Isaan Rocket Launches

Today, my wife and I drove out to Ban That for the third time this week in conjunction with the Bun Bang Fai Festival.  The purpose of our visit today was to witness some of the 200 rocket launches today.

We arrived at 11:00 A.M. to find the rocket launches going on fully.  As we drove towards the village, the contrails of the rockets roaring skyward served as a beacon.

Just as during our previous trips to Ban That this week, it was hot - 38C (100F).  Fortunately we have witnessed rocket launches in Ban That two other times thus relieving any pressures to stay the entire day due to concerns of missing out on something.  Today there was quite a bit of sun as well as the heat to soak up the moisture and strength out of your body.

The launching area alongside of a body of water just outside of the village does not offer very much shelter from the sun.  There are a few trees scattered about the launch area and they were surrounded by spectators seeking some relief from the sun.  Some food and beverage vendors had set up some awnings along with plastic tables an chairs for their customers.  I spent most of my time wandering about in the sun taking photographs but Duang was able to buy lunch and sit in the shade of one of the food stalls.  Her location was also a good place for me to change lenses and to drink cool beverages.

Unlike previous years, there is a big anti-drinking campaign at the rocket festival.  Plastic signs are very prominent designating areas as "Non-Alcohol"  The campaign while not 100% effective has greatly reduced the consumption of alcohol at the event which makes it much more pleasurable.

Perhaps next year or some time in the near future, the people could designate the area as "Non Plaa Daek" (Non-Fermented Fish Sauce) Areas.  The odor of Plaa Daek, at least 6 month old  fermented fish sauce is often sufficient to cause me to vomit - much to the amusement of my ethnic Lao in-laws.  It is even worse in 38C (100F) weather and in piles of garbage from the night before.  Fortunately there was not very much wind so I could easily get away from the smell today.  I was able to take my photographs uninterrupted today.

Typically when I go off to take photographs, especially to a location or event that I have been to previously, I arrive with a preconceived notion of what I want to shoot.  Today was no different.  Of course I wanted some shots of rockets taking off but I really wanted more shots of the rocketeers.  Taking photos of people here in Southeast Asia is seldom an issue.  In reality, people will often call me over to take their photograph so I fully expected to get the shots that I was hoping for.

The Launch Crew Transporting One of the Larger Rockets

Launching of the rockets is a cultural as well as religious activity.  It is also a competition - rocketeers compete to see whose rocket goes up the highest.  Although gambling is illegal in Thailand - oops here I go again with the "the way things are supposed to be and the way they actually are" spiel - rocket competitions present opportunities for people to make some additional money.

Exchanges of cash, sometimes wads of cash, are often very observable at the smaller venues for rocket launches.  At Ban That today, the transfer of funds was very discrete although there was not a large Police presence at the event.



Crews Prepare Rockets As One Is Launched Next to Them

Rockets were erected on launch ramps and launched continually.  Crews would be erecting a rocket on a ramp and another rocket would be launch from the ramp next to them without any regard for the crew's safety.

The launch crews hand rigged the rockets into place.  For the smaller rockets this was not much of an effort - the ground crew members lifting the rocket by hand to members of the crew who had climbed up the launch ramp.  Except for one man who wore a motorcycle helmet, no one wore safety hats.  Just about everyone wore rubber flip flops rather than any type of work boot or safety shoes.

None of the crew that climbed the launch ramps wore safety harnesses or any other form of fall protection.  This was quite a contrast to my experiences in the construction industry during my working career.  As Duang so often reminds me "Thailand not like America"  She is definitely right on that.  However I share these observations to point out the differences and not to make judgments.  Here, people are responsible for taking care of themselves.  There are much fewer regulations and even fewer enforcement or compliance personnel.  It is a different way of living and doing things.



Hand Rigging A Large Rocket Into Position

For the heavier and larger rockets, a pulley at the top of the launch ramp was used in conjunction with two sets of people manning the ground lines to hoist the rocket into position.

Not all of the rocket launches were successful.  In the two hours that we were there, one rocket blew up on the launch ramp - I wasn't in position to photograph it, Duang, based upon my experience at a previous festival, was keeping me on a short leash.  The explosion on the launch ramp reminded me of the photos of a big launch failure of a secret satellite at Vandenberg AFB several years ago - star burst streamers of smoke, debris, and burning objects.  Another rocket failed shortly after launch.

