The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-24
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 Celebration-Cre-
nation With Refreshmen

For His Spiritual Welfare The
wedding and Its Celcbration-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 ill
the pomp and ceremony that the means
| OF the parents will allow. That the
poor people may not be deprived of the
| dement, 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
| Oil of the topknot, which is all the hair
children are permitted to wear up to
| that time. But associated with it are 4
number of publications and other rel-
| gious forms which have to be scrupu-
| lousl! carried out. The topknot which
= ordinarily adorned with chaplet Of
flowers or beads, often held in place
| with jeweled pin of considerable val
| Tie, is now much more resplendently
adorned, while the child is further load
ed with the richest jewels the family
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
mans estate, although, to their credit
be it said, the Siamese are in no hurry
to marry their children. In fact, undue
haste to make a match for a daughter
| a IN 70 hot no,
things are SO flourishng 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 Il lot of
negotiation and the payment to the
parents of "ka nom," which is often,
however returned to the daughter Oh
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
| rying presents of cakes and betel. All
Siamese chew betel, and not to offer it
to guest is a 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,
feasteu 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 Il,
sitting posture in a large metal urn or
among the commOnerS in an ordinary
coffin. After being kept Il period that
lengthens with the eXaltatiOn of rank
day is fixed for the cremation. All
| the friends of the family are invited
and enormous sums are spent Oh enter
tanning them and providing free shows
for the general public. The guests will
enter the Enclosure, while Chinese thea
ters, Siamcse marionettes and plays
will be provided for all who care to
witness them. On entering one would
be met by some member of the de
ceased'S family bearing n black bag,
into which all are invited in turn to dip
Il hand. 1t is found to contain Il num-
Der of tiny balls. each of which is hol-
low and contains a screw of paper. \
Siamcsc figure on it refers to Il similar
figure on some article in one of the
booths in the inclosure, and the guests
are expected to present the number 10
the attendants and receive as a present
whatever it represents.
There may be Il dinner, but anyway
refreshments will be provided in album
dance. Just at sunset the pyrc will be
lighted. A stick of scented wood or Il
wreath of flowers made of the per-
fumed sandalwOod, as we'll as Il candle
Of unbleached wax. is handed to each
guest, and lamps are lighted at the foot
Of the steps of the pyre. Just as with
us those at the graveside perform the
last Office for the dead in dropping a
little earth into the grave, so in Siam
each one lights his candle at Il lamp
and places it under the urn or coffin, to-
gether with the scented stick II wreath.
Buddhist monks away in one Of the
booths will be recitin" sacred texts
meanwhile, but nothing in the way of
prayer, whether for the dead or the
living, enters into the ceremony.
Fireworks will he let off, including a
very mOurnful one known to the ma
tives as the roaring of elephants.' 1t
is made by shaving IL thick bamboo
very thin at one point and then making
a slit. The inside is filed with compO-
sitiOn and sealed, and this, when fired,
Quito