clasped in prayer position - the Thai demonstration of respect and gratitude) before leaving the shrine.

A Possessed Devotee Being Restrained

Monk Using A Walking Staff to Help Break A Particularly Strong Possession

So what was that all about?

In the Korb Khru ritual, devotees believe that they receive very powerful blessings, are rid of evil influences and black magic is eliminated,  In addition, the merits and strengths of the ancient Ruesi Por Gae, the master teacher of all Sak Yant practitioners.  The Master Teacher, Kroo, protects devotees of his teachings that have passed through the ages amongst the teachers from word of mouth.

I learned from Duang that the young Monk at the "Outside" Wat had studied under the very famous Sak Yant master - Luang Pi Nunn at the famous Wat Bang Phra near Bangkok..  People often remark that it is a small world obviously referring to this physical world but apparently the spirit world is also somewhat finite.

A Devotee With Sak Yant Tattoos Receives A Spell

The Korb Siarn Khru and subsequent Wai Khru Ceremony at Tahsang Village lasted from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.  People, all of them from local villages, arrived by motorbike or pick up truck. There were five waves of roughly 20 devotees at a time undergoing the the laying of the mask and white magic spell.

There were no tourist vans or tour buses. It was a event for ordinary people - local people.  It was an extraordinary event - a great opportunity for photography and a special opportunity to experience a unique aspect of Thai culture.

Although I did not participate in the ritual, just experiencing and photographing it, Duang told me that I had earned merit as well as she because we had purchased and distributed soft drinks along with drinking water to the people.  Her cousin had prepared a big pot of food - Pad Thai that we also distributed.  Another family donated and distributed ice-cream - earning them their merit for the day.


This was just a glimpse into the realm of the occult here in Isaan.  Interestingly the occult here is related to doing good and benefiting people whereas my previous view of the occult in the West was that it was related to doing evil.

There is always something to learn and experience no matter where you are or how old you are if you are only willing to get off the beaten track and interact with the ordinary people.

If you have seen it before, there is always the opportunity to better understand and gain greater knowledge.

Beware of Falling Objects!

Rocket Launching in Ban That, Amphur Pen

I have been getting a start several times a day the past week.  The television keeps running announcement for the upcoming Labour Day weekend.  Have I been in a coma and only now coming out of it have lost 4 months of my life?  Like Rip Van Winkle have I been sleeping for 4 months as the world continued to progress?  Nope ... the key is in the spelling of Labour Day.   In the USA, Labor Day is celebrated in early September.  However in much of the remainder of the world, May 1 is celebrated as "Labour Day"

Launch Row at Ban That

May 1 was quite the holiday back in the days of the former Soviet Union and its associated client states and allies.  It was during the May Day celebrations, that they would have grand parades of their military might.  In addition to thousands of marching scowl-faced soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen, the governments would wheel through their capitals their powerful rockets.

May 1st is a holiday here in Isaan, and forget about vestiges of Communist glories or glorification of the "Workers".  May 1 marks the start of the Bun Bang Fei season here and across the mighty Mekong River in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Throughout the countryside many homemade gunpowder rockets will be launched into the sky.

In some areas, Yasothon specifically, there are grand festivals associated with the rockets, -internationally recognized and attended by many foreigners.  In many small villages, the rocket launching is more parochial and an opportunity for the local people to enjoy themselves, and perhaps even earn some extra cash before the busy days of rice planting.

Just as the mighty powers parade their rockets, the people of Isaan parade their rockets and facsimiles of their rockets or mightier rockets.  Some rockets are actually finished  at the launching site.  Many of the rockets are first brought to the local Wat to be blessed prior to launching.

Multiple Launchings In Ban That

This evening, Duang returned from her village with big news.  The Ban That Bun Bang Fei Festival, this year, will be May 1, 2, and 3rd.  This is a good sized festival with a great deal going on but not overwhelmed by tourists - thus retaining much ot its cultural uniqueness.