One of the two large rockets that we watched being launched failed to ignite.  This was apparently not a big deal.  The crew disconnected the wires from the car battery located just off to the side of the rocket.  One of the crew gingerly climbed up the ramp carrying a new igniter on the tip of a slender bamboo rod to the base of the rocket.  He unwrapped several turns of packaging tape from the base of the rocket, removed the malfunctioning igniter, installed the new igniter, and replaced the tape wrapping.  Shortly afterwards the wires were attached to the battery and the rocket ignited.  The rocket remained on the ramp emitting a loud roar and large orange flame until it developed sufficient thrust to break the vines restraining it.  The rocket tore into the sky much to the delight of the crowd.

Spent Rocket Returning to Earth, more accurately - the launch area!

One of the smaller rockets created quite a stir.  It launched without a problem but due to a combination of factors returned to the launch area upon completion of its flight.  Fortunately observers keeps track of each rocket and we had plenty of warning.  People started getting excited and started moving out of the area.  The spent casing ended up hitting the ground about 30 meters from where I was located - in an area where people would be dancing later in the day.

Prior to starting our return home, I took a tour of the rocket preparation area - a series of pavilions where rockets were finished for launch.  Preparation activities were mostly finishing off the construction of the combustion chamber inside the rocket and installing the igniters.  The finishing off of the combustion chambers involved swabbing the rocket interior with water and large homemade Q-Tips.  The combination of gunpowder and water stained the ground as well as the clothing as well as the skin of the rocketeers.

Finishing Off the Combustion Chamber

Working On Another Rocker Combustion Chamber

At some of the work stations, igniters were being fabricated.  Igniters are long insulated wires that have their bare tips twisted together.  When connected to a 12 volt car battery, the wires at the tip short out creating a flame that ignites the gunpowder inside of the PVC tube.

Preparing Rocket Igniters

Rocketeers include people of all ages and sexes.  It is actually a family event with everyone contributing or learning from the process.  Launching rockets also attracts many Monks.  Some Monks a sought after for their technical knowledge as well a spiritual prowess related to launching rockets.

A Monk Provides Some Advice

Isaan Rocketeers - The Next Generation

Sometimes A Hammer Is Necessary For Fine Tuning

It turned out to be quite an enjoyable excursion today.  Duang and I were both ready and happy to leave after two hours - the sun, heat, noise and for me - the odors had taken their toll.

Sidewalk Cobbler

Sidewalk cobbler - no, this blog is not about some variant of fruit desserts. This blog is about the trade of repairing shoes.  Cobblers are people who earn their living by repairing shoes and other traditional leather goods.

After two years and many journeys not to mention always carrying at least 10 Kg (22 pounds) of gear, the strap on one of my camera bags was just about sheared through. I thought that Duang could fix it but she said her sewing machines were not powerful enough.  I then suggested that we take it to someone who fixes shoes.

On Wednesday on one of her forays into downtown Udonthani, Duang brought my bag with her in search of a shoe repair shop.  She returned home without the bag and said that it would be ready at 2:00 P.M.

Getting things done around here is always interesting and often a challenge.  There are no telephone books here or anything resembling the "Yellow Pages".  To the best of my knowledge, Udonthani does not have a newspaper - not that it would matter - even Bangkok newspapers do not have a classified section with info on available local services.

Here in Udon there are two ways of finding out about getting things done.  The first way is to check on the local expat website, www.udonmap.com, to see if some one has asked before and received a reply or to ask about the service you now need.  The second method is to ask people - family and friends if they know who, what and where or even do they know someone who knows who, what and where.  That is how it works here and it does work - especially if your spouse is trilingual!

Curbside Cobbler in Downtown Udonthani

We drove into the city in the afternoon and found the cobbler quite easily.  The cobbler was set upon the sidewalk of Udon Dutsadi Rd just before the entrance to the Prachum Wittaya School.  Just like many of the "restaurants" here, the cobbler operates on the sidewalk.  After hours, she packs up shop literally and figuratively into a well worn and abused wood box which she locks and chains to a fence.  I have many food carts utilized the same way - chained on location, and set up on the sidewalk when in operation.  With food carts, plastic tables and chairs are set up on the sidewalk around the food cart to provide the ultimate alfresco dining experience.

