The ritual spirit dances: Mon’s belief

Abstract

     The aim of this research was to study the belief and ritual spirit dance of Mon in Banna district, Nakhon Nayok province. The data were collected by means of documentary study, in-depth interviews, and participatory observation. Key informants were 5 spirit presenters, Mon orchestra team and 1 house-owner. Research instruments included semi-structured interviews, field notes and the researcher. The research results revealed that:

1. The purpose of the ritual was to receive ancestral spirits as a continuation of Mon traditions, to address the illnesses of people in the household and their breaking the clan’s rules, allowing for their apologies; reuniting relatives to give each other help and moral support; and to establish psychological values.

2. The ritual consists of 5 elements: spirit presenters, Mon orchestra, ritual theater, offerings, and ritual instruments.

3. The ritual procedures consist of: bathing the ancestral spirit pots, paying homage to the shrine of the household god, inviting the spirits into the house, giving respect to banana stalk, bathing and dressing of the house owner, starting to communicate with the ancestral spirits and other spirits along with offerings, the house owner raising the tray of betel followed by singing and dancing a goodbye song, all of the offspring, relatives, and guests dining together, and lastly inviting and placing the ancestral spirit pots on the shrine in the house.

4. Inheritance of the spirit presenter is passed on among relatives who possess good memory, good attitude, assertiveness, fear no ghosts, and have previously assisted/followed spirit presenters.

The ritual spirit dance signifies gratitude towards the ancestor, establishes love and harmony among relatives, with the belief that the ancestral spirits will protect oneself and the family.