The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-02-06
ODD THINGS IN SIAM
CURIOUS CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES
THAT ARE STILL OBSERVED.
Cutting the TOpknot of the Child
For His Spiritual Welfare - The
wedding and Its Ceiebration-Cre-
nation With Hefreshments.

In Slam lHe CulllHb Vi lhc lophHol -
90 important ceremony for the future
spiritual welfare OF the child that il Is
most scrupulOusly carried out, with all
the pomp and ceremony that the means
of the parents will allow. That the
poor people may not be deprived Of the
benefit Of the ceremony the government
provides all that is necessary for IL at
one of the temples at Bangkok. The
center Of the ceremony is the cutting
off Of the topknOt, which IS all the hair
children are permitted 10 wear up to
that time. But associated with II are
number Of publications and other rcli-
eious forIsg which have TO De scrupu-
lousy carried out The topknOt, which
Is ordinarily adorned with chaplct Of
flowers OF beads, often held in place
with a tcwelcd pin Of considerable val
ne, IS now much more resplendcntly
adorned while the child is further load
ed with the richest Jewels the family
can provide. After the ceremony the
hair is allowed TO grow all over the
head and Is usually worn about an inch
long, standing up like brush. The
child IS now reCkOned 10 have reached
mans estate, although, TO their credit
be It said, the Siamcse are In no hurry
to marry their children. In fact undue
haste to make match for daughter
Is apt 10 raise question AS 10 whether
things are so fourishing with the fam
fly as they might be.
When marriage Is thought Of, 1t Is Of
ten the result Of mutual affection ana
takes the form Of an clopemcnt, with
subsequent forgiveness by the old folk.
The more formal way calls for lot OF
negotiation and the payment TO the
parents OF "ka nom," which is often,
however, returned to the daughter on
the birth Of her first child. The monks,
who are the astrOlOgcrs Of the country
among other accomplishments, are
called upon to fix the lucky day, on the
arrival OF which the bridegroom ana
his friends go TO the brides house, car
rylng presents of cakes and betel. All
Slamese chew betel, and not to offer 1t
to guest is n serious breach Of hospi-
tally. The guilds when ready for chew
Ing consist of leaves Of the bctel pep
per chips Of arcca nut-thcre Is no
such thing as bctcl nut that careless
travellers write about--a little slaked
lime and sometimes tobacco also. The
Siamcse word for this mixture Is ap-
"muk." This Will always
be I'm evidence at weddings, and the
and presentation of the be-
tel tray to the bridegroom constitute
one Of the forms of acceptance by the
bride of his authority over her. The
monks will he already In attendance,
fcasted with the best that can be pro-
yldcd, and the ceremony Of marriage Is
performed by them with the sprlnkling
of consCCratcd water over the couple
But the greatest ceremony of all
takes place after death. If the person
be of high rank the body ls placed In n
sitting posture I'm large metal urn or
among the commOncrs In an ordinary
coffin. After being kept period that
lcngthcns with the cXaltatOn Of rank
"A day IL fixed for the cremation. All
the friends OF the family are invited,
and enormous sums are spent on enter
tanning them and providing free shows
for the general public. The guests viii
enter the inclosurc, while Chinese thea
ters, Siamese marionettes and plays
will be provided for all who care 10
witness them. On entering one would
be met by some member OF the de-
censcd's family bearing n black bag,
into which all are invited In turn to dip
hand IL IL found TO contain n mum
Der OF tiny balls, ench OF which Is hol-
low and contains n screw of paper A
Siamcse figure on IL refers TO n similar
figure ON some article In one of the
booths I'm the inClosurc, and the guests
are expected TO present the number to
the attendants and receive as present
whatever II represents.
There may be dinner, but anyway
refreshments will bc provided In abun.
dance. Just at sunset the pyre Will be
lighted. A stick of scented wood or Il
wreath of flowers made of the per
fumed sandalwood, as well ms candle
OF unblcachcd wax, Is handed TO each
guest, and lamps are lighted ut the foot
OF the steps of the pyrc. Just rs with
us those at the gravcsidc perform the
last office for the dead I'm dropping Il
little earth into the grave, SO In Siam
each one lights his candle at lamp
and places II under the urn or coffin, to-
gcthcr with the scented stick or wreath.
Buddhist monks away In one of the
booths will bc rcciting sacred texts
meanwhile, but nothing I'm the way Of
prayer, whether for the dead or the
living, enters into the ceremony.
Fireworks will be let off, including
very mournful one known To the ma.
tivcs as the roaring of elephants" Ii
Is made 10y shaving thick bamboo
very thin at one point and then making
n slit The inside is filled with compO-
sition and sealed, aud this, when fired,
cXCrts great pressure on the slit, max.
ing the edges vibratc continuously, so
producing n series Of loud groans of n
most dolcful character. When the de-
ceased is OF high rank the king sends
nm aid-dc-camp with lamp lighted
from one that is kept continually burn.
ing I'm the royal temple and whose light
was originally obtained from tree
fired by lightning. After the cremation
Ihe ashes are collected and most of
them thrown into the river, though Of.
ten few are placed I'm the temple in n
wooden urn.-Mission Field
"Mr. Uenpecque, let me introduce you