Hand Stitching My Back Pack

The sidewalk cobbler is a two or three person, maybe four person operation.  The man and women who were doing the most of the work were brother and sister. Another man showed up and did a little bit of work and Duang said that he was the "Big Boss".  Another man ran errands for the brother and sister team.  While we were waiting for my back pack to be completed and for a pair of Duang's shoes to be repaired, the third man ran across the street and brought back some epoxy glue.  I t turned out that this man is homeless and often sleeps at the ATM next to the "cobbler shop".  The people say that he is "ting tong" (crazy) but is good at helping with things such as going for food.  The cobblers feed him for his efforts helping out.  That is often what you find here in Isaan - an informal work structure, a sense of community, and people helping each other out.

When we arrived at the curbside cobbler, I knew that Duang had found a good one.  The woman had several school book bags that she was repairing in addition to several handbags.  The top of her work station had several pairs of combat boots.  We have a couple military bases in town and several types of police that wear combat boots.  Their selection of her to maintain their gear was a good recommendation.

It was interesting to watch the woman and her brother work.  Cord for sewing leather and ballistic cloth together was wrapped around a tin can.  Spare parts and accessories were stores in a large plastic jar.  Sheets of sole material and leather were kept in a plastic laundry basket.

Trimming the Soles

The woman's brother was putting new soles on a pair of woman's shoes.  I expected him to pull out a pair of properly sized precut manufactured soles.  As Duang often tells me - "Thailand not like America"  The man pulled out a sheet of sole material out of the laundry basket.  He quickly cut the material into two rough shapes for the shoes.  After attaching the rough soles to the shoes, he press the toe of each shoe into a pad made of several layers of leather on the side of their work station as he used a special very sharp knife to accurately trim the soles to a perfect shape.

His sister manually sewed the shoulder strap to my backpack.  The only electrical device that the cobblers had was a small electric hand drill that the brother had used to install a set of honor guard horseshoe heel taps and cheater bars on a policeman's shoes while he waited.  Besides curbside service, the cobblers also provided walkup and work while you wait service.  It was quite interesting to observe.



In a short time my backpack shoulder strap was reattached and the straps on Duang's shoes were reattached and the soles repaired.  Although it was not time to pay the piper, it was time to pay the cobblers.  The bill came to 80 Baht, roughly $2.80 USD.  I paid the woman and she placed the money in a well used plastic baggie which she kept in a small drawer of the work station.

I have always been interested in learning and seeing how things are made or done.  Here in Southeast Asia there are plenty of opportunities to observe and learn.  Many of the opportunities are well out in public view with the workers more than willing to explain and demonstrate their craft.

I was also brought up to not waste things.  There have been many times when I have had to throw out good items such as electronics because it was cheaper to replace them than to repair them.  That has always bothered me for I consider it to be wasteful as well as illogical.  Here in Southeast Asia, you can repair items and have them repaired quite economically.  Having things repaired appeals to my frugality and ... to my sense of humanity.  When items are repaired locally, you are directly helping the local economy and no doubt helping to support a local family.  More often than not, when you purchase new you are supporting an international manufacturer outside of your country.

One of my philosophies that I sometimes espouse in this blog is "local solutions for local situations".  Having items repaired is an action that supports the local solution philosophy.  Now, if it were only easier to find that solution here ...

It's that time of the year ... again. Bun Bang Fei

The beginning of May marks the start of our rainy season here in Isaan.  It also logically coincides with the start of the "Rocket Season" here and across the Mekong River in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

A Multiple Launch In Ban That, Phen District - 2013 (2556BE)

Launching of homemade gunpowder filled PVC rockets is a unique aspect of Lao culture in the region.  The custom is tied to the legend of one of Buddha's many previous lives.

It is believed that these Buddhist festivals of launching rockets evolved from pre-Buddhist fertility rituals to bring the return of the Monsoon rains.  The festivals are held just before the start of the planting season.  It also is one last opportunity for the people to blow off some steam before the exhaustive rice planting season starts.  Some aspects of the fertility rites is retained in the current rocket festivals in that there typically are floats with animals with engorged genitals.  Some men match carrying a bow powered machination - it is wood figurines of a woman on her back and a man on top of her spread legs.  It is very realistic down to the details of pubic hair.  Well close to reality - other than the size of the man's "equipment" or "package".  As the man flexes the bow, the figurines perform the "horizontal mambo", "the nasty", "do it", "hump", "humpty dance", "slapping uglies" or whatever euphemism of your choice and preference.  All this is done to the delight of the crowd consisting of people of all ages.  Either to cool off the wood "action" figures or to assist in lubricating them, people walk up and pour whiskey or beer on the moving parts.

