Two Funerals and An Excorcism

One Body Being Cremated In Furnace, Another Body Being Cremated On Open Pyre

Now that the Christmas and New Years holidays are over, it is time to try to get caught up on my blog entries.  I also have a backlog of photographs to review, edit, and post.  There is no doubt in my mind that January will be another busy month.

December 22nd was a very busy day for us.  We were going to the village next to Tahsang Village, Nongdaeng Village, to attend the funeral for one of Duang's cousins.  He was 47 years old and was one of the five people in the village who had died during the past week.  The village has about 200 people.  Needless to say the villagers were rather perplexed.  Duang's Aunt told her that Phii (spirits) were responsible for the deaths.  There are many Phii in this world, or rather in the Animist world that is still a large part of the Isaan experience, some of the Phii are good and some Phii are bad.  Apparently the worst Phii are "Phii Ling" (Monkey Spirits).  Monkey Spirits make people sick and cause them to die.  The Monkey Spirits have a desire for blood and will enter the body through the throat to get at the blood.

Villagers Starting to Arrive at Wat for Exorcism

The people of Nondaeng Village were not going to put up with the infestation of Monkey Spirits that were causing such havoc in their village.  On the Wednesday morning, 22 December, they planned to hunt down and capture the Phii Ling for a second day so that they could properly destroy them.  In addition to attending the funeral, we were invited to attend the ritual, which I will refer to as an exorcism, to witness as well as document the event.  Family members around the villages are very familiar with me and my desire to photograph and learn about their life.  Whenever they are having an event or going to be doing some type of different work, they call Duang to let us know.

Besides being polite in inviting us to the exorcism I suspect that there was also an ulterior motive in getting me to attend the ritual.  The night before the ritual, Duang told me to be sure to wear my Buddhist amulets as protection during our visit to Nongdaeng Village.  She then assured me that her small amulet that she wears everyday was powerful enough to protect her.  As we were preparing to leave our home the morning, she double checked to ensure that I was packing - protection.  Although Phii are afraid of falang (foreigners) Duang wanted to be double sure that I would not have any problems.

A Relative Makes An Offering In Front of the Coffin Inside the Home

Upon arrival at Nongdaeng Village we went to Duang's cousin's home.  Like all the other funerals that we have attended here in Isaan, the body remains in the home for the three day ritual prior to cremation.  The body is placed inside of a disposal coffin which is stored inside of a rented portable refrigerated coffin.  Just as in Western Christian funerals, flowers and a photograph of the deceased person are displayed around the coffin.  In front of the coffin candles and Joss sticks are burned as offerings.

As guests arrive for the final funeral ritual, they present offerings at the entrance to the home.  Money is given to the family and is used to support the family as well as to be used as offerings to the Monks.  The name of each donor and the amount of money that they donate is recorded in a paper tablet.  The information is shared with the Monk after the body has been cremated in order that the donors receive their proper merit.   The family determines how much of the money is offered to the Monks.  Typically it is around 50%.  Since the amount of money offered to the Monks or used to buy offerings such as robes, candles, towels, and Monk Gift Packs determines how much merit is earned for the deceased as well as for the family there are pressures to not be stingy in the amount allocated for the Monks.  We knew that the family was poor we also donated two cases of soft drinks and two cases of drinking water for the funeral ritual.  Some people are too poor to make offerings of money so they make an offering of rice from their larder.  The individual offerings of rice, some as little as 1 kilogram, are combined into a large 55 kilogram sack or sacks.  Just as with monetary donations, the family will keep some of the rice and offer the remainder to the Monks at the local Wat.  The Monks sell the rice for below market price to poor people or give the rice to the poor people who are unable to pay for rice.  There is no state welfare here in Isaan.  The needs of individuals are met by either the family, neighbors, or the Sanga (Buddhist Clergy).

Lan Sai (Grandson) Peelawat, 22 months old and Yai (Grandmother) Duang During Funeral Ritual - She is Praying, He is Eating Dragon Fruit

The family feeds guests and supplies them with soft drinks as well as drinking water.  The female members of the family and neighbors set up an outdoor kitchen to prepare the funeral food.  Young women and older girls typically serve the guests upon their arrival.  At the appointed time, the Monks who have been seated inside the home up against an exterior wall will participate in a formal ritual.  The ritual is actually initiated and lead by a Shaman.  The Shaman will commence the chanting and supervise the connection of the coffin to the assembled Monks with a cotton string similar to butcher's string.  The connection of the deceased through the string to the Monks is an important aspect of the funeral ritual as well as other rituals such as weddings, and Baii Sii ceremonies.  This is an Animist concept that has been absorbed into the Buddhist rituals.

Yong Boys Have Their Head and Eyebrows Shaved to Participate in Relative's Funeral

Another unique aspect of the Lao Loum funeral rituals here in Isaan is the incorporation of children of all ages.  Sons, Nephews, and Grandsons will have their head and eyebrows shaved prior to wearing Monks robes for the funeral ritual.  For the three day period of the funeral ritual the boys will be Monks and participate in the rituals.  The youngest boys that I have seen as Monks during a funeral were around 7 or 8 years old.  Younger children, both boys and girls are brought to funerals with no efforts made to shield them from any aspects of the ritual including the final viewing of the body before cremation.  Just as in the case of births, weddings, and ordinations, children are witness to another milestone in Lao Loum life - death.  Here in Isaan death is a life event that is not hidden out of sight.  There are no morticians or mortuaries.  All preparations and ritual are conducted by family, friends, and neighbors with the assistance of the Buddhist clergy.  The rituals are conducted with a great deal of dignity and respect.

