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สาขาวรรณกรรมพื้
นบ้
าน
มรดกภู
มิ
ปั
ญญาทางวั
ฒนธรรม
78
Tham Khwan Khwai Ritual Text
ThamKhwanKhwai ritual text
- thetext forcomforting
the buffalo - is sung to show appreciation of the
buffaloes’ help in the rice field and to ask for the
buffaloes’ forgiveness for the farmers’ harsh treatment
during work. In the northern region of Thailand, the rite
is called “Hong Khwan Khwai”, “Riak Khwan Khwai” or
“Ao Khwan Khwai”; in the northeastern region,
“Su Khwan Khwai”. The Thai of Cambodian origin
in Surin province call the rite “Hao Plueng Krabai”.
The rite of comforting the buffalo is held after having
finished rice planting to express gratitude to the buffalo’s
help. The owner will offer a Bai Si Su Khwan rite which
is a kind of welcoming rite providing food and fresh
new grass to the buffalo . After bathing the buffalo,
the owner then presents the buffalo with the flowers,
incense sticks and candles to ask for forgiveness.
The text of Bot Tham Kwan Kwai reflects the
attitude and character of the Thai people as follows:
1) Gratitude
-Thai
people consider the buffalo a
large animal and feel grateful to the buffalo for helping
them in the rice field;
2) Kindness
- The text reflects the kindness of the
Thai people towards the buffalo as mentioning in the
text that the buffaloes are rewarded with fresh young
grass.
3) Contrition
- The text shows Thai farmers’
contrition for treating the buffalo harshly. It says that,
while the farmers are plowing the paddy fields, the
buffaloes sometimes walk too slowly and stray off to
graze. The farmers punish them by lashing at them with
rope and jabbing them with a Pa-tak (a goading stick).
The buffaloes suffer but they could not complain so
they have to endure the pain. The farmers feel guilty
for their harsh treatment to the buffalo and therefore
arrange Pithi Bai Si Su Khwan, a rite to ask for forgiveness
from the buffalo. The rite is, therefore, testimony to the
Thai farmers’ compassion for suffering of the beasts.
The rite for comforting the buffalo reflects the
relationship between man and animals, which is filled
with kindness and gratefulness. A tradition worth
preserving for the future generations, the rite reveals
the Thai ancestral wisdom and spirit. Rice farming
method has changed and buffaloes no longer play a
vital role since new technology has introduced other
alternatives to the use of buffaloes. Consequently,
the text for comforting the buffalo is facing a serious
threat of being lost and forgotten.