Once the Buddhist religion was established in the area, Buddhist beliefs supplemented and complimented the fertility rites but never replaced them.

A Long time ago, during one of Buddha's many reincarnations, this time as a toad, the rain god (King of the Sky), Phaya Tan  (Taen) was angry with the people and animals. Buddha's, Phaya Khang Khok, sermons were drawing people and creatures from earth and sky away from the King of the Sky.  He decided to punish them by withholding the necessary life giving and sustaining rains.  After seven years, seven months, and seven days of drought, the surviving people and animals got together and consulted with Buddha.  After much deliberations, they decided that Phaya Nak (Naga), the giant snake, would lead them in war against the rain god, Phaya Tan.  Phaya Tan defeated the giant snake and his troops.  Buddha and the survivors then sent Phaya Dtaw, the wasp along with Phaya Dtan, the hornet, to battle the rain god.  Phaya Tan was once again victorious and the surviving people and animals returned home to wait for their inevitable death from the lack of water.

Buddha, the toad, developed a plan to attack the rain god by using termites to build mounds up to the sky so that scorpions and centipedes could climb up to battle Phaya Tan and his forces.  Moths assisted the attack against the forces of the King of the Sky by eating away the handles of the enemy's weapons. Buddha accepted Phaya Tan's surrender on condition that the King of the Sky immediately provide the rains and in the future.  If the King of the Sky should forget, the people will remind him by launching rockets at which time he will start the rains.

The largest and best internationally known rocket festival is in Yasothon.  Our favorite location for Bun Bang Fai is in the village of Ban That in Phen District located northeast of our home in Udonthani.

This year we have already attended a small Bun Bang Fai in a small village outside of Kumphawapi.  Rather than a full fledged festival , the occasion outside of Kumphawapi was more of a local rocket competition - launching of smaller rockets for trophies and ... betting.  Gambling is not legal in Thailand however I have always seen money changing hands at these rocket launches.  Duang left the rocket competition with 900 baht more than she had arrived with.

Launch Row - Ban That

The Bun Bang Fai Festival in Ban That is our favorite location.  This year the festival is being held from 11 May to 17 May.  I was able to obtain a schedule of events that Duang translated for my benefit.  We will be attending the festival on Monday, May 12th - getting there at 7:00 A.M. for the procession along with a show that evening and Thursday, May 15th - for the start of launching 200 rockets for the day.  Throughout each day of the festival there is entertainment, launches and plenty of food and drink ... for many people there is too much to drink but then again that is what helps make it a festival.

Float for Afternoon Procession

We went two days last year and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  The festival concluded early after our attendance for the second day when a rocket went stray after launch and went into the cab of a pickup truck that was entering the parking lot - instantly killing the female occupant with the male driver dying on his way to the hospital.  There is always a certain danger at these events with excessive drinking and launching of gunpowder packed PVC tubes into the sky.



Finishing Up One of the Larger Rockets

Monks are often involved in the rocket building process

We are both looking forward to this year's festival in Ban That.  After that festival there is a smaller festival at Tambon Nongwha on 22 May.

It is that time of year again - busy times of festivals, rocket launches, music, dancing, fighting (some organized but many not planned) and merriment prior to the planting season.

Water Transfer



Transferring Of Merit Ritual In Ban Tahsang

Water is extremely important to the human organism.  People can survive far longer without food or without sufficient amounts of potable water.  The lack of  clean potable water is one of the leading killers of young children.  In addition to carrying organisms that cause diarrhea, water carries vectors for such water borne scourges as botulism, typhoid, Cholera, Legionellosis, and Malaria to name just a few.

Water touches our lives everyday - from the water that we drink, the water that we bathe our bodies with, as well as the water that we use to cook and prepare our food.

We are also dependent upon water for the production of the foods that we consume whether our diet is omnivorous, vegetarian, or even vegan.

There is no escaping our body's need and reliance upon water - clean water.

It should come as no big surprise that water also plays an important role in the major religions of the world.  Just as water is necessary and essential for man's physical survival, water plays a very important role in man's spiritual welfare either its ability to cleanse or purify, its symbolism, or the powers attributed to it.