Duang sent me off to the Wat while the ritual was being performed at the home.  I went to the Wat and found about 1/2 of the villagers arriving with bamboo switches in their hand.  They gathered around the Wat grounds until a young Monk lead them out into the village.  The scene sort of reminded me of the original film version of Frankenstein when the villagers set off to find him carrying torches and pitchforks.  Since it was a bright and sunny December Isaan morning there was no need for torches.  The villagers were carrying their long bamboo sticks to scare up the Phii Ling.

The people were very pleased to have me join them perhaps as additional protection since Phii do not like foreigners.  Many times over here in Isaan as well as other areas of Southeast Asia I find myself in situations or experience things that I do not fully understand or quite often do not necessarily believe in myself.  However I do not view it as my responsibility to judge or to validate what I either witness or what I am told.  I believe that my obligation and responsibility is to report accurately what I have seen, experienced, and have been told.  I leave it to the individual reader to form their own opinions and to make their own judgements if they are so inclined.  Having reiterated this position that I have set out in previous blogs, I will now write about the exorcism.

Nongdaeng Village Monk

The villagers gathered around the Monk and set about the narrow paved village streets in search of the Monkey Spirits.  The Monk carried a very old wood carved sword that he often used to point out things and show the direction for the crowd to go.  The crowd was in a peculiar mood that I would best describe as bordering on a somewhat nervously cautious enthusiasm.  The ritual was definitely a social bonding event.  I could see that people were happy to be out and about with their family and neighbors.  Although the villagers were in good spirits they also seemed a little nervous which made their perceived enthusiasm to more bravado than confidence.  It appeared to me that the people really believed that their problem and misfortune was caused by evil spirits and that in dealing with the supernatural they were tempting fate.

An Evil Spirit Is Trapped Against the Floor

One of the young men attending to the Monk carried a large woven bamboo basket.  The basket was filled with a coarse red gravel type material along with a good sized wood phallus.  Some of the villagers as well as the Monk would grab handfuls of the gravel material and throw it up on the roofs of houses and rice storage structures.  The gravel would strike the corrugated metal roofs with a sharp clap followed by the tinkling sound of several small stones rolling down and eventually off of the hot tin roof.  I did not see any cats on the hot tin roofs but there were apparently plenty of monkey spirits on the hot tin roofs.  I did not see any of the evil spirits but the villagers did.  When they did spot an evil spirit, they would give out a whoop and a holler.  Two young men would rush to the location.  Each rather large young man carried a short and stout bamboo stick that was connected to the other stick with several strands of thick cotton string.  Working together, the two young men would pin the evil spirit to the ground or floor awaiting other members of the team to take the next step.  As quickly as a spirit was pinned down, other men arrived with a piece of square cotton cloth that had writing on it, an elastic band, and half of an empty plastic soft drink bottle.  The cotton cloth which Duang told me said something like "Monkey Spirits Go Away" was used to move the pinned spirit into the plastic container and then in conjunction with the elastic band contain the spirit in the bottle.  The bottle was then placed in a very large plastic bag containing all the other captured evil spirits.

While the men were dealing with the captured spirit, the remainder of the villagers were busy searching for other spirits and rousting them out of their hiding places.  The people used the bamboo sticks to beat on trees, roofs of houses, walls and roofs of rice storage sheds, tree trunks, and any other possible hiding places.  Pieces of wood, plastic, or metal were uplifted to seek evil spirits.  In about 30 minutes many of the bamboo sticks had flayed ends from the exertions of the villagers to roust the spirits.


A Captured Evil Spirit is Placed Into a Container

Lead by the Monk, we entered several homes.  The downstairs and the upstairs were checked for Monkey Spirits.  Cupboards and clothes cabinets were opened and struck with bamboo sticks to force the spirits into the open.  Blankets and bedding were overturned in the search for hiding spirits. Escaping spirits were quickly captured and contained all under the watchful eye of the Monk.  I accompanied the capture crew but did not see any of the spirits.  After awhile Duang joined us in the quest for the Monkey Spirits.  She was impressed with how many evil spirits had been captured.  She said that she thought that there could be one thousand Phii in the village.

Another Phii Has Been Captured

Since I had not seen any Phii even though I had close up photographs of their capture, I asked Duang if she had seen any Phii.  She replied that she had seen some of them.  I asked her once again a little while later and she confirmed that she had seen them.  I had reached the limit of my comfort level in regards to the subject.  I had confirmed that she had seen them and to me any further questioning would not be polite.  I guess seeing the Monkey Spirits is akin to seeing the face of Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich or in the bark of a tree - you have to be a true believer to begin with and have the faith.  Perhaps my inability to see the Phii lay in their fear of falang.  Perhaps out of fear of me they would not reveal themselves to me or my camera.  Although this mystery will most likely never be solved or answered it does not qualify as a mystery of the universe.  It is just one of those mysteries of Isaan that I can only report and never solve.  It is an aspect of living here in Isaan that makes life so interesting.

Besides the attendant with the basket of gravel, there was another man with a basket of eggs.  Occasionally the Monk or one of the villagers would take an egg and smash it on the road or against a building.  According to Duang, Phii do not like eggs which is something that I can relate to.  However the Phii are also attracted to the smashed eggs.  Apparently the smashed eggs are like blood to the Phii.  The Monk and villagers used the eggs to lure some of the Phii out of hiding so that they could be captured.

The villagers, Duang and I spent almost two hours scouring the village for evil spirits; literally and figuratively leaving no stone unturned in our quest to rid the village of the Monkey Spirits.  I got into the "spirit" of the occasion by removing the cover of a well to help look for the spirits.  I figured that if I were an evil spirit I would hide in a well.  Perhaps I had seen too many movies where people hid in wells from the Japanese, Nazis, and Apaches.  Perhaps I would not make a very good evil spirit; we did not find any Monkey Spirits in the well that day although the villagers appreciated my idea and effort to assist them.

