(C) Ritual specialists for whom literacy is not required
1. Mau song (diviner): Number in 1966 = 3 or 4. The diviner's art consists
of manipulating ritual objects (e.g. looking through an egg or into a mirror)
and interpreting signs. His techniques do not require writing and calculating
on paper. He need not have been a monk and reading ability is
not required; is usually semi-literate as far as reading is concerned.
2. Cham and tiam (intermediary and medium, respectively, of village
and temple guardian spirits = Tapubaan and Chao Phau Tongkyang).
Number in 1966 = 1 + 1; a village can have only one of each kind. Only
memorization of a few words of address to the guardian spirits is required.
Reading ability in any script not essential; same as mau song, 1 above.
Usually these personnel have never been novices or monks in the Buddhist
temple.
3. Mau tham (exorcizer of malevolent spirits): Number in 1966 = 2.
Memorizes charms and spells, some of which are portions of Buddhist
pali chants, other magical formulae without explicit meaning. Literacy
not required; invariably has never been a novice or monk, and usually
has very poor reading and writing competence in any script. However,
exceptions can be found—there are none in Phraan Muan village—of
persons who possess, read and use magical texts; these persons, significantly,
have learned to read esoteric texts and to practise their arts from certain
`extraordinary' monks or lay teachers (
guru).
4. Mau lum phii fa (medium of sky spirit). Number in 1966 = 1.
Usually female. Memorizes words and chants, but accuracy not important.
Reading ability not required. Excluded from monkhood by virtue of
sex. Village medium is illiterate.
