Doi: 10.12982/cmujASR.2015.0008 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2 115

Changing Role of Pi, a Bamboo Sound-producing Tool, in the Bon Chot ritual of the Lua-mal in , Northern

Yuji Baba

Faculty of Social Relations, Kyoto Bunkyo University, Kyoto 611-0041, Japan Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT he people called Lua-mal, living in the mountains of Nan Province, TNorthern Thailand, hold the Bon Chot ritual every August to en- tertain and strengthen the soul of rice grown in a dry field. During the ritual period, the soul of the rice is invited from the dry field, while villagers march in the village, beating Pi, a bamboo sound-producing tool, to entertain the soul of rice in expectation of a good harvest. The Pi can be beaten only during the ritual period and only within a village. Pi is a sound-producing tool for religious purposes, rather than a musical instrument used in an ordinary music performance; it is connected to the villagers’ life in nature. However, the role of Pi may change in the future, becoming a musical instrument for enjoyment, as the sociocultural economy of the Lua-mal changes. In recent years, with the demand for biofuel, corn has increasingly become a commercial, rather than subsistence crop for the Lua-mal. If rice production declines, the role of Pi to entertain the soul of rice may be lost, and Pi may exist only as a musical instrument for an audience, and no longer limited to the specific ritual period or inside the village. It may even be used to attract and entertain tourists.

Keywords: Lua-mal people, Bamboo sound-producing tool, Soul of rice, Bon Chot ritual 116 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2

Introduction to produce sound, including what is in Southeast Asia, many kinds usually called a ‘musical instrument’, of bamboo instruments are used in should be called ‘sound-producing daily life, with a variety of purposes, tools’ generically, because the defini- including as containers, farming tools, tion of ‘musical instrument’ is differ- and musical instruments. ent among cultures and changeable, in this paper, I focus on the depending on the purpose and usage bamboo sound-producing tool called of producing sound (Tsuge, 1991). Pi, which is beaten in the Bon Chot in Southeast Asia, many kinds of ritual1, with the purpose of enter- bamboo ‘musical instruments’ exist. taining and strengthening the soul However, while some produce sound, of rice grown in a dry field, held they are not necessarily intended to by the Lua-Mal people living in the perform music. For example, Baling- mountainous area of Nan Province, bing of the Kalinga people in the Phil- Northern Thailand. ippines is used for threatening snakes i conducted research on this rit- or evil spirits en route to the fields.I ts ual held every August in Toei Klang aim is similar to the sound-producing village in Pua District, Nan Province tool farmers in Northern Thailand in 2010, 2011, and 2013. During the and Northern Lao PDR use to drive ritual period, Pi is beaten only in the animals away from the fields (Lindel Bon Chot ritual and only inside the et al., 1982; Takahashi et al., 2008). village, for entertaining the soul of In Southeast Asia, bamboo tools that rice. produce sounds, but are not used to i describe the process of the ritual, perform music, play an important and analyze the role of Pi in this role in the life of farmers. ritual. Pi is sometimes introduced Pi, which is made of bamboo as a bamboo musical instrument. and entertains and strengthens the Jittreebut analyzes the structure and soul of rice grown in a dry field, is sound of Pi using an ethno-musico- connected with the life in nature logical approach. He describes Pi as of the Lua-Mal people. However, a ‘musical instrument’ as a matter of this lifestyle is changing as they shift course (Jittreebut, 2000). However, from growing rice for self-sufficiency I hesitate to categorize it as a ‘musi- to corn as a cash crop. Given these cal instrument’, but prefer to call it changes, I discuss the possibility of a ‘sound-producing tool’ following changing the character of Pi from a Tsuge, because its character is differ- ‘sound-producing tool’ to a ‘musical ent from a musical instrument used instrument’ that might enhance tour- for entertainment among people. ism. Tsuge proposes that the tools that aim