The crowd ended up at a home at the edge of the village (isn't it ironic that the evil house is always at the edge of town and never in the center of town?).  The hunters went into the home but for some inexplicable reason I did not accompany them inside.  I should have.  From outside we could hear a big fight break out from inside the home.  There was the ubiquitous crack of bamboo striking the structural columns and beams of the home followed by the frantic thuds of heavy barefoot steps of the hunters either chasing or fleeing something.  There was the sounds of a big struggle accompanied by beastly sounds.  There were unearthly growls and grunts.  After a while the spirit hunters exited the house in triumph.  They had captured the big Monkey Spirit, Monkey Spirit Number One - the leader of the Evil Spirits.  With the capture of the Monkey Spirit Leader, our work that day was done.  The villagers invited me back to the village for the next morning when the last bit of work would be completed - taking all the plastic bottles containing the Monkey Spirits to the Wat and incinerating them in a big fire.

I hoped to attend the last part of the ritual but our priority for the next morning was to visit the Amphur (County) Office in Kumphawapi to obtain some final documents needed for Duang's Immigration Interview at the American Consulate in Bangkok on 27 December.  As it turned out we missed the burning of the spirits.  We got a call from a relative in the village asking where we were and Duang explained.  By the time we got out to the village, the deed was done.

The village exorcism was a unique experience for me and needless to say it was the first time that I had witnessed such a ritual.  I found the ritual and experience to be extremely interesting.  Although I try not to make judgements in such matters I do feel free to make observations.

Nongdaeng Village was a community under going some stress with the deaths of five inhabitants within a week.  Village life in Isaan is not a detached or impersonal activity.  Most of your neighbors in an Isaan village are your relatives.  If your neighbors are not your relatives, they are people that you see and speak with everyday.  There is a very strong sense of community in an Isaan village with neighbors working side by side in the local fields, worshipping at the same local Wat, celebrating life events together, raising the village children, and often sharing food together.  Much of a villager's time is spent outdoors where they interact with each other.  A death in the village affects everyone and is not a detached event removed from your daily life.  Five deaths in a village is disturbing.

The villagers needed answers as to why there had been five deaths in such a short period of time.  Just like people in other societies they had a desire to rationalize what they could not understand.  The Lao Loum people of Isaan, especially in the outlying villages, are not highly educated especially the people 35 years and older.  Whereas we in America would rely upon science to explain the deaths, science is not an option for the subsistence farmers of Isaan.  Their faith for answers to the unexplained is in their religion.  Their religion, although extensively Buddhist, retains a great number of Animist beliefs and rituals.  It is these beliefs and rituals that give the community a sense of comfort, a sense of control and power in its daily affairs.

During the ritual of ridding the village of Monkey Spirits, I saw a community strengthening its bonds.  People were working together and uniting for the common good of all.  The villagers were confronting a challenge to their their normal way of life and taking united action to return their life to a perceived normality.  In the process of ridding the village of the evil spirits, they were strengthening the social and religious bonds that hold their community together.  Although the rationale and methods may be subject to debate, in my opinion there is not debating the merits of results from their chosen ritual.  The community was strengthened and comforted through the ritual.

A Novice Monk Ignites the Diesel Soaked Body and Charcoal With Joss Sticks

Duang and I walked over to the Wat where the final part of the funeral ritual for her cousin were being conducted.  As Duang sat underneath the large shade trees of the Wat with the other women, I wandered about taking photographs.  During Buddhist rituals here in Isaan, women and men sit in separate areas.  Children will sit with the women.  Since I don't understand much of what is going on I sit with Duang in the women's section so that she can explain to me.  Because I am a foreigner and the Lao Loum people are polite, it is tolerated if not accepted.

Taking photographs during a funeral is a widely practiced activity here in Isaan.  At first I was a little taken back by people motioning me to come forward to take better and much closer shots of all aspects of the funeral ritual.  I have gotten accustomed to the practice now and eagerly but respectfully join the others taking photographs.

While taking photographs of the ritual for Duang's cousin at the opening to the furnace, I started speaking to a man who was her cousin's best friend.  He was supervising the activities prior to placing the coffin into the furnace.  He told me that there would be a second funeral after Duang's cousin and invited me to attend.  After the conclusion of Duang's cousin's funeral he brought Duang and I over to the family associated with the next funeral.  In no time at all we felt like part of the community if not family.  We were offered seats, food, and drink.  People asked about where I was from and if funerals in America were like theirs.  I prophetically told them that funerals were nothing like this in America.  I told them that a stranger would never dare to photograph a funeral in America.  What I did not realize as I spoke was that this funeral was going to be unlike any public funeral in America!

Procession From the Home to the Village Wat.  Man sprinkles Puffed Rice ahead of the Procession

The second man to be cremated that day was an older man.  He was a blind man who played music at the market in Kumphawapi to support his family.  He had five children and three wives.  Polygamy is against the law in Thailand but some old habits are hard to break or get rid of.  You can only be legally, as in registered with the government, married to one person at a time.  However many men in Isaan have more than one wife with non-registered wives referred to as "Mia Noi" (Little Wife).

Money Offerings

As smoke rose from the Wat's Crematorium for Duang's cousin, the coffin for the blind musician was brought to the Wat.  As is typical for these funerals, and I have written previously in other blogs about Isaan funerals, the coffin was placed on a pickup truck and lead by a procession of Monks from the deceased person's home to the local Wat.  The Monks, some of them sons, grandsons, and nephews held on to a long cotton string that went back to the coffin.  A man with a basket sprinkled puffed rice on the street and pathway ahead of the funeral cortege.