May 1 is also the day of the day of the Korb Siarn Khru Ceremony in Tahsang Village which commences at 9:00 A.M.  Duang is not certain that we can do both, but I am optimistic and definitely willing to try.

My brother-in-law will be performing a morlam show out at the Ban Tat Bun Bang Fei on the 3rd of May so we will spending the full day out there.

INCOMING!  INCOMING!

The Arrow and the Song

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807–1882 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I shot an arrow into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where; ...

 Here in Isaan it is more like ...

They shot many rockets into the air.

They fell to earth, they knew not where nor did they seem to care ..

As the Saying Says - "Close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes"

Well it is up tomorrow morning at 5:00 A. M. to attend a family wedding and then off to the ritual the next day and perhaps off to the rocket festival in Ban That.  It never seems to get boring around here.

Monks Enjoying Rocket Launches At Ban Tat

Coming Soon - Korb Siarn Khru Ritual

Life continues on here in Isaan - a cycle of events punctuated by milestones such as religious rituals and cultural celebrations.

Soon it will be May 1 once again.  May 1 is known as "Labor Day" in Thailand and in many countries around the world.  May 1 also marks other celebrations.

For me, more importantly, it is the day that a special ritual is performed at Wat Pha That Nong Mat.  Last night, Duang received a phone call from the young Monk, her son's friend, confirming to her that he would be conducting a "Korb Siarn Khru" ritual on May 1 and making sure that we would attend.

Korb Siarn Khru is one of those unique rituals that I am very interested in.  It is a ritual involving "White Magic", connections to a long ago past, links to an exotic land of spirits, and ancient teachings.  On the plus side, this ritual outside of Tahsang Village is untouched by tourism and mass media.  It remains for the time being a pure and genuine local event.

May 1 also marks the season of Bun Bang Fei - Rocket Festivals when homemade gunpowder rockets are launched into the skies over Isaan and neighboring Lao People's Democratic Republic.

May is an exciting month of festivals and rituals before the start of the rice planting season here.

Bone Washing 2558 (2015)

A Monk Washes the Bones of Duang's Father

Yesterday, 15 April, I drove out to Tahsang Village to participate with Duang's family in the special Songkran.  Duang had spent the previous night at the village rather than driving back home at a late hour. The Songkran holiday is a very dangerous time on our roads - the most dangerous time in the the country ranked number 2 in the world for highway deaths. Thailand has 44 traffic fatalities per 100,000 population only outranked by Namibia with 45/100,000.  It seems that it is during Songkran that Thailand tries hardest to become #1.

I arrived at Wat Pha That Nong Mat at 7:00 A.M..  The bone washing ritual was scheduled to be performed before the daily ritual of offering food to the Monks.  Bone washing rituals can be performed outside in front of the Tat or inside the Wat's Ubsoth (Ordination Hall).  Duang opted to have the ritual in front of the family Tat located along the Wat's perimeter wall.

I remained at the Wat while Duang stayed in the village organizing the family and completing final arrangements.  As it turned out the bone washing ritual for her father was not performed until approximately 11:00 A.M.  This was not that bad of a delay for me - other families associated with the Wat conducted bone washing rituals for their relatives before and after the daily merit making ritual of offering food to Monks.

Sahts were placed on the ground in front of the Tat.  An additional saht was placed upon the tiled slab of the Tat where the three Monks would be seated for the ritual. This year the four village boys who had become semanens (Novice Monks) for their school break, participated in the Veeboonkun family ritual. The "Nens" sat on a saht placed on the ground next to the Tat.

Two containers of specially prepared water to be used in the ritual.  The water was prepared by filling the containers with water along with flowers.

A decorative porcelain urn, ghoat, containing the bone fragments was placed in an ordinary porcelain bowl along with a plastic drinking cup placed to the side.  A decorative metal serving tray was prepared with small portions of food offerings, two yellow birthday type wax candles, two sprigs of jasmine buds for offering to Duang's father's spirit.