1Bon Chot is the name in the Lua-; it is called Lua Salod in Thai. ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2 117

discussion roads, so Lua-Mal villages can com- The people of Lua-Mal and Toei municate with urban areas easily and Klang village have become influenced by consumer The people called ‘Lua’, a Mon- society. Furthermore, they have ac- Khmer speaking group, are wide- cepted Thai culture through contact ly dispersed throughout Northern with the in the plains Thailand. They settled in Northern areas and are being subsumed into Thailand before the Lanna Kingdom the Thai nation. Increasingly, young was established in the 13th century. people are leaving to work in big The people called ‘Lua’ are divided cities, such as Bangkok, and losing into two groups, the Palaung and interest in their traditional rituals in Kham sub-linguistic groups. In the process. Northern Thailand, the Lawa inC hi- Traditionally, the villagers of Toei ang Mai and Mea Hong Son belong Klang village were mostly engaged in to the Palaung and the Tin in Nan growing dry-field rice, with some corn belong to the Kham. The Lua in Nan, and herb production, all for home use. actually the Tin, are divided into two TheBon Chot ritual entertains the soul groups, Mal and Pray (Satayawattana, of rice produced in a dry field, their 1987) (Yimrewat and Ratanakul, staple food. 1996). In this paper, I report on the Mal people, who are usually called The structure and sound ofPi ‘Lua-Mal’. Pi, the sound-producing Pi is made of Mai Hia, a type of tool, is used only among the Lua- bamboo. The wall thickness of Mai Mal people.2 Hia is lighter than other types of Doi Phuka National Park in bamboo, producing a good sound. Pua District, Nan Province, con- It is used only during the ritual pe- tains around 20 villages of Lua-Mal, riod and only inside the village; the including Toei-Klang village, my re- instrument is made anew every year. search site. While many of the Lua- It is prohibited to take Pi outside Mal villages are Christian, the Toei the village. When the Nan Provincial Klan villagers believe in Buddhism Government invited the villagers to in conjunction with a spirit cult, with participate in an ethnic group festival, deities such as Chao Luang Pua, the they refused, because Pi is a sacred guardian spirit for the Pua River and tool of the village. Toei Klan village. Pi consists of a main bamboo tube The villages in the Doi Phuka (Pon), a bamboo stick (Chan) inserted National Park area, including Toei into the hole of the lower part of the Klang village, are connected by paved main bamboo tube, and a bamboo

2Another group of Lua in Nan (Tin), the Lua-Pray, also has a bamboo sound-producing tool, called Pre. It will be discussed Later. 118 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2

stick (Awon) for beating the Chan. and strengthening the soul of rice in The sound is produced by beating the Bon Chot ritual as described below. the Chan with the Awon. Classified The soul of rice is invited to the rice by size, there are five kinds of Pi and field when the seeds are prepared for five kinds of Amkhom Pi; these are planting, and goes out from the field sounded simultaneously3. Pi consists at the time of harvest. The Bon Chot of three bamboo tubes (Pon) with ritual held every August for 10 days Chan and Awon, which are inserted is the most significant ritual in this between the fingers. The shortest tube rice planting cycle. The soul of rice is produces a high tone, the mid-length entertained and strengthened in the tube produces a medium tone, and Bon Chot ritual, then restored to good the longest tube produces a low tone. health and grown into beautiful rice. Amkhom Pi consists of two bamboo on the third day of the ritual, the tubes that create high and low tones. villagers make Pi and invite the soul of They create around 10 ‘melodies’ with rice. On the seventh and tenth days, special names (Jittreebut, 2000). The they march, beating Pi in the village, most popular melodies are Tokya, and on the tenth day they return Pi to Tamlo, and Pae; Tamlo means ‘beat the forest. On the eleventh morning, well’ and Pae means ‘the third’. In they return the soul of rice to the field. addition, some melody names are The soul of rice is invited into the derived from their sounds, such as village after the ceremony for inviting Kumbuntum, Choncarapi, and Chun- the soul of rice. Pi is made with the chui, another name for Pae. With the soul of Pi invited from the Mai Hia exception of Chama, the usage of bamboo grove, located near the Pua ‘melodies’ of Pi is not limited to time River4. The soul of rice is entertained and space, but depends on the player, by the sound of Pi during the ritual. as well. Chama should be sounded on the last day of the Bon Chot ritual, • Inviting the soul of Pi and mak- in front of the shrine of the village ing Pi — On the third day. two elders guardian spirit, Chao Luang Pua. It receive the soul of Pi from the sacred calls the soul of rice and tells it, “see bamboo grove to cut bamboo to use you again next year”. in making the year’s firstPi . The soul of Pi is invited to the ceremonial place The Bon Chot ritual – calling and and two elders bring the soil of that entertaining the soul of rice place with the bamboo for making Pi is used only for entertaining the firstPi of the year to the village.

