| Hae Nang Maew แห่นางแมว (Thai)
ពិធីហែនាងម៉ែវ (Khmer) | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Cat procession |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Country | Cambodia and Thailand |
The ceremony of Hae Nang Maew (Thai and Khmer: Procession of Lady Cat) is a traditional folklore rainmaking ritual cat procession which can be seen in Cambodia as well as Central and Northeast Thailand in times of drought, from May until August.
Description
Traditional procession of the Siamese cats
Sisawat Siamese cats or otherwise black cats are selected and put in a bamboo or rattan baskets covered with a lid to avoid the cat from escaping. Cloud-colored cats or black cats are preferable, believed to provide fortune. The basket is hung to a wooden or bamboo pole carried by two porters. Five pairs of candles and five paired flowers. The eldest among the ritual performers kicks off the procession by asking the cat to provide rain for the land after which the procession along with the musical band walk through the streets of the village asking the bystanders to pour water on the cat. [1]
The procession usually takes place when the drought becomes a matter of concern for the peasants. Normally villagers begin planting as soon as rains arrived after Royal Ploughing Ceremony in early May. Without rainfall after this ceremony, villagers usually decide to hold the cat parade. [2]
Music and song
The cat procession is lively and animated like the Trot dance [3] by a musical band consisting of drums, gongs, cymbals and claves. and singing which varies in various locations but lyrics are often close to this ancient tune:
“Rain, rain, come pouring down. We barely had any this year. Without rain, our rice will die.” [4]
Modern Tradition
While this procession is still done as such in Cambodia, in Thailand, the "curious tradition" [5] has been updated to avoid what could be interpreted as animal torture, cats being notoriously afraid of water. In order to avoid animal-torture criticism, in Isan, the cat has sometimes been replaced by a stuffed teddy bear. [6] Even more, in Uttaradit, children as well as their parents replace the cats by dressing up as tomcats and putting on make-up to impersonate the felines. [7] Villages in Tamnak Tham Subdistrict, Nong Muang Khai District, Phrae Province make fake cats from bamboo frame and coconut husks named "Nong Saifon". [8] Hello Kitty [9] or Doraemon [10] dummies have also been used as replacements.
Purpose
According to Thai anthropologist Phraya Anuman Rajadhon, cats dislike being wet and have since olden days been associated with causing droughts. And to lift the curse, they are therefore drenched with water. The procession was often linked to royal rituals and its name itself refers to the cat as Neang Maew or "Princess Cat", showing the place of honor given to the animal carried around in a form of palanquin. [1]
Similar to medieval European propitiatory rites such as Kattenstoet, the hope in performing this procession is that it would once again " rain cats and dogs". [11] If a cat cries out during the ceremony, it means that rain is imminent. [12] Khmer and Thai people hope that rain will come from 3 to 7 days after the ceremony. This hae nang maew not only boosts their morale about the rainfall, it also helps to reinforce the unity of the village folks, because practicing this old ritual custom requires communal participation and efforts. [1]
Geography
The rainmaking ritual of Hae Nang Maew is mostly practiced by Thai farmers in both the central and northeast region of the country. [12] It is also celebrated in Cambodia, though it is unclear where the rite originated, whether it be in the Angkorian civilization for centuries or more recently in Laos. [3]
References
- ^ a b c Thanwadee, Sookprasert (2016-09-12). "Hae Nang Meaw". Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre. Rituals, Ceremonies and Local Festivals in Thailand Database. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Catcalls for cloudbursts". Thaiger. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ a b Porée-Maspero, Eveline (1962). "L'obtention de la pluie" [Obtaining rain]. Étude sur les rites agraires des Cambodgiens (in French). Mouton. pp. 264 sq.
- ^ "Thai farmers ask spirits for rain to end crippling drought". New York Post. 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ McIntosh, Matthew (2017-03-21). "Cross-Cultural Ancient Rainmaking Rituals". Brewminate: A Bold Blend of News and Ideas. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Parched Isaan village opts for politically correct 'cat parade'". The Nation (Thailand). 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "'Cat people' parade in Uttaradit in prayer for rains". The Nation (Thailand). 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "ได้ผล ชาวบ้านแห่นางแมว จับปลาบนบกประชดเทวดา ตกกลางคืนฝนตกทันที". www.thairath.co.th (in Thai). 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "แล้งจัด! ชาวบ้าน จ.แพร่ นำตุ๊กตาคิตตี้ทำพิธีขอฝนแห่นางแมว". mgronline.com (in Thai). 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Sitthipoj, Kebui (2018-06-21). "Doraemon joins rain-asking ritual in Phichit". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Geyer, Georgie Anne (2004). When Cats Reigned Like Kings: On the Trail of the Sacred Cats. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-7407-4697-0.