I was a little confused as to how there could be two funeral rituals on the same afternoon at the local Wat.  One body was already in the crematorium and I expected that the furnace would be occupied for at least four hours.  How were they going to take care of the second body?

Years ago there was a television commercial in America about a now defunct investment firm, "Smith and Barney".  The hook line of the ad was "Smith and Barney, We make money the old fashioned way - we earn it".  How were they going to cremate the second body?  A la "Smith and Barney", they were going to cremate the body the old fashioned way - they were going to have a funeral pyre.  I was about to witness a funeral ritual unlike any that I am aware of back in the USA.

Funeral Pyre Commences to Burn

The coffin containing the blind musician's remains was placed beside the crematorium next to a bamboo structure that was built over a large pile of firewood.  The bamboo structure was comprised of four very long freshly cut green bamboo poles that were lashed together to form a sort of pyramid or tepee.  Horizontal bamboo sticks were lashed to the vertical members to give the structure shape as well as stability.  All bamboo members were decorated with colorful Mylar reflective wrappings or colorful Mylar fringe.


In the Name of the Deceased an Offering of a Robe is made to the Abbott

The funeral ritual was fairly typical.  Off to the side underneath a open walled structure, 14 Monks sat facing the Shaman who lead the ritual and the man's immediate family and closest friends.  Out side of the open walled structure and off to one side were rows of chairs with female attendees and children.  Off to the other side of the structure were rows of male attendees.  In front of the male attendees there were two stuffed couches and cocktail tables were honored guests and esteemed officials such as Village Headman, Subdistrict, and District Officials sat.

After the chanting, a commentator who is a local school official dressed in a Boy Scout uniform performed as the MC.  I had seen him at other funerals before performing the same roll.  He spoke about the deceased person, their life, the merits of the deceased, and wished the deceased good luck in his journey and eventual new life.  The MC then started to announce the names of honored guests, esteemed officials, and close family members.  As their name was announced the people walked up to the MC and were given an envelope by a family member.  The envelope contained a money offering.

The person took the envelope and walked over to the coffin.  They gave a Wai (Thai and Lao gesture of respect) to the coffin and appeared to say some words before respectfully placing the envelope on a tray on top of the closed coffin.  The people were participating in a merit making ritual for the deceased as well as for themselves.  They were offering the money to the deceased who through a family member would offer the money to the Monks.  The deceased would earn merit through the act of offering the money and the esteemed officials, honored guests, and close family members would through their participation in the ritual.  The greatest offerings such as Monk's robe were reserved for the highest officials to make.  Once the offerings are removed from the coffin and offered to the Monks, the cover is removed from the coffin.  It is at this time that family and close friends come to the coffin to pour coconut water over the body of the deceased person.  Green coconuts are prepared just prior to the removal of the coffin lid.  The coconut water is poured over the entire body directly from the coconut.  Other people pour scented water on the body from bamboo tubes or as was the case at this funeral from plastic cups.

A Blind Man Pours Scented Water On His Friend

For me the most touching part of this funeral ritual was when the musician's blind friends were lead up to his coffin to participate in the ritual and to make their good byes to their friend.  They were assisted with dignity as well as compassion by the other attendees.  Throughout the ritual I did not see any crying, outbursts of emotion, or hearing any sobbing.  This has been the case at all Buddhist funerals that I have attended here in Isaan.

The Buddhist attitude towards death is best expressed by Wade Davis, a renowned Canadian Anthropologist and contributor to National Geographic documentaries, in his documentary series "Light At the End of the World" ... "The Buddhists spend all their lives getting ready for a moment that we spend most of our lives pretending does not exist, which is the moment of our death"  In Isaan death is a milestone of life which is familiar to and accepted by all from a very early age. The conclusion of this life, which for many has been very difficult, presents the hope as well as opportunity for a better and easier life in the future - another step towards enlightenment.  As I witness the pain and suffering of people in the West as they artificially struggle to delay the inevitable, I have pause to contemplate the best way to live and die.  Here in Isaan, death comes quicker due to a lack of money and facilities.  At what point should we allow ourselves or others to let go and conclude the suffering?

Some of the attendees placed coins on the body in the coffin.  After the body is cremated, the coins will be retrieved and kept in homes or placed in a tube to be worn around the neck as "Good Luck" items or Talisman.  Many Lao Loum people wear a tube attached to a cord around their neck containing a relic such as a tooth from their deceased parent.

After the final goodbyes were completed, the heavy comforter was removed from the coffin and placed to the side of the funeral pyre.  The coffin was drained of the coconut water and scented water.  Some Joss (incense) sticks were scattered atop of the body, the body was doused with diesel fuel, the lid placed over the coffin and the coffin was placed atop of the firewood.  Men then gathered up the large an long pieces of firewood laying on the ground at the side of the pyre.  The long logs were carefully placed vertically all along the sides of the coffin to form a tepee over it.  The logs were doused with diesel fuel and set ablaze.  The comforter, funeral decorations, and the man's possessions were added to the rapidly consuming flames.  Just as the fire was ignited, a man set off fireworks near by.  The fireworks that I refer to as "Whizzers" are a ring that spin off like a Frisbee leaving a cork screw contrail of smoke and a whizzing sound high up into the air prior to exploding in three loud bangs.  These fireworks or similar fireworks are set off to scare away any evil spirits that may be about ready to grab the deceased person's spirit as it rises on its journey.

Firework Is launched At Start of the Cremation

The brother of the deceased man removed his shirt as a concession to the hot flames of the funeral pyre .  He would tend to the fire until everything was totally consumed.  This was but another manifestation of the people caring for each other and taking care of business.  It was time for Duang and I to return to our home in Udonthani.  The unique smell of burning diesel and the corpse, sort of like a heavy and sweet fabric softener scent remained with me the rest of the day - on my clothing, in my hair and in my nose.  The snap, pop, sizzle and crackle of the funeral pyre was a little disconcerting to me but for the villagers it was nothing out of the ordinary.  When I asked about some of the loud sounds a young woman nonchalantly indicated through pantomime that it was the organs of the body reacting to the fire; such is the reality of life as well as death here in Isaan.