Here in Isaan at the many rituals that I attend, water is frequently used.  At many rituals a Monk will splash special water, water that has been chanted over and sometimes has had melted wax dropped into it by burning candles during the ritual.  The water is contained in an ornamental bowl in which a bundle of reeds is dipped to toss the water droplets over the laypeople.  For me this is very reminiscent of receiving a certain blessing in the Catholic Church.

Evening Ritual For Duang's Father Prior to Cremation

By far the greatest use of water at Theravada Buddhist rituals here in Isaan is to transfer merit to the departed.

Duang Transferring Merit At Wat Ban Mat

In Buddhism it is believed that good deeds and performing acts of merit will bring happiness in this world and in the spirit world.  The amount of merit that a person has acquired will be a determining factor in the status that they will reincarnated into along the path to enlightenment.

Merit that is acquired here in this life can be transferred to other people - living or dead.  Ordinarily the transfer can be done just by thinking of the person as you earn the merit.

There is a belief that the departed person may have gone to the world of departed spirits.  These spirits are not capable of earning merit on their own - they are stuck with the merit they earned in this world.  If they were a good person they have a good chance of being reborn in a happy circumstance.  However , if they they don't have enough merits they have to wait to get merit from living people to get enough merit to be reborn in a happy circumstance.

All is not lost for people who are reborn in an unhappy situation.  They can be released through the transfer of merits from living people.

Laypeople Transferring Merit

Merit can be transfer in your home environment just by thinking of the recipient as you make merit.

Another transfer mechanism takes place and can only take place in a ritual at a Wat involving the participation of Monks.  As the Monks chant, people silent recite special words, as they pour water from one container to another.  The containers range in sophistication from ornate brass "jots" - small covered chalice type containers with matching receptacle bowl to the more prevalent ordinary plastic water bottle and plastic bowl.

The Monks chant in Pali, the language of the people who brought Buddhism to Thailand, words - the Nidhikanda Sutta in the Khuddakapatha:

As river, when full must flow
and reach and fill the distant main,
So indeed what is given here
will reach and bless the spirits there.

As water poured on a mountain top must
soon descend and fill the plain,
So indeed what is given here will reach
and bless the spirits there

It is one of my favorite rituals.

There Are No Age Restrictions For Participating In Rituals

Peelawat, at age 8 months, Participates In His Own Way

So just as water is essential and serves us in this world and is often used to travel from one place to another in this life, it also aids some of us in our journey beyond this world.

More Bone Washing In Isaan

Ghoats Containing Bone fragments

Songkran is the time of the year when people wash the bones of their departed loved ones.  This is tied into the theme of the new year being the time for cleaning.  Throughout the villages of Isaan, people clean their homes and yards as part of the Songkran celebration.  Many of the villagers also go to the local temple and assist the Monks to clean the grounds - trimming trees, raking up and burning leaves and trash.  The villagers then go to the tats which contain the bone fragments of their family members to clean and spruce them up.

I have written of the bone washing ritual for Duang's father who died in November.  His bones, at his request, were interned in a tat at the temple located amongst the sugar cane fields outside of Tahsang Village hence I refer to it as the "Outside Wat" whereas the temple located inside of the village I refer to as "Inside Wat"

The "Outside Wat" is a Dhammayuttika Nikaya monastery - a sect of Theravada Buddhism created in 1833 by Prince Mongkut of Siam.  Prince Mongkut was a Monk for a long period of time and was very learned in the ancient Pali scriptures of Buddhism.  He founded the Dhammayuttika Nikaya to be a more orthodox school - a return by the Monks to the more traditional practises of Theravada Buddhism.

The "Inside Wat" is a Maha Nikaya monastery - the older sect of Theravada Buddhism.  Dhammayuttika and Maha Nikaya devotees believe in the same things in regards to Buddhism.  Often Monks from both schools will participate in rituals together.  The differences between the two schools is that Dhammayuttika Nikaya Monks are more orthodox in their practises - such as eating only one meal a day before noon, and more focused on proper pronunciation of Pali than their Maha Nikaya brethren.

For some reason, and I am certain that it really did not boil down to how many meals a day the Monks ate before Noon, Duang's father, who was not very religious, wanted to be interned at the "Outside Wat".  For some reason, Duang prefers the Dhammayuttika Nikaya school also so she had no reservations about fulfilling her father's literal and figurative dying wish.

