The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-05-20

For His Spiritual Welfare - The
Wedding and It's CeIebration-Cre-
nation With Refreshments.
In Siam the cutting of the topknot is
so important ceremony for the future |
spiritual welfare of the child that it is
most scrupulously carried out with all
the ponlp 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 topknot. which is all the hair
children are permitted to wear UP to
| that time. But associated with it are L
number of qualifications and other reli-
gious forms which have to be scrupu
| lousy carried out The topknot. Which
is ordinarily adorned with chaplet of
| flowers OF beads. often held in place
/ with jeweled pin of considerable val
ue, 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 a 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 match for daughter
is apt to raise question as to whether
things are SO hourishing with the fam
lily as they might be.
i; 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 a lot of
negotiation and the payment to the
parents OF ska noin," 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
his friends go to the brides house, car
rying presents of cakes and betel. All
Siamese chew betel, and not to offer it
2 to a guest is serious breach of hospi-
, tally. The guilds when ready for chew
t 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 slaket
lime and sometimes tobacco also. The
Siamese word for this mixture is APP,
propriately ''muk." This will always
9 be in evidence at weddings. and the
preparation and presentation of the be-
5 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. Ii the person
t be of high rank. the body is placed in :,
. sitting posture in a large metal urn or
5 among the commoners in an ordinary
e coffin. After being kept period that
. lengthens with the eXaItation of rank
3 a day is fixed for the cremation. All
a the friends of the family are invited,
and enormous sums are spent on enter
J. tanning them and providing free shows
a for the general public. The guests will
v enter the inclosure while Chinese thea
y tiers, SiameSe 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 a black bag,
into which all are invited in turn to dip
a hand 1t is found to contain a num-
Der of tiny balls, each of which is hol-
low and contains a screw of paper. A
f Siamese figure on 1t refers to similar
4 figure on some article in one of the
a booths in the Enclosure, and the guests
Z are expected to present the number to
). the attendants and receive as present
! whatever 1t represents.
: There may be dinner, but anyway
refreshments will be provided in abun-
dance. Just at sunset the pyre Will be
lighted. A stick of scented wood or a
:. wreath Of flowers made of the per
:. fumed sandalwOod, as we'll as 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 graveshe perform the
last office for the dead in dropping a
/. little earth into the grave, so in Siam
!. each one lights his candle at lamp
and places 1t under the urn or coffin, to,
!, gether with the scented stick or wreath
> Buddhist monks away in one of the
: booths will be reciting sacred texts
:. meanwhile. but nothing IN the way OF
: prayer. whether for the dead or the
living, enters into the ceremony.
;, Fireworks will be let off. including a
u very mournful one known to the ma
tives as the roaring of elephants" II
e is made by shaving thick bamboo
u very thin at one point and then making
u a Slit. The inside is filled with compo,
sition and sealed. and this, when fired
exerts great pressure on the slit, max
;. ing the edges vibrate continuously, SC
). producing series Of loud groans Of q
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