It had been quite a busy day - Two funerals and an Exorcism.  For me it had been quite an educational experience as well as an opportunity to experience some unique aspects of Lao Loum culture here in Isaan - a very good day indeed.


In the Light of the Late Afternoon Sun, Villagers Exit the Wat Grounds



Christmas Eve - Already?

I was planning on writing a blog today related to the two Buddhist funerals and the village exorcism that I witnessed on Wednesday of this week here in Isaan.  It was only when I sat down to commence writing the blog that I realized that today is Christmas Eve here.

To be honest, I am not comfortable writing and sharing Animist and Buddhist rituals on the eve of one of Christianity's two most holy of holidays.  Yes despite the focus on holiday sales statistics and their possible impact on the economy, the focus of Christmas should be on the reasons for the holiday to begin with.  I do not want to disrespect the holiday by detracting from the Christian beliefs.  There will be other times to share some of the unique aspects and insights of life in Isaan.

I can imagine all the husbands and fathers busy finishing up with the last bit of shopping for gifts.  Once they have returned home, they will spend hours assembling the bicycles, big wheels, and wagons to place under the Christmas tree for early morning discovery by their children.  Of course there will be some of Santa's cookies, milk, as well as some of the reindeer's carrots to sustain them until they can finally go to bed.

There are many ways to measure the passage of time and one of them for me is reminiscing about Christmas's past.  I have written about some of them before but at this time of the year the memories of Christmas's past just keep on coming.

I remember one of my father's aunts, an aunt that we only saw once a year at the family Christmas Eve Smorgasbord.  She still retained a Swedish accent and when questioned how she was doing she would reply "Well not so good you know I have been feeling kind of poorly".  Years later I leaned that she had been feeling kind of poorly since my dad was a young boy in the 1930s.  She continued to feel kind of poorly long after I had grown up and moved away.  She continued to feel kind of poorly until she died in her 90s.

As a young man and father, I celebrated New Year's Eve with special traditions.  I had been married on Christmas Eve in 1971 so for 15 years, Christmas Eve was celebrated with a special meal either at home or at a special restaurant, drinking champagne or sparkling wine purchased the year before in the Pewter wedding goblet, and after dinner I joined all the other fathers in wrapping boxes as well as assembling toys. The marriage ended and then the children were grown with lives of their own.

As life moved on Christmas Eve evolved with modified traditions and in many cases new traditions.  Change is inevitable and can overwhelm us if we resist.  However if we bend with the changes our life can be enriched and even made better.

The memories of Christmas past can provide us with comfort and solace as we move on in life.  The adapting and creation of new traditions can sustain us as we write the new chapters and assume new roles of our life.

For this Christmas Eve, Duang and I , wish that everyone is able to take comfort in their Christmas pasts and allow themselves to make happy memories for the Christmas to come.

For our Christian friends  we hope that the true meaning of Christmas remains a big part of your celebrations and joy.  Although the ideals of the holiday are often not upheld it is the constant trying to bring peace and joy to the world that must continue.  We can't cave in to cynicism for the world actually starts with each of us.  If we can bring peace and joy to ourselves the world will well on its way.

Luang Prabang - Sala Pha Bang



Altar for Displaying Pra Bang

As I wrote in a previous blog, my top priority for our last day in Luang Prabang, Laos, our stay in town day, was to go to the Royal Palace Museum specifically to check out the Sala Pha Bang.  The Sala Pha Bang, also referred to as Haw Pha Bang, is the Royal Chapel and is located in the northeast corner of the Royal Palace Museum compound.  It is not an ancient building.  In fact it is not a very old building.  It was originally constructed in 1963; Western calendar and not "1963" 0f the Buddhist Era calendar which would make it 453 years older.

Sala Pha Bang In December Late Afternoon Sunlight

The King of Laos directed that it be renovated in 1973.  With the Communist Pathet Lao taking over control of Laos in 1975, the project was abandoned.  Over the years the Communist government relaxed its restrictions and attitudes towards the Buddhist religion with the project to renovate the Sala Pha Bang recommencing in 1993.  According to my 2005 edition of Lonely Planet guidebook, "Laos", the project was scheduled to be completed at the end of 2004.  During our first visit in February 2008, interior work specifically painting, installing pieces of brightly colored reflective glass, and applying gold leaf on intricately carvings was still ongoing.  I had estimated that the project was about 80% complete at the time.

It is interesting that it appears that no matter the form of government, government projects always seem to have budget and schedule problems.  In all my years of working on private projects, some considered to be Mega-Projects, the projects were seldom late.  Of the very few that were completed late, they were weeks or perhaps a couple of  months late but never a year let alone more than 4 years late!

The purpose of the restoration of the Sala Pha Bang was to prepare it to receive and store a statue of Buddha referred to as "Pra Bang".  The "Pra Bang" is a staue of Buddha in the "Dispelling Fear" position.  The statue is most likely Khmer from the 1300s although legend has it coming from Ceylon in the 1st century.  In 1359 a Khmer King gave the statue to his son-in-law in Laos which gave the monarchy there Buddhist legitimacy.  The statue has been venerated by the Lao people since that time.