The Brahman who took over duties when Duang's Uncle was no longer able to lead the laypeople in rituals supervised and lead the family in the ritual.  Water was drawn out of the large container with the plastic drinking cup.  The scented water was first poured by the Monks, including the Nens over the bone fragments contained in the ghoat.

Duang Pours Water Over Her Father's Bones

After the Monks had sprinkled the bones, the bowl was placed in front of the immediate family.  Each family member repeated the water poureding.  When they had completed, other family members and others came up to the tray and poured water.  The ritual was not limited to adults.

Our six month old grandson, Pope, was experiencing his first Songkran.

Pope was very interested in the ritual.  Children here in Isaan are taught manners and religion at a very young age.  Pope was no exception.  He was lead by her mother's hand and poured water over the bones of his great grandfather.

Pope Helps Pour Water Over His Great Grandfather's Bones

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

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

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

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

 http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2014/04/water-transfer.html

Part of this ritual, involved the pouring of water by the family members into containers to transfer the merit of the ritual to Duang's father's spirit.  Upon completion of this part of the ritual, the water was poured on the roots of plants in another merit making act.

Offerings are then made to the Monks in the name of the departed person.  Special plastic buckets are readily available in stores and shops for offering to Monks. The plastic buckets contain items such as tooth paste, tooth brush, hand soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and other toiletries.

Upon completion of the ritual, Duang's son took the ghoat and placed it back in the upper chamber of the Tat.  Duang, her youngest brother, and her son then washed the exterior of the Tat by pouring the remaining special water over the surface and rubbing it with their bare hands.

Life is measured by the passing of years and more specifically the rhythm of the seasons.  Another Songkran has arrived.  Some friends and family that we celebrated with last year, are no longer here.  During this Songkran, we wash their bones.

Another Songkran has arrived.  Some new family members have arrived and joined our extended family.  Little Pope celebrated his first Songkran marking a milestone in his life and adding a beat to the rhythm of this family's cycle of life.  Each death and birth marks the passage of time just as the planting along with the harvesting of the various crops in the surrounding countryside.

Songpoo Day 3 April 2015

This is my sixth year here in Isaan.  Every year I have participated in a grand event called Songpoo Day.  Try as I may, I have not been able to figure out exactly what Songpoo Day is.  Despite my questioning, perhaps bordering on interrogation of my wife I do not understand much more about the day than when I first arrived.

From my wife I have learned ... "Songpoo Day, very good day, good day for Buddha, People take care Buddha, Happy happy - good for everybody, have party."  Well I do know and accept what she says.

Part of my difficulty in understanding Songpoo Day is the day that it is celebrated.varies from year to year.  Some years it is before Songkran and other years it is at the official close of the Songkran Festival.  The one thing for certain is that Songpoo is associated with Songkran.

Laymen Offering Food to the Monks

My latest theory on Songpoo Day is that it is a special event that is determined by each Wat as to when to celebrate it during the Songkran season.  During Songkran, respect is demonstrated to the elders by pouring scented cool water over their hands and and rubbing the back of their necks with the water to help cool them off during the hottest month of the year.  On Songpoo Day the people have a big party at the Wat.  Part of the ritual of the day is when the people walk around the Ubsoth (Ordination Hall) three times clockwise bearing money trees - actually banana stalks with bamboo skewers holding paper money stuck into the stalk.  The money trees are late offered to the Monks. The money is intended to help pay for the utilities and maintenance of the Wat.

Special Foods to be Offered to the Monks

The event starts off with the daily ritual of offering food to the Monks.  Because of the festive nature of Songpoo Day, there was more and a higher quality of food offered to the Monks than on regular mornings.  There were also more Monks at the Wat than a typical day.

