The baci, as it is usually referred to
in short. Is a ceremony to concentrate the spiritual force of the person for
whom it is performed. This it does by “ calling back” the spirits (khuan)
assiciated with the thirty-two part into which the Lao believe the body, mind,
and psyche are divided.
These khuan can leave the body for a
while, though usually they do not stray too far or for too long; the basi draws
back any khuan that may have strayed.
In Lao belief, the adsence of any khuan weakens the vital sipiritual force of a
person, who may as a result become indecistive, depressed, or ill. A baci therefore restores a person’s
spiritual force and enables them to face life reinvigorated. A baci id often held when a person is
leaving on a long journey. To make sure none has been lost on the way.
The origions of the baci go back to the ancient pre-Buddhist
animist past of the Lao people. Though the ceremony allows for the invocation
of minor Buddhist deities, the Buddha himself is not called upon. Nor does a
monk preside at the ceremony, which is usually conducted by an older man of
reputed learning and virtue (often a former monk) who is skilled in calling the
khuan from wherever they maybe lurking
The ritual take place with
participants seated on the floor around the phrakhuan,
a pyramidal structure up to a meter high made from banana leaves and decorated
with flowers, which sits in a large silver bowl. Stuck into the prakhuan are fine slithers of bamboo,
from which hang cotton threads of uniform legth that are to be tied around the
wrists of participants. Various offerings of rice, food delicacies, and alcohol
are arranged around the base of the silver bowl.
Once of deities have been invoked and
the khuan recalled, the celebrant recites his wishes for the recipient on
behalf of the assembled participants:” May you be strong as the antlers of a
stag, the tusks of an elephant … May your life last a thousand years … May all
your difficulties be overcome … May you have health and happiness … “A senior
male participant then ties a cotton thread around the wrist of the celebrant,
who is turn does the same for the person(s) for
whom the baci is being performed. Personal good wishes are mumured by
each participant in turn as they tie their strings. Those surrounding the
recipent touch her or him while others participants touch them. In this way a
field of spiritual force is created to reinforce the wishes of the person tying
the thread.
The baci is the central ritual in the traditional Lao marriage
ceremony, which take place on an astrologically auspicious date. On the day of the
marriage, the groom and his party go to the bride’s home to carry her off but
the door id defended by the bride’s party, who demand to know why these
intruders should be let in. the groom’s party sings his praise, but the bride’s
party remains unconvinced and adamantly bars the way. Humorous negotiations
follow, and a sum of money and jewelry and often some alcohol changes hands.
Once the gift is accepted, the groom’s party enters the house to find the bride
seated before two phrakhuan that are
lavishly decorated with flowers and sticks of cotton baci threads.
The baci sukhuan then follows, after
which each participant ties a baci string around the wrists of bride and groom,
mumuring their profound wishes for the couple’s future happiness together; for their
health, strength, and prosperity, and for the blessing of children.
Not surprisingly, baci ceremonies also
from part of the Lao New Year festival, to ensure that participants possess all
the vital spiritual force nessary to face the year ahead. During important
Buddhist festival, however, the orange strings that monks tie around the wrists
of the faithful, in return for a small donation, have already been blessed in the temple and have nothing to do with the
baci ceremony.
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