3There are five kinds of Pi classified by size; from small to large, they are called Parot, Hai, Hi, Chumyum, and Muiao. Amkhom Pi are also classified by size; from small to large, they are called Amkhom Pi Parot, Amkhom Pi Hai, Amkhom Pi Hi, Amkhom Pi Chumyum, and Amkhom Pi Muiao. 4The Pua River is a sacred place guarded by Chao Luang Pua, the guardian spirit of Tui Klang village. ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2 119

In this way, the soul of Pi is invited villagers produce. to the village and then Pi is made. • Welcoming and entertaining • Inviting the soul of rice — On the soul of rice by the sound the sixth day, the priest prays for the of Pi guardian spirit, Chao Luang Pua, at on the seventh day, just past his shrine. After breakfast, villagers go noon, villagers gather at the priest’s to their own rice fields, inviting the house. A few women wear red dresses, soul of rice to their house5 designed to invite the soul of rice. • Sacrifice of chicken for the soul Then villagers start to march coun- of Pi and the soul of rice, and for terclockwise in the village, beating Pi. strengthening the soul of rice Sometimes they stop, beating Pi and dancing. The villagers march to the on the afternoon of the sixth day, priest’s house, beating Pi and danc- starting around noon, the villagers ing, then continue to march, circling gather at the shrine of the guardian inside the village a second time. spirit, and start to march counter- clockwise within the village, while • Entertaining the soul of rice and beating Pi. sending the soul of rice to the At the priest’s house, a chicken’s rice field neck is cut and its blood is poured on the altar for the soul of the spirit. After the march of the villagers to Marching villagers stop at the priest’s the sound of Pi, two days pass with house and go up the stairs one by one no events. On the tenth and last day, with Pi. The wife of the priest, who villagers march to the sound of Pi holds the sacrificed chicken, daubs again; the next day, the soul of rice the blood of the chicken onto each returns to the rice field. Pi. In these performances, the chicken The following is a sketch of the is sacrificed for the souls of both the events of the tenth day: rice and Pi. in the morning, two priests, pray- At the villagers’ houses, during ing for the soul of the rice, go to the the ceremony of strengthening the shrine of the spirit of the land to pray. soul of rice, sacrificed chicken, river They report to the land spirit that the crab, bamboo shoot, and ginger are ritual time is coming. offered to the soul of rice. Through in the afternoon, the village wom- these processes, the soul of rice comes en, including the women wearing red to stay in the village and enjoys clothing, start to beat Pi in front of the sound of Pi that the marching the priest’s house. They start to march

5Actually, one third of all households in the village take their turn to be in charge of inviting the soul of rice each year. 120 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2

clockwise to the sound of Pi in the to the field. village, and stop at the shrine of Chao This ritual consists of a series of Luang Pua, while continuing to beat events as follows: (1) inviting the soul Pi. Then they move to the priest’s of Pi from the sacred forest, making house and continue to beat Pi in the Pi, and making offerings to it at the area under the floor6. The villagers priest’s house; (2) inviting the soul go up the stairs one by one with Pi; of rice from the rice field and giving the wife of the priest, who holds the offerings to it at each villager’s house; sacrificed chicken, daubs the blood (3) marching counterclockwise in the of the chicken on each Pi. The dead village while beating Pi to welcome body of the chicken is offered to the and entertain the soul of rice; and altar of the soul of rice with other (4) marching clockwise in the village offerings, signifying ‘the soul of rice while beating Pi for entertaining the is coming’. soul of rice and sending it back to the in the evening, villagers start field. marching from the priest’s house in The soul of rice invited to the the second circumambulation of the village is relaxed, strengthened, and village with the sound of Pi, some- filled with energy by marching to times stopping to beat Pi with danc- the sound of Pi7. In this way, the ing, and after arriving back at the strengthened soul of rice returns to priest’s house, then go to the village the field and grows into beautiful washing place. Villagers wash away rice, bringing expectations of a good the chicken blood daubed on the Pi harvest one by one, and then move to the This ritual is a drama performed shrine of Chao Luang Pua, praying by the soul of Pi from the bamboo to Chao Luang Pua and Chao Luang (Mai Hia) grove and the soul of rice Phu ka, the guardian spirit of Phu from the rice in the dry field. The kha Mountain, beating the Pi. Finally, offerings for them, such as river crabs they return to the priest’s house and and bamboo shoots, symbolize rivers throw Pi away in the forest behind and mountains. The villagers live in the house. harmony with nature, including the The next day, the head of each rivers, mountains, bamboo groves, household goes to each rice field and and rice in a dry field. The ritual offers liquor to the soul of rice, sig- drama is derived from the villagers’ life nifying the soul of rice has returned in nature, with Pi a sound-producing