But just as in any other country, matters of life, death, and religion are not simple and frequently are not easy.  Duang's father's family in the area are devotees of the Maha Nikaya - the "Inside Wat" with a family tat in place with the bone fragments of Duang's grandmother and grandfather.

The interning of Duang's father at the "Outside Wat" was the cause of several discussions with Duang's Aunt who is now the mariarch of that side of the family.  Matters have been resolved and while I can not claim that the decision has been approved or even supported, it is accepted.

Because of the interning of family bones at two different wats, we had to attend two family bone washings this Songkran - one at the "Outside Wat" and one at the "Inside Wat"

Two days after the bone washing ritual for Duang's father, we returned to Tahsang Village for a bone washing ritual at the "Inside Wat" for Duang's grandfather, grandmother, and an uncle who had been a Monk at the "Inside Wat"

I often write about funerals and use the term "Same, Same but different".  This is also true in regards to bone washing rituals - although the ritual and its intent is the same, each ritual is often unique.

Whereas the ritual at the "Outside Wat" had been held outside at the base of the tat, the ritual was performed in the usobot of the "Inside Wat".


"Rocketman" Pours Water Over Bones

For this bone washing ritual, the bones contained in ghoats were first presented to the Abbott of the wat.  He poured water over the bones.  The trays upon which the ghoats were placed were then moved off  of the raised platform and placed on the floor of the bot in front of the offerings to the Monks between the Monks and the laypeople .

Offering Food to the Spirits of the Departed Relatives

A sii sein was placed from the offerings for the Monks, wrapped around each ghoat and up to the raised area where the Monks were seated.  The sii sein was held by each of the Monks with the spool of the unused cotton string carefully placed on an ordinary plate next to the Monk at the end of the row of Monks.

After the offerings had been made to the spirits, the ordinary metal serving trays were returned to the raised area off to the sides of the Monks.  The sii sein was adjusted and the odinary merit making of offering food to the Monks was performed.

The ghoats which contained the bone fragments of Duang's uncle, the Monk, were brass and pot metal.  The brass ghoat was rather sophisticated and resembled one of the chedi at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.  The pot metal ghoat resembled an embossed drinking cup.  Bone fragments from her grandparents were contained in recycled Ovaltine glass jars - not elaborate in the least but as a former boss of mine would often point out definitely "Fit for purpose".

I asked Duang if there was merit making involved in washing of the bone fragments.  She said that people did not earn merit for either themselves or the spirits of their departed relatives by the act of washing the bones but that it was good luck for the living to do so.  However the acts of offering food to the Monks did earn merit for the living as well as the dead.

After the Monks had been offered food and were eating, people gathered up the metal trays and left the bot.  Once outside they respectfully drained the water from the ghoats into the metal trays and poured the water at the base of the many trees and shrubs that grow on wat grounds.

The people then gathered together to bring the ghoats to the appropriate tat for re-internment.  Once the bone fragments had been returned and the tat door closed, people then threw cups of water over the tat to complete the ritual.

The Samanens of Ban Tahsang

During the past two weeks here in Isaan, I have taken many photographs of Novice Monks, Samanens, at the wat outside of Thasang Village.

Although Novice Monks can be of any age with the term "Novice" reflecting more on the Monk's degree of training and the rules they are to follow rather than their physical age, the focus of my photography recently has been young boys aged 8 to about 12 years.

Students in Thailand go to school throughout the year but have a major break during the hottest part of the year, Elementary school students have roughly 6 weeks off - a month prior to the Songkran holiday and two weeks after the holiday.  During this period many young boys, typically 8 years and older, enter their local monastery and become Novice Monks.

The most ornate and culturally unique aspect of becoming Novice Monks or Samanens that I have witnessed has been the Poi Sang Long Festival of the ethnic Shan people of Maehongson Province on the Thai-Myanmar (Burma) border.

Young Shan Boy Participating in Poi Sang Long Festival

Here in Northeast Thailand the tradition for young boys 8 to 12 yers old to become samaneras is much less elaborate and extravagant.  I missed out on witnessing the ritual for 8 boys from Tahsang Village to become Novice Monks this year.  But our paths crossed a few days later.

Duang and I often use the adjective, "naughty", in regards to many of the young boys and girls that we encounter here.  Rather than being a judgement of their character or morals, we use the adjective as a term of endearment; an adjective related to the child's exuberance, enthusiasm, and joie de vivre.