We arrived at the Royal Palace Museum at 11:00 A.M. only to discover that it was closed until 1:30 P.M.  We took advantage of the closing to pursue a dream that had come to me in my sleep the night before.  My dream was not a quest for anything spiritual or involving any mysteries of either life or the universe.  In my dream, I was eating a Croque Monsieur sandwich.  Croque Monsieur is a grilled hot ham and cheese sandwich.  Before I left the cultural rich Luang Prabang area, I wanted to eat a Croque Monsieur.  Earlier in the morning we had encountered a French woman at a French cafe near our hotel who told me upon my informing her of my culinary quest that the best Croque Monsieur was served at the the Elephant Restaurant.  We asked around and found out where the Elephant Restaurant was.  It was back close to where our hotel was.  We eventually found the restaurant and sat down in what appeared to be a 1920's French brasserie.  That should have been a tip off.  The second tip off was when I was presented a leather bound wine list - A3 size (8.5 inches x 11 inches) FOR LUNCH.  I looked at the menu and there were some very tasty items described but no Croque Monsieur!  I checked and double checked the menu.  I had Duang explain to the waiter what I was looking for and he brought the maitre d' over.  We were in the wrong place!  But we were not the only ones or I doubt the last ones who had made the same mistake.  It turns out that the Elephant restaurant runs two other restaurants one of them being "Le Cafe Ban Vat Sene" about three blocks away and almost across the street from our hotel which did serve Croque Monsieur.  We made our apologies and left what our 2005 version of Lonely Planet guide book for Laos describes as "One of Luang Prabang's most elegant Western eateries ..."

We found the correct cafe and I enjoyed my fabulous Croque Monsieur and a French fruit tart while Duang enjoyed her Thai food entry for lunch.  With one obsession satisfied we walked back down to the Royal Palace Museum.

A Side Staircase to Sala Pha Bang

After paying the entrance fee, we headed directly over to the Sala Pha Bang.  As was the situation two years ago, people were busy posing for photos in front of the building.  Many of the people were flashing the "V" sign for their portrait - definitely not something or someone that I wanted in my photos.  We wandered off to the side and back of the building to find ourselves completely alone.  This was also the situation two years ago.  People all want to see what everyone else has seen and what everyone else will easily recognized.  After getting their photos which are just like everyone else's photos they scurry off to the next well recognized venue.  However just as there are two sides to every argument, two sides to a story, there are many perspectives to a venue.  By investing more time, sometimes just a little more, and more footsteps, you can better appreciate and experience a location.  For me it is not appearing in a postcard photo but for me it is all about the sights form all angles, sounds, smells and ambiance of a location. Not that I should be complaining; for if more people shared our travel philosophy Allen's World would be much more crowded!  I am fortunate that this philosophy also works for Duang so I always have someone to share the complete experience with. 

Exterior Door At Back of Sala Pha Bang

Main Staircase At Back of Royal Chapel

Handrail Detail of Naga At Back of Royal Palace Chapel

We eventually arrived at the front of the Royal Chapel and entered.  The restoration work had been completed but the venerated Buddha was not on display.  There was a lone female attendant seated in a plastic chair in the corner of the fabulous room.  Duang pulled up a spare plastic chair and started speaking with the attendant while I went about oohing and ahhing as I took photographs.

The interior was filled with intricately carved walls, ceiling, and columns.  In many locations any flat areas were filled with pieces of reflective colorful glass.  Most of the carvings were covered with gold leaf.  We had watched the craftsmen applying some of the gold leaf two years ago.  No adhesive is utilized to apply the gold leaf to base structures.  Static electricity from the super thin gold keeps the small sheets of gold attached.  Craftsmen use very fine brushes to apply the gold leaf in place and to brush out any trapped air between the leaf and the base.

Perhaps because the Pra Bang was not on display, there were few visitors to the inside of the chapel.  During our one-and one-half visit to the Chapel, there were no more than 15 to 20 other visitors.  This made it very convenient to thoroughly enjoy the beauty and mastery of the building.  I was able to lay flat on the floor and stare up at the ceiling.  The ceiling was dark red with carved gold leafed carvings of life in Laos a long time ago.  Mixed in with the scenes of Lao life were representations of Buddha's many lives.  Some of the scenes reminded me of scenes from the "Ramakian" back in Bangkok.  I suspect that the scenes are actually from the Hindu epic "Ramayana" upon which the Ramakian is based.


One of Several Murals in the Sala Pha Bang

There are also several carved gold leafed murals on the walls that I am certain are based upon the Ramayana.  It was a feast of intricately carved figures, gold leaf, and rich dark red paint.  Inside the chapel there were several ornate columns.

Ornate Interior Columns

Group of Ornate Interior Columns

One group of visitors to the Chapel while we were there was a Buddhist Abbott, two young Monks, and a Maechi; a female who is someone between an ordinary layperson and an ordained Monk - all from Thailand.  They spoke some English so I was able to communicate with them along with Duang's Thai conversation.  The entire atmosphere was very relaxed.

Monks Visiting From Thailand

The Lao attendant convinced that we posed no threat or perhaps just bored, left us alone after awhile.  left us alone to the extent that she left the building.  After  I had been photographing  a while Duang had to go to the bathroom.  Believing that I could not get into any trouble she left me alone while she walked to the far side of the compound where the restrooms are located.  There was no need for me to show her where they were because she had used them two years ago and just prior to entering the Sala Pha Bang.  Well Duang's belief that I would not get into trouble was not justified.  As I was photographing the beauty that surrounded me two small groups of people came in.  In both groups a person touched the intricate gold leafed carvings.  I was polite but I did not suffer in silence.  As in the protection of children, I believe we all need to contribute to the protection of our heritage be it art, or natural wonders.  In the absence of the attendant I decided to take on the roll of guardian of the Lao heritage.  I informed both people in Thai to not touch the carvings that it was not good to do so.  When Duang returned, I told her and she smiled somewhat embarrassed by my activism.  I get upset when people though their ignorance, callousness, or non-thinking endanger works of art or heritage for others.  When the attendant finally returned I informed her of what happened and also pointed out to her to be on guard for others.  I felt better  but I also had the nagging suspicion that she was also like too many other government employees.