6The house is on stilts raised above the ground. 7Some qigong therapists explain that counterclockwise movements bring a relaxed state and clockwise movements gather energy, but the scientific evidence of this is not clear. Further study is needed to understand the relationship between this explanation and the structure of Bon Chot ritual. ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2 121

tool connected to such life. shaped musical instrument called Ko, it is unclear how the bamboo unrelated to Pi. It is prohibited to grove is connected with rice growing play the Ko for ritual use, although it in a dry field, but in some places, can produce the same melody as Pi. bamboo groves are chosen for swid- Ko is played for amusement, while den cultivation. The Kham people in Pi is beaten only for strengthening Udomsai Province, Lao PDR, choose the soul of rice in the context of the Mai Hia groves because they believe Bon Chot ritual; it is prohibited to the swiddened Mai Hia grove makes beat Pi either outside the village or rice grow well. Kawano proposes for any other occasion. Villagers also that a complex culture of swidden play the musical instruments that cultivation and bamboo groves exists the Thai people living in the plains in both Southeast Asia and south- area of Northern Thailand use:Pin , a ern Kyushu, Japan (Kawano, 2009). plucked string instrument, and Salo, Legends concerning bamboo and rice a bowed string instrument. These are are found in these areas. The bam- usually played for amusement and boo musical instruments or bamboo prohibited for ritual use (although sound-producing instruments of the they can be played at the final party Kalinga people in the Philippines, after throwing Pi away into the forest the Balingbing, share similarities with on the last night of the ritual period). the Daudau of the Khamu people in This prohibition stems from a legend Lao PDR8. The idea of a complex – long ago, when people played Pin culture of swidden cultivation and and Salo for the soul of rice, the soul bamboo groves, which Kawano pro- of rice got away. Then, when people poses, might be the key to solving the beat Pi for the soul of rice, the soul mystery of these similarities. of rice enjoyed the sound of Pi. The villagers believe that rice will not grow Pi as a sound-producing tool beautifully for any person who does in the case of the Bon Chot ritual not believe that the sound of Pi helps of Lua-Mal, the mountains, rivers, rice grow well. bamboo groves and rice in dry fields Pi creates a melody by combining are brought together into one con- high, medium, and low tones. How- text. Pi is a sound-producing tool ever, Pi is a sacred tool which itself embedded in this context, not a mere has a soul, and it produces a sound to musical instrument for amusement. entertain the soul of rice only during The Lua-Mal people have a harp- the ritual period. Therefore,Pi is a

8Several bamboo ‘musical’ instruments of Kalinga in the Philippines and that of Khamu in Lao PDR are very similar, such as Balingbing in Kaling and Daudau in Khamu (a bamboo utbe with a slit forbeating; Togaton in Kalinga and Tratik in Khamu (stamping bamboo tubes); and Togari in Kalinga and Tot in Khamu (nose flutes). 122 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2

sound-producing tool for religious former is produced by a person, but purposes, rather than a musical in- the sound of the latter is produced strument used in ordinary musical by natural wind or water; the former performances. is typically considered a musical in- As Pi is a sound-producing tool strument9. In this way, these several for calling and entertaining the soul kinds of bamboo sound-producing of rice, it is a tool connected with tools connected with farming have farming. Another group of Lua in continuities, while differing in char- Nan (Tin), the Lua-Pray, also has a acter. If a bamboo sound-producing bamboo sound-producing tool, called instrument connected with farming Pre. It consists of two bamboo tubes is defined as a farming tool in the that are inserted between the fingers broad sense, Pi, which can produce and a bamboo stick for beating the melodies, is defined in the middle, tubes. The people sound it while walk- as both a musical instrument and ing to the fields to threaten snakes or farming tool. evil spirits away. Its characteristics are very similar to Balingbing in the Phil- conclusion ippines, as mentioned above. Here At present, the Bon Chot tradi- we can find the continuities from tional ritual retains its basis in Lua- farming tool to musical instrument. Mal cosmology. Villagers refused to Pi and Pre or Balingbing (Daudau) perform Pi in an ethnic group festival, are beaten for supernatural beings. considering it a sacred instrument However, each purpose is different; instead. However, in the future, Pi as the former is for entertaining, but a sound-producing tool for ritual use the latter is for driving. The purpose may change into a musical instrument of producing sounds with the Pre or for enjoyment. During the ritual, I Balingbing (Daudau) is similar to the witnessed villagers who had made bamboo tools used for driving animals Pi (with seven bamboo tubes) play for protecting farm products, such Thai pop music for fun.I n addition, as the Klock and klan of the Khamu when marching during the ritual, they people in Lao PDR (Lindel et al., sometimes used Pi to play Phan Fai 1982). However, the sound of the (the song of spinning), a northern

