Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-02-12
ODD THINGS IN SLAM
CURIOUS CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES
THAT ARE STILL OBSERVED.

THAT ARE STILL OBSERVED.
Cutting the Topknot of the Child
For His Spiritual Welfare The
Wedding and It's Celebration-Cre-
nation With Refreshments.
In Siam the cutting of the topknot is
so important a ceremony for the future
spiritual welfare of the child that it 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 it at
one of the temples at Bangkok. The
center Of the ceremony is the cutting
off of the topllnot, which is all the hair
children are permitted to wear up to
that time. But associated with it are Il
number of publications and other reli-
gious forms which have to be scrupu-
lousy carried out. The topknot, which
is ordinarily adorned with a chaplet Of
flowers or beads, often held In place
with hweled pin Of considerable val
lie, is now much more resplendently
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 to have reached
,,e In f,
be it said, the Siamese are in no hurry
to marry their children. In fact, undue
haste to make a match for daughter
is apt to raise question as to whether
things are so flourishing with the fam
| lily as they might be.
When marriage is thought Of, it is Of
| ten the result Of mutual affection and
takes the form of an elopement, 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 astrologers Of the country
among other accomplishments, are
called upon to fix the lucky day, on the
arrival of which the bridegroom and
his friends go to the brides house, car
rylng presents of cakes and betel. All
Siamese chew betel, and not to offer it
to guest is serious breach of hospi-
tally. The guilds when ready for chew
ing consist of leaves Of the betel pep
per, chips of areca nut-there is no
such thing as betel nut that careless
travellers write about-a little slaked
lime and sometimes tobacco also. The
Siamese word for this mixture is ap-
propriately 'muk" This will always
be in evidence at weddings, and the
preparation 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 be already in attendance,
Toasted with the best that can be pro-
vided, and the ceremony of marriage is
! performed by them with the sprinkling
Of consecrated water over the couple.
| But the greatest ceremony of all
takes place after death. If the person
be of high rank. the body is placed in a
! sitting posture in a large metal urn or
among the commoners in an ordinary
coffin. After being kept period that
lengthens with the exaltation of rank
a day is fixed for the cremation. ALI
| 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 will
enter the inclosure, while Chinese thea.
tiers, Siamese marionettes and plays
| will be provided for all who care tc
witness them. On entering one would
be met by some member of the de
ceased's family bearing black bag
into which all are invited in turn to diI
hand. 1t is found to contain mum
Der of tiny balls, each of which is hol
low and contains a screw Of paper.
Siamese figure on it refers to similar
figure on some article in one of tn,
booths in the Enclosure, and the guests
are expected to present the number tt
the attendants and receive as presen
whatever it represents
There may be dinner, but anywa,
refreshments will be provided in abun
dance. Just at sunset the pyre will b.
lighted. A stick Of scented wood or
wreath of flowers made of the per
fumed sandalwood, as well as candl
Of unbleached wax, is handed to eacl
guest. and lamps are lighted at the foo
Of the steps of the pyre. Just as wit
us those at the graveside perform tn
last office for the dead in dropping
little earth into the grave, so in Star
each one lights his candle at a lam
and places it under the urn or coffin, tt
gether with the scented stick or wreatl
Buddhist monks away in one Of tn
. booths will be reciting sacred text
3 meanwhile, but nothing in the way G
prayer, whether for the dead or tn
!, living, enters into the ceremony.
) Fireworks will be let off, including
8 very mournful one known to the nj
= tives as the roaring of elephants"
is made by shaving thick bambo
very thin at one point and then maxim
eJi% Tho inci1a ic fllo5 will, <r>Y,, ~.