I’ve touched before on animistic beliefs and ghosts in Thailand, but this is a part of Thailand I find to be the most fascinating and interesting. Which is why I made it a priority to go to the Phi Ta Khon festival in Dan Sai, Loei this past weekend.
The festival comes from the belief of the villagers that ghosts come out of the forest to follow the Buddha. On the first day of the festival, there are ceremonies at the local wat and the village shaman’s house, to bring blessings on the ceremony and to summon the spirits.
The phi ta khon wear elaborately painted masks and costumes, unique to each villager and carry around a sword with a phallic tip. There are a lot of symbolic and not-so-symbolic sexual objects that are a part of the ceremonies and processions, as the belief is that they are a symbol of fertility and this is the beginning of the rice planting season. Playing with these objects is a show of the desire to bring plentiful rains and expel bad spirits.
The second day is the main event and big parade. Lots of dancing, lots of ghosts and lots of fun. Historically, at the end of the day, the masks made from bamboo and banana wood were thrown into the river to get rid of the bad spirits and bad luck they may have accumulated. However, with the level of craftsmanship that goes into the masks now, they are saved and displayed throughout the year and added onto each year. There is also an element of the bang fai festivals with the launching of rockets for hopes of rain.
On the final day of the festival, at the wat there is a recitation of Buddhist sermons about the lives of the Buddha in Pali, an ancient language similar to Sanskrit, which concludes the festival.
carlyjcollins July 2, 2014
so.much.penis. Lol!! But ew. Dig the video and all the great pics, lady!! 🙂
Christine July 2, 2014
Haha, penises make it rain, though! And thank you! 🙂