Lanna Crafts XI

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):

There are many more Lanna Cultures & Traditions to be presented. Due to the long history of Lanna which absorbed many cultures & traditions from various ancients who occupied on this territory as mentioned in previous posts: Lanna Crafts I, II, III, IV and V (please click the Roman numbers to read or see at Blog Archive).

Picture of the first heaven level named Jatumaharachika

- Culture & Tradition about Notification to the Four Celestial Guardians, any Lanna auspicious ritual or ceremony, such as House-blessing Ceremony, Ordaining as Novice Monk or a Monk, New Year Festival, etc.,  it must be begun with Notification to the Four Celestial Guardians step before do anything further.

The Four Celestial Guardians are the great gods who rule the first heaven level named Jatumaharachika (in Thai) or Cātummahārājika (in Bali). Each Celestial Guardian’s age is 500 years of heaven. The Gods dwell in four directions of center of universe in order to guard, look after, explore the various deeds, protect and give happiness to all of mankind.  The names in Thai language of four Gods are ‘Vessuwan’, ‘Thataratha’, ‘Viroonhok’, ‘Viroopak’, who take care the world in the North, East, South, and West directions, respectively.

Except from notification to these four gods, Lanna people will need to notify to other two significant great gods to get success on their auspicious rituals; ‘Indra’, the leader of all gods in two heaven levels and the Earth Mother who is the witness of all merits of human.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

Handmade pendant coconut shell!
Elephant & necklace wax cord
Chiang Mai in Thailand /
L.18-36 cm

- ‘Handmade pendant coconut shell!Elephant & necklace wax cord Chiang Mai in Thailand / L.18-36 cm’, brand: Chiang Mai in Thailand, model: G016, handmade pendant coconut shell-Elephant & necklace wax cord

(To be continued)

Lanna Crafts X

Lanna Cultures & Traditions (cont.):

Lanna Cultures & Traditions, the next one is Housewarming or House-blessing Ceremony which the purpose is to bless the new house, almost same as other Thai people in the other parts of Thailand.

Picture of House-blessing Ceremony

- Culture & Tradition about Housewarming or House-blessing Ceremony, in the past, the Lanna house owner has to do many hard works for his/her house before its construction is finished, such as collecting locks and other materials for building, constructing with neighbors' helps, etc. So the owner shall be bound by and proud of the results that have been dedicated to. Then before moving in the new house, Lanna people will need to do the proper rituals: The ceremony of the new building or The religious housewarming.

First, they will search for the good day which might be suggested by a monk or knowledgeable person. Typically the famous good month for this ceremony is the twelfth month of Lanna, or other even months. The house owner needs to prepare a lot of food and food preparing equipment to set a party, and the host might hire a musical band for entertainment. The most significant thing to do is inviting a monk for making a merit and a knowledgeable person to perform the ceremony. The monk will escort the house owner or the host to enter the house for sprinkling holy water and preaching one sermon.

Many people will come to help organizing the ceremony on the day before the ceremony day. So the host will entertain the guests whom come to help by some activities till night. During this period, the young man and woman will have the opportunity to meet together. 

On the housewarming day, the ceremony will start in the early morning. The house owner will notify to the Four Celestial Guardians, and prepare a statue of the Buddha, valuable chests, or pots and jars for rice, one carried-load paddy rice, one carried-load plain rice, mattress, bedclothes, and wait for the auspiciousness near the stairs leading up to the new house. There might be some good-named persons involving in the parade, such as ‘Dee (means good or nice)’, ‘Kaew (indirect meaning is the greatest respective thing)’, etc. When the auspicious time comes, the person who escorts the Buddha statue will lead and be followed by others who carry the other things. Then the monk and the knowledgeable person will perform the ceremony respectively. After the monk’s meal, making merit to the monk and the monk’s praying, and then the ceremony is completed. Finally, it’s the party time for all.

Today recommended Crafts/Handmade Products:

- 'Carnelian Cluster Earrings, 'Chiang Rai Feast' ', from NOVICA*, handmade carnelian, dyed blue resin, dyed quartz and glass beads, hook earrings, .925 Sterling Silver.

Carnelian Cluster Earrings,
'Chiang Rai Feast'

*NOVICA: who works in association with National Geographic, searches the world to work directly with the finest artisan designers.

(To be continued)