Preparations
Preparations go on during the two days preceding the first major ritual
sequence. Stages are built for maulam (folk opera) and ramwong (popular
dancing); a pavilion to store paddy contributions is constructed; four
posts are planted to enclose the sala, with large flags attached to them
at the top and baskets fixed at the bottom; the sala is decorated with
painted cloths and kryang hoi kryang phan (100 things, 1,000 things),
special decorations connected with this festival. Special ritual articles
connected with Uppakrut, thewada and Phraawes have to be made locally
or purchased.
A striking pattern of the preparations is the differential male-female
roles. Old women roll cigarettes, make betel-nut packets, candles, etc.
This is a role that in fact old women perform in every religious or social
ceremony in the village. The men—both old and young—decorate and
construct pavilions (or, in other contexts, coffins or other ritual furniture),
the old doing the lighter and the young the heavier work. Young girls and
young married women are the cooks. It is they primarily who, supervised
by older women, bring food for the monks on ceremonial occasions.
In the afternoon of the second day the Buddha image is brought down
from the monks' quarters and installed in the pavilion. Monks sit in the
pavilion with begging bowls, waiting for villagers to bring them gifts
of paddy. Paddy contributions are the main gift made by villagers at this
festival.
