Masked Celebration
The celebrations have evolved over time, and now constitute one of the most enjoyable parts of Thailand’s culture, as part of a larger Buddhist celebration called Bun Pawet. Festival-goers don costumes that resemble masks (the literal translation of the festival’s name), they then parade and celebrate through the streets of Dan Sai district, in the recently popularized Loei region. The masks, as observed in the pictures, are aesthetically pleasing and are quite frightening. They’re long, white, and have large noses. They’re made from dried sticky husks, and they’re artistically decorated with vibrant colors, these masks are singular to this celebration.
The three-day celebration period is annually altered, though it is always held in June, the majority of the action will take place on the first day. This is when the residents of the towns begin to get really agitated in an attempt to awaken the spirit of the Mun River, Phra Upakut, in order to defend them. The day includes games, concerts, and parades, many of the locals will dance around the streets in their scary khon masks while clanging cowbells, these spirits are obviously present.
Revellers travel to the local Wat Pho Chai Temple, accompanied by music, entertainment and laughter. On the journey, the masked and festive pranksters dash into the crowd, teasing the blushing maids and frightening the children. It’s all very fun and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Laos, attracting a small taste of Thainess from the popular tourist routes in the country.
Phi Ta Khon is just one part of a three-day celebration called Bun Phawet. On the first day, the residents of the district sought shelter from the fantasma of Phra u-Pakut, who is said to reside in the nearby Mun River. The parades take place on the second day, the final day being dedicated to Buddhist sermons on Vessantara Jatarka, a narrative that popularized the Buddha’s final appearances as the benevolent King Vessantara. This is why Phi Ta Khon is considered a Buddhist celebration that locals participate in making a lot of merit.
However, the rites, processes and costumes on display also celebrate fertility and revisit times during which people would seek to appease the local gods and spirits in order to have a successful harvest. In a locale like Loei, which relies on agriculture as its primary source of income, the fertility of the soil and favorable weather conditions are of paramount importance, particularly in June and July, when the crucial rice crop is being cultivated.
Initially, the attention is focused on the colorful masks of the Phi Ta Khon revellers. Powerful, detailed and intricate, the masks are constructed from the shaped rice husk that has been painstakingly decorated and populated with fawning, shark toothed mouths and long, intricate and curved noses.
To make the characters seem larger than life, the masks are overpriced with wickerwork (typically a sticky rice cooker) that is painted in the same bright colors, or it is finished with an intricate piece of art. The Ghosts’ clothing is comprised of folded rags and their belts are decorated with bells, these additions to theatrics and tempo of the parade have a positive effect on the performance.
However, when you remove the mask, you’ll realize the importance of the Phi Ta Khon holidays is dedicated to honoring the nature and countryside’s spirits. Among the notable groups are farmers who carry their own equipment, don’t wear a mask, but are spread across their body, including their head, in a plethora of fresh water, mud, and they seem to enjoy every minute of it as people attempt to escape their grasp. Along with these depictions of the soil’s life giving powers are models of the traditional beasts of Thai agriculture buffalo. These are ‘ridden’ through the ceremony along with other participants who have been hoisted onto wheels to travel down the roads.