Songpoo Day was celebrated at the "Outside" Wat, Wat Pha That Nong Mat.  Wat Pha That Nong Mat is located in the sugar cane fields outside of Tahsang Village.  The "Outside" Wat and the "Inside" Wat are Theravada Buddhist temples however they are of two different monastic orders - Mahanikaya and Dhammayuttika.  The Monks of the outside Wat are Dhammayuttika, a more restrictive order, than their Mahanikaya brothers of the inside Wat.

Although Duang's family prefers the Dhammayuttika order, Monks from both orders typically participate in family events.  This is yet another example of the Thai expression of "Same, Same But Different".

On special days such as Songpoo Day the Monks of both Wats will join together for the ritual. An example of another popular Thai saying "Good for me, Good for you"

Because this is also the school recess season, the Monks were joined by four "Nens" semanens (Novice Monks) school boys attending a sort of religious summer camp.

Villagers Building their Money Trees in the Vihear to Parade Around the Ubsoth

After the Monks had completed their meal in the Vihear, the lay people enjoyed a community meal. Upon completing their meal and cleaning up, the people went outside to participate in the festivities.  At these big festivals there are many booths set up with food, soft drinks, and drinking water.  You can eat and drink as much as you wish to ... for free.  My lunch was a bowl of Thai noodles with pork and chicken called "Rattna", an ice cream cone, to go along with the bottle of Coke, package of cake, and a banana leaf filled with rice/coconut milk concoction offered to me by one of the Monks.  It seems that they always take care of me on my visits.  It has gotten to the point now that they will stage direct me during the rituals - letting me know when and where to set up for a good photograph during the rituals.

Pare Enjoys One of  Her Many Ice Cream Cones - I counted three

Never Too Young to Enjoy Ice Cream

Or Too Old to Enjoy Ice Cream

Peelawat Enjoys Some Free Watermelon

Families provide the food, drinks and ice cream for the people in attendance.  It turns out they earn merit for providing offerings that attract people to donate to the Wat and to enjoy themselves.  The food is always good and everyone is in good spirits.  Some people are in better spirits than others but they have to provide their own ... and I am not talking about phi (ghosts).

Although you can drink beer and whiskey on the Wat grounds ("Up to you"), alcohol is neither donated or offered for sale.

Offerings to the Monks In the Ubsoth

Another ritual was conducted inside of the Ubsoth, the Ordination Hall.  Actually it was more like an Ordination Room than a Hall - a roughly 10 meter by 10 meter free standing building.  Because of the festival when statues will be washed, several statues from the Wat had joined the statues of the Ubsoth for the day.

Praying Hands Connected to Sai Sin (Sacred Thread)

Duang's cousin, the Abbot of a Wat out in the woods, presided over the ritual in the Ubsoth.  This was a great ritual.  Besides the lengthy chanting by the Monks, the Abbot burned two white candles over some water held in a pressed metal decorative silver colored bowl.  The water as part of the ritual this sacred water was sprinkled over the laypeople and poured on the statues.

Pouring Water On a Statue

Besides families offering food and drink, other people offered their talents.  Duang's youngest brother is a morlam performer.  He stages shows through out the province.  Duang's father, who died a year ago, was also a well known local morlam performer who taught many of the older traditional performers in the area.  To honor Duang's father and to make merit during Songpoo Day many of his compatriots and students agreed to perform for free at the Wat.

Morlam Show

As always, the music and dancing was great - a strong link to the Lao Loum ethnic roots of the people of Isaan.  People placed woven reed mats, sahts, on the ground underneath the tall trees of the Wat's ground.  The area was sprinkled with groups of grandmothers with their grand-babies, young people drinking alcohol, families, and the guys that you can always count on being drunk at these events.  Everyone was well behaved and there were not any problems.

Just Because You Are Not in the Band Does Not Mean You Can Not Play the Cymbals

Enjoying the Show With Yai (Grandmother)

Songpoo Day 2015 in Tahsang Village was a joyous occasion spent with family and friends. It was another example of an event that strengthened people's bonds to their faith, family and community.  It remains a cultural event that has been usurped and polluted by tourism.  My hope is that it always remains that way.