Eating the New Rice Crop (Thailand)
Eating the New Rice Crop
Performed by: Karen Ban Kongmongtha Troupe, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Background
Rice is the one of the most important aspects of Karen spiritual culture: “If we still have Rice, we must pay respect to and keep faith in the Rice Goddess.” The eating of the new rice crop is the last rituals in the rice cycle, a practice inherited from the past. Generally, the Karen in Kongmongtha Village conduct this ceremony in January as an offering to the Rice Goddess. The “Eating the New Rice Crop” ritual is practised in the village yard.
Synopsis / Description
1. Preparation of the Rice Goddess shrine and the barn at the village yard.
2. The ceremony starts with the blowing of the buffalo horn.
3. Villagers play and sing the Rice Goddess song with Karen musical instruments such as the metari.
4. The Ritual Master prays while musicians play the nadeui and metari.
5. The Karen Ram Tong dance is performed.
6. Each villager has one of his/her wrists bound with a white thread.
CREDITS:
Troupe Coordinator
▪ Mr Aphichart Setapan
Ritual Master
▪ Long-kheung-pho Saisangkhlachawanlin
Dancers
▪ Mr Ong-art Teera-ngarmthong
▪ Mr Sai Saisangkhlachawanlin
▪ Mr Amnart Klittayakwamdee
▪ Mr Phirapat Klittayakwamdee
▪ Ms Somjai Klittayakwamdee
▪ Ms Masonay Kiatkongkoon
▪ Ms Ma-u-soo
▪ Ms Saijai Setapan
▪ Ms Yanisa Setapan
▪ Ms Kotchaporn Setapan
▪ Ms Daliwan Saisangkhakorndamrong
▪ Ms Sansanmi
▪ Ms Wallaya Sangkhawatanyu
▪ Ms Thidawan Klittayakhunnatham
▪ Ms Sangchan Thakeungwitsapaporn
▪ Ms Sirinthorn Sarnsart
▪ Ms Anchalee
Musicians
▪ Drum: Mr Jeewee
▪ Karen Xylophone: Mr Long
*This performance was showcased on Day 4 of SEAMEO SPAFA's 'Spiritual Dimensions of Rice Culture in Southeast Asia - Performances and Seminar' held from 11-14 May 2015 at Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand. http://www.seameo-spafa.org/spiritual...