9Landstorm and Tayanin (1982) introduced Klok and Klang as ‘musical instruments’. Klok is a small slit drum of bamboo, which is suspended from a higher tree stump in the field; its sound is produced by natural wind. Klang is a clepsydra-like device, which is planted in the middle of the brook; its sound is produced by water. They are defined as wind-driven and water-driven ideophones, and categorized as musical scarecrows. Landstorm and Tayanin (1982) seem to compare a sound of nature to music. Thitipol Kanthiwong, interviewed at Chiang Mai Uni- versity, March 14, 2013, told me that “an instrument whose structure was designed to produce sound, and then handed down through generations, is classified as a ‘musical instrument’”. The definition of “musical instrument” is so vague. ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2 123

Thai folk song. These innovations may are swaying between adaptations to reflect the changing times, in which modern society and preserving tradi- amusement and pleasure is invading tional culture. They need cash crops sacred spaces. Contact with the Thai for income, but their traditional cul- people in the plains areas and being ture related to cultivating rice has subsumed into the Thai nation may not disappeared. If agro-tourism is create the social background for such promoted, together with preserving a change. Pi performance in Toei Klang village, This recent change also reflects the ritualistic role of Pi might be changes in the production system preserved. of the village. In recent years, corn, which was originally grown for home References use, has become a commercial crop Jittreebut, T. (2000). ‘“Pi”, Dontri with the increasing demand for bio- khong Chonphao Lua Ban Teui fuel. As corn production increases, Changwat Nan (“Pi”, Music of rice production will decrease. If rice the Lua at Ban Teuy) (in Thai), production declines, then the role M.A. Thesis, Department of Mu- of Pi to entertain the soul of rice sicology, Faculty of Fine Arts, to yield beautiful rice may be lost. Mahidol University. Many villagers are anxious about the Kawano, K. (2009). ‘Take no Yaki- potential disappearance of the Bon hata to Inasaku (Bamboo Grove Chot ritual. However, few activities Swidden Cultivation and Rice support transmitting this ritual to the Cultivation: A Sketch to the The- younger generation, except closing ory of Bamboo Grove Culture)’ school during the ritual period and (in Japanese), Reimeikan Chousa modest financial support from the Kenkyu Houkoku (Reimeikan Re- sub-district (Tambol) government. search Report), 22, 1-101. While some children and youth are Lindel, K., Landstrom, H., Svuntes- interested in the ritual, some are not. son, J. & Tayanin, D. (1982). Some villagers insist on preserving and The Kham Year, Its Lore and Music, propagating the Lua-Mal traditions, Studies on Asian Topics No.4. including the Bon Chot ritual. One London and Malmo: Curson villager, who no longer grew rice, Press. said that “Pi performance must be Satayawattana, C. (1987). Lua Muang promoted for tourists, considering Nan, Muan Boran Chabab Phiset the recent changing situation”. This (‘Ancient City special edition) (in implies Pi would be used as a musical Thai). Bangkok: Muang Boran. instrument to entertain an audience, Takahashi, A., Yanathan, I., & Baba, and no longer limited to ritualistic Y. (2008). ‘Raosu Hokubu Chiiki use, nor to performances inside the ni Okeru Take no Gakki: Chi- village only. kurin Bunkaron: Seisakusha and in Toei Klang village, villagers Seisaku Gijutu no Denshou no 124 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015) Vol.2 No.2

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