Interior Door Detail - Buddha Upon A Lotus Flower

We left to walk back to our hotel where our bag was being held and where our driver was to pick us up to go the airport.  Our flight was scheduled to leave at 5:50 P.M. so we planned on meeting our driver at 4:00 P.M.  When we were about two blocks from our hotel, I saw out of the corner of my eye a Tuk-Tuk slow down which is not uncommon in Luang Prabang.  Tuk-Tuks constantly are hustling about trying to fares.  However when this driver called out he was laughing and smiling - it was our driver.  Since we were so close to the hotel, I waved him on.  Once again he had arrived early!

Duang and I could not believe how quickly our day about town had passed.  It had been a great day for the end of a great visit.  Although we had seen all the major items that we planned on for our second visit to the area, there were still many things that we still have yet to see or do in Luang Prabang.  Many things to see and do; reasons to return for a third visit some day.

School Daze - Luang Prabang

Lao Students Clean Their Classroom Before the Start of Lessons

On our last day in Luang Prabang, we were scheduled to leave at 5:50 P.M. so we had essentially the whole day for sightseeing.  Since we had visited three outlying villages the day before and had visited the two local Hmong New Year festival sights three times, we decided to dedicate our last day to walking about Luang Prabang.  Although we had visited the city before there were several things that we wanted to see and do.

On the top of my list was to go to the Royal Palace Museum and specifically visit the now completed Sala Pha Bang.  In February 2008 during our first visit to the city we spent a great deal of time watching craftsmen applying gold leaf to the walls.  This year we would have the opportunity to enjoy their completed work but that will be subject to a future blog entry.

The second location that I wanted to visit was the Luang Prabang Primary School.  Our hotel was located in the Historical Temple District of Luang Prabang on Th Sakkrin which seamlessly transforms into Th. Sisavangvong.  Th Sisavangvong is where the Royal Palace Museum is located and where the nightly Handicraft Market is set up.  During our stay, it was also where films were screened for the Luang Prabang International Film Festival.  Every evening when we walked downtown we would pass by the Luang Prabang Primary School about two or three blocks from our hotel.  I wanted to see what school was like for Lao children and compare it to the schools that I have visited in other countries.

Friday morning, or last day in Laos, I was awoken at 4:00 A.M.just like every other morning by the banging of the Wat's bell next door.  The early wake ups didn't bother me because, for me, it was part of the ambiance of the location and culture.  It was just like when I lived in the Muslim countries of Algeria and Malaysia. The calls to prayer from very early morning to night never bothered me.  To the contrary, I actually enjoyed them for they were reminders that I was no longer home and for me they were a connection to a distant past.  Experiencing rituals that are over 1,800 years old is fascinating to me.

Being a practicing Buddhist, the early morning wake-up was not so fascinating for Duang.  Since we did not have offerings for the Monks she was embarrassed to watch the Tak Bat without participating.  The hotel could arrange for food offerings and as I wrote earlier about this trip, roving street peddlers were all too willing to sell you offerings for the Monks.  I told her about this but she still chose to fall back asleep and get up at 7:00 A.M.  It actually worked out well, she was dressed and cleaned up for the day upon my return to the hotel.  After sharing breakfast together, I quickly showered, shaved, and we set off upon our daily trips.

I had heard that the Monks practice meditation and chanting prior to going out on their alms walk each morning.  I interpreted this as they would assemble in one of the Wat buildings to perform their meditation and chanting.  This was a ritual that I had not seen before and definitely wanted to photograph.  Since I was already awake, I got dressed, grabbed my camera bag and headed downstairs.  My hiking boots were underneath the hotel Christmas tree where I had left them next to Duang's shoes.  Each night I had joked with the staff about Santa Claus coming to fill my boots with goodies.  Each morning I feigned disappointment that Santa Claus had not taken care of me - yet.  Actually I was just happy that the boots were still there. I can only imagine how difficult US size 11 (Lao 44) boots would be to find in Luang Prabang or any other place in Laos.

I walked over to the Wat next door and found all the front gates to be locked shut.  I tried the side gates and soon found one that was not locked.  I entered the Wat compound and located a building that seemed appropriate for Monks to assemble in for meditating as well as chanting.  There was a stone bench outside of the building so I sat down and made myself comfortable to wait for the Monks. I waited and waited and then I waited some more.  It was interesting to hear the sounds coming from the street on the other side of the Wat's perimeter wall.  People were setting up sahts on the sidewalk and laying out the containers of sticky rice for the tourists.  I could hear the shuffling sound of flip flops on the asphalt as the street vendors went about their business.  Other sounds were from local residents setting up their little restaurants on the sidewalk in front of their home to prepare, cook, and serve hungry people their first meal of the day.  What I did not hear was anything of interest coming from inside of the Wat compound.  Once in a while I heard a cough or saw a door crack open as a Monk left his quarters to go the bathroom building.  I did not see any meditation.  I did not hear any chanting.  I suspect that the Monks must do both the chanting and meditating silently in the privacy of their room alone or with only the Monk that they share their room with.  Oh well just as in sports ... you may not play in every game but you dress to play every game.  I didn't get any photographs but I had tried and I was ready.

A Food Vendor In Luang Prabang

Around 6:00 A.M. the Monks came out of their quarters and started to assemble outside to begin their Tak Bat.  I joined the other tourists outside on the street. literally and figuratively.  For some shots, I actually sat in the street to get a better perspective of the scene.