I often find myself smiling and in admiration of the confidence, curiosity, and Independence exhibit by the children - often starting as early as they are able to walk.  Although I write about "Allen's World", more often than not I am more like a resident or guest in their world!

I especially enjoy photographing young Novice Monks.  For me there is a dichotomy related to the young samaneras - Monks on a journey to enlightenment, people on a higher level of enlightenment than the laypeople around them but at the same time, and at certain times very apparent, they are still just very young boys.  A sort of ying and yang, a spiritual ying and yang.

There is the dichotomy of the discipline and constraints of the monastic life and the exuberance, energy, and enthusiasm of young boys.

Samaneras Building Pop Guns Out of Bamboo

Earlier this month we drove out to the wat located in the sugar cane fields outside of Tahsang Village to prepare the site for where the tat for Duang's father would be installed.  A tat is a decorative structure in which bone fragments of ancestors are interned at a wat.  On 12 April after a bone washing ritual, bone fragments from Duang's father were interned in the family tat.

As Duang and her brothers cleaned and planted around the tat area, I went off to where the 8 village boys were occupied.  Novice Monks ... were they meditating?  No.  Novice Monks ... were they studying scriptures?  No.  Novice Monks were they chanting or reciting prayers or something like that? No.  The Novice Monks were all occupied, very busy with knives, machetes, and one bow saw - making pop guns out of bamboo.

The pop gun mechanism was very similar to some of the parts of the snares that Duang and I saw in the Khmu villages of the Luang Prabang area in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.  The boys carefully cut almost through a small diameter section of a particular type of bamboo.  They skillfully used knives to separate the bamboo into two pieces - a barrel piece with a smooth bore and a section piece with a solid portion and an extended piston that would slide into the barrel.

The boys were having a grand time building their pop guns.  The boys worked intently to properly fashion and fit the pieces of their guns.  They giggled, laughed and joked as they worked.  A couple of the older boys with more experience in these types of matters helped the less experienced boys in constructing their guns. I found it quite entertaining and even educational to see the young boys enjoying themselves on a hot late morning in Isaan.  The boys were also entertained by my interest in photographing them - laughing, posing, joking, and at times hamming it up for my camera.  Yes these were samaneras but they were definitely "naughty" boys.



Hamming for the camera

Once the pop guns were completed, the Novice Monks loaded them with ammunition.  The pop guns were single shot muzzle loaded devices.  The ammunition was water soaked toilet paper - spit balls.  The boys would make a ball out of wet toilet paper - the ball being slightly larger than the bore of their gun. Using their fingers and the solid section of their gun to shove and pound the wad of wet paper into the open end of the gun.  When the wad was completely inserted and jammed into the bore, the gun was ready to be fired. The gun is fired by rapidly and forcibly shoving the rod portion of the gun into the barrel section sending the spit ball flying through the air with a loud "pop".

As the Novice Monks finished their guns they set off to what appeared to me to be training for urban warfare.  They ran around the grounds, hiding behind trees and the small cabins to ambush other Monks.  They were having a grand time.

After a while of urban warfare, the Novice Monks headed over to their quarters to prepare for lunch.  The Novice Monks walked the short distance to the usobot where they slept inside of small mosquito net tents.  Inside of the bot, the boys adjusted and put on their robes - no small task.  Older boys and boys with more experience in donning robes helped the other boys.

Getting Dressed for Lunch

Donning On the Monk's Robes

After they were completely and properly attired, the Novice Monks went over to the sala, meeting hall, to have lunch.  The Monks of the "outside" Wat are members of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya sect of Theravada Buddhism.  They are more orthodox in their practises than the Maha Nikaya sect of Monks.  Dhammayuttika Monks eat only one meal a day which must be consumed by noon.

Apparently out of deference to their youth, the young samanens eat more than one meal.  As they entered the sala they were greeted by one of their mothers.  The  semanens were directed to sit on some sahts placed on the unfinished sala's concrete floor.  A charcoal stove was blazing away at each end of the saht covered area.  As another woman, off to side, was busy preparing food, the mother placed conical pans atop the charcoal stoves and poured water in the trough around the cone.  I instantly recognized that the boys were going to have "mukkatah" (Thai BBQ) for their meal.