- ^ a b Daovisith, Douangbouppha (2023-10-15). "Preserving Rain Traditions in Southeast Asia". The ASEAN Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
| Hae Nang Maew แห่นางแมว (Thai)
ពិធីហែនាងម៉ែវ (Khmer) | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Cat procession |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Country | Cambodia and Thailand |
The ceremony of Hae Nang Maew (Thai and Khmer: Procession of Lady Cat) is a traditional folklore rainmaking ritual cat procession which can be seen in Cambodia as well as Central and Northeast Thailand in times of drought, from May until August.
Description
Traditional procession of the Siamese cats
Sisawat Siamese cats or otherwise black cats are selected and put in a bamboo or rattan baskets covered with a lid to avoid the cat from escaping. Cloud-colored cats or black cats are preferable, believed to provide fortune. The basket is hung to a wooden or bamboo pole carried by two porters. Five pairs of candles and five paired flowers. The eldest among the ritual performers kicks off the procession by asking the cat to provide rain for the land after which the procession along with the musical band walk through the streets of the village asking the bystanders to pour water on the cat. [1]
The procession usually takes place when the drought becomes a matter of concern for the peasants. Normally villagers begin planting as soon as rains arrived after Royal Ploughing Ceremony in early May. Without rainfall after this ceremony, villagers usually decide to hold the cat parade. [2]
Music and song
The cat procession is lively and animated like the Trot dance [3] by a musical band consisting of drums, gongs, cymbals and claves. and singing which varies in various locations but lyrics are often close to this ancient tune:
“Rain, rain, come pouring down. We barely had any this year. Without rain, our rice will die.” [4]
Modern Tradition
While this procession is still done as such in Cambodia, in Thailand, the "curious tradition" [5] has been updated to avoid what could be interpreted as animal torture, cats being notoriously afraid of water. In order to avoid animal-torture criticism, in Isan, the cat has sometimes been replaced by a stuffed teddy bear. [6] Even more, in Uttaradit, children as well as their parents replace the cats by dressing up as tomcats and putting on make-up to impersonate the felines. [7] Villages in Tamnak Tham Subdistrict, Nong Muang Khai District, Phrae Province make fake cats from bamboo frame and coconut husks named "Nong Saifon". [8] Hello Kitty [9] or Doraemon [10] dummies have also been used as replacements.
Purpose
According to Thai anthropologist Phraya Anuman Rajadhon, cats dislike being wet and have since olden days been associated with causing droughts. And to lift the curse, they are therefore drenched with water. The procession was often linked to royal rituals and its name itself refers to the cat as Neang Maew or "Princess Cat", showing the place of honor given to the animal carried around in a form of palanquin. [1]
Similar to medieval European propitiatory rites such as Kattenstoet, the hope in performing this procession is that it would once again " rain cats and dogs". [11] If a cat cries out during the ceremony, it means that rain is imminent. [12] Khmer and Thai people hope that rain will come from 3 to 7 days after the ceremony. This hae nang maew not only boosts their morale about the rainfall, it also helps to reinforce the unity of the village folks, because practicing this old ritual custom requires communal participation and efforts. [1]
Geography
The rainmaking ritual of Hae Nang Maew is mostly practiced by Thai farmers in both the central and northeast region of the country. [12] It is also celebrated in Cambodia, though it is unclear where the rite originated, whether it be in the Angkorian civilization for centuries or more recently in Laos. [3]
References
- ^ a b c Thanwadee, Sookprasert (2016-09-12). "Hae Nang Meaw". Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre. Rituals, Ceremonies and Local Festivals in Thailand Database. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Catcalls for cloudbursts". Thaiger. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ a b Porée-Maspero, Eveline (1962). "L'obtention de la pluie" [Obtaining rain]. Étude sur les rites agraires des Cambodgiens (in French). Mouton. pp. 264 sq.
- ^ "Thai farmers ask spirits for rain to end crippling drought". New York Post. 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ McIntosh, Matthew (2017-03-21). "Cross-Cultural Ancient Rainmaking Rituals". Brewminate: A Bold Blend of News and Ideas. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Parched Isaan village opts for politically correct 'cat parade'". The Nation (Thailand). 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "'Cat people' parade in Uttaradit in prayer for rains". The Nation (Thailand). 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "ได้ผล ชาวบ้านแห่นางแมว จับปลาบนบกประชดเทวดา ตกกลางคืนฝนตกทันที". www.thairath.co.th (in Thai). 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "แล้งจัด! ชาวบ้าน จ.แพร่ นำตุ๊กตาคิตตี้ทำพิธีขอฝนแห่นางแมว". mgronline.com (in Thai). 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Sitthipoj, Kebui (2018-06-21). "Doraemon joins rain-asking ritual in Phichit". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Geyer, Georgie Anne (2004). When Cats Reigned Like Kings: On the Trail of the Sacred Cats. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-7407-4697-0.
- ^ a b Daovisith, Douangbouppha (2023-10-15). "Preserving Rain Traditions in Southeast Asia". The ASEAN Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-30.