An Elderly Woman Makes Early Morning Offerings In Laos

After the Tak Bat, I walked down to the Nam Khan River and watched men fishing with nets for awhile and then I walked to the primary school.  I arrived at the school at 7:30 A.M. for the scheduled 8:00 A.M. start of the day.  Some students were brought to school on motorbikes by a parent or older sibling.  Some students arrived on Tuk-Tuks.  Most of the children walked from their nearby homes to the school.

Main Building of Luang Prabang Primary School, LPDR

The school yard was a beehive of activity.  Many of the students were occupied cleaning up the school yard.  Many of the students, typically the boys, were busy avoiding work and chores.  Groups of young girls gathered to prepare for the day and get caught up on whatever is important for young Lao girls to talk about.  Some boys were busy playing a game that involved a soccer ball and a line pulled taut between two posts - it wasn't volleyball; it wasn't soccer; and the ball was too big and heavy to be kataw - it may have been just a game that they invented with what is available to them.

School Boy Cleaning the Canopy Roof of His School



School Boys Playing Before the Start of Lessons



A Teacher Supervises Some of His Students Outside of the School Yard

I entered the school yard and started to take photographs.  There were no security guards.  There were no Police.  The school yard reminded me a great deal of my elementary school days at Colonel Ledyard Elementary School in Groton, Connecticut - no play ground equipment, no rubber mats or astro turf - just dirt and rocks.  There were no security concerns just a bunch of kids burning up energy and excited about the start of the day if not about a stranger that walked amongst them.

Young Girl Cleans Up the School Yard

Some of the children reminded me of some of the people, perhaps characters, that I attended elementary school with.  It was amazing that after 50 years I could easily recognize the people that I went to school with or rather the character traits and behaviors common to my former classmates half a word and half a century away.  It reinforced a theme to my photography - "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."

Student's Shoes Outside of Their Class Room

The Luang Prabang Primary School is an old building in the French Colonial style.  I suspect that it was built when most of the colonial buildings were constructed in Luang Prabang from 1920 to 1925.  The classrooms have extremely high ceilings. There is no air conditioning or screens on the windows.  In fact there is no glass in the windows.  Heavy wood shutters are open during the day and closed over the window openings at the end of the day.  The window trim exhibited many layers of paint.


Students In the Class Room Window, Luang Prabang

A wide porch on the school building in conjunction with a cantilevered overhanging roof provides protection from rain and most likely just as important - the sun.  Floors of the classrooms are tile and the walls are stucco cement.  The walls were painted many years ago and at the risk of hyperbole not washed recently.  The class rooms are mostly natural lighted with just a minimum of florescent fixtures for the darkest times.  I used high ISO settings and a flash on my camera to photograph the rooms which are much darker than they appear in the pictures. 



The Teacher's Lounge - I Think

 Some of the posters such as the "Times Tables" 2x2, 2x3, ... 11x11 ... 12x12. are printed on cloth rather than paper; much more durable.  I was very impressed with the neatness of the Lao writing on the blackboards.  The desks look they very well could have been the originals form 1925.  They were heavy and obviously capable of lasting several generations rather than mere years.


Two Boys Finishing Their "Home"work Before Class Starts



Lao Anatomy Poster



Waiting For the Last Minute to Complete His Homework

I introduced myself to a couple of the teachers and showed them the photographs that I had taken in case they were concerned or cared.  I suspect that the teachers were not concerned and didn't care.  It appeared that they had given me the benefit of the doubt and trusted me - very much like the times when I went to elementary school.  It was a much more relaxed and happier time that still exits for the most part here in Southeast Asia even in a Communist state.  I really appreciate the freedom here to photograph people, and to interact with them without suspicion and accusations by them.  To the contrary, I find that the more that interact with the people the more opportunities that I have for photographs and the more that I learn about their life as well as culture.

Lao Primary School Teacher - 5th Grade

I had expected some type of formal flag raising and quasi-military "start of the day" ceremony prior to the beginning of class room work. The start of the formal class day was actually very informal. A middle aged man dressed in dark slacks and a cotton long sleeved shirt that had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows walked on to the school yard. I got the impression that he was the man that all the children kept an eye out all the time - the PRINCIPAL. He said some things in a normal voice to a couple groups of students and all the students from throughout the playground ran off to their appropriate class rooms - just like we did when Mr. Fitzgerald appeared and spoke back during the 1950's in Groton.


I realized it was time for me to go in that I did not want to disrupt the children's formal education time but I was not done causing trouble yet. As I exited the schoolyard on to Th Sikkarin or was it Th. Sisavangvong, I encountered a class and their teacher finishing up their task of cleaning the sidewalk in front of the school. The young girls of the class were busy with brooms and large woven baskets picking up trash and debris. The two boys of the class who reminded me of two of my former classmates were busy either watching or goofing off. The boys were rather large and apparently had not missed many meals. The girls by comparison were slender and slight. The girls struggled with the basket of debris. Seizing the moment to have some fun and to teach a lesson, I motioned to the teacher that I was going to get involved. I stopped the girls who were struggling with the basket and motioned the two boys (Gary and Larry?) to come over. I admonished them in rudimentary Lao and pantomime that the girls were working very hard which made me happy but they were not working which made the foreigner sad and angry. I told them that they should be carrying the basket because they were big and strong. I then showed them the difference between the size of their biceps and the girl's biceps; which definitely got my point across. The boys each grabbed one side of the basket and virtually flew as they ran back to the schoolyard as the teacher laughed, the girls giggled, and I smiled. The teacher and girls said goodbye to me and I was on my way back to the hotel.

I suspect that my lesson to the boys will not be forgotten soon but I also am not sure that they learned anything from the lesson. Such is life everywhere - lessons may be remembered but not necessarily learned.

I was just pleased for the opportunity and freedom to learn a little about the schools in Laos.