Mukkatah is a very popular Thai dining experience.  A conical metal pan with a slotted cone rising out of its center is placed over a charcoal fire.  Chunks of pig fat are rubbed over the conical section of the pan to season it.  Water or broth is poured into the trough that surrounds the conical section of the pan.  After the conical section is properly seasoned the diners using chopsticks place thin pieces of squid, chicken, pork and sometimes beef on the slotted conical section to grill them.  Rice noodles along with various greens, mushrooms, garlic, and onions are added to the to the trough liquid to create a hearty soup flavored by the juices rolling down the conical section.

Samaneras Enjoying Their Afternoon Meal

It was interesting to watch the interaction of the Novice Monks and the women who were feeding them.  As Monks, the boys can not touch females.  There are procedures and methods to avoid contact with females.  As Monks, the boys are also in a position of high respect despite their age or relationship to the laypeople.  Even little sisters were careful to not to touch their brother or his friends.  The mother had the Novice Monks recite a mantra or prayer before they started their meal.

During our stay I had witnessed the Novice Monks building pop guns, playing with their pop guns and having a great lunch.  To me this seemed like a great deal of fun - perhaps too much fun.  I asked through Duang when the boys would have class or instruction.  It turns out that the Novice Monks have instruction starting at 5:30 P.M.  It sounded pretty good to me - good food, and plenty of time to play with friends .  I asked our grandson, Peelawat if we should become samanens together next year.  he knew that I was joking and smiled.

Samanen With His Bowl Waiting for Food Offering Ritual to Commence

Novice Monks From Ban Tahsang Participate in Food Offering Ritual

Being a Monk requires following many rules and regulations.  The higher that you go in monastic life the more rules and regulations there are to be followed. Since Samanens are just starting out in monastic life, they have fewer rules and simpler rules to follow.  Novice Monks are required to follow the "Ten Precepts" (training rules).

     1.     Refrain from killing living creatures
     2.     Refrain from stealing
     3.     Refrain from unchaste behavior and thoughts (sensuality, sexuality, lust)
     4.     Refrain from incorrect speech (lying)
     5.     Refrain from taking intoxicants
     6.     Refrain from taking food at inappropriate times (after noon)
     7.     Refrain from singing, dancing, playing music or attending entertainment programs
     8.     Refrain from wearing perfume, cosmetics and garlands (decorative accessories)
     9.     Refrain from sitting on high chairs and sleeping on luxurious, soft beds
    10.    Refrain from accepting money

The "Ten Precepts" seem rather reasonable to follow - perhaps easier for a 8 to 12 year old than a 65 year old, but reasonable for all.  But as I have written many times before ... there are the ways that things are supposed to be and then there is the way that they really are - especially if you are a young boy and a "naughty" boy at that.

We returned to the wat on April 14 for the celebration of "Songpoo Day". During this visit I witnessed another example of the dichotomy of the life required in adherence to the Ten Precepts and the life of 8 to 12 year old "naughty" boys.

On Songpoo Day, there was a big swarming and hatch of some kind of insect near the cabins at the outside wat.  The hatch was concentrated in the area where the Novice Monks played during their free time.  I do not know exactly what kind of insect was swarming or hatching  but they seemed to be a sort of flying ant perhaps termites.  The bugs had two large delicate wings - extremely large in comparison to the body.  The body was reddish and appeared to be a larval stage.  The insects were in gyrating masses on the bare ground.  Wings were falling off leaving maggot sized reddish larvae writhing on the ground.  Ants were busy capturing the larvae and dragging them off to shove and pull them down underground to their colonies.

The drama of life and death was played out on a massive scale for those willing to watch Nature's way.  Some of those willing to watch and willing to become involved were the Novice Monks - young boys bound to follow the Ten Precepts but at the same time still 8 to 12 year old boys.

"There are the ways that things are supposed to be and then there are the ways that things actually are"

Some of the Novice Monks were occupied assisting the ants.  They gathered up some of the larvae and placed them near or in many cases placed the insects in the ant holes.  In some cases they utilized twigs to herd either the larvae or ants into a confrontation.  The Monks in reality were not cruel.  They did not remove any wings from the insects and did not kill any of them.  But the little boys did set the stage for the insects to be devoured by the ants in a sense facilitating the natural order of things.

Busy with bugs

The dichotomy was not lost to me.  I am not judging or would I choose to judge this type of behavior.  I am only reporting what I witnessed.  I am sharing the incidents with others in perhaps a sort of celebration of the reality of boys being boys no matter their current circumstances - a celebration of non-conformity and a celebration of being "naughty".