The silver ring that holds the soul of a Thai child

(Baonghean.vn) - According to the concept of the Thai ethnic group, kWhen a baby is born, its soul has not yet returned home. It is still wandering somewhere. The silver bracelet will bring the baby's soul back during the naming ceremony.

During the naming ceremony, for the first time in his life, the baby had a wrist-tying ceremony.

For the Thai community in Nghe An, naming day is the first important ritual in a child’s life. From then on, the child has his or her official name. And from this day, the child is accepted by the “house spirit”, his or her ancestors, as a member of the family.

Before the naming ceremony, the baby's soul is still wandering somewhere. The shaman must perform a ritual to call the baby's spirit back.

When a child is born, the person most knowledgeable about the family customs chooses a day for the naming ceremony. Boys and girls are given different days to be named. The day and time of the ceremony are determined by the Thai calendar.

On the appointed day, people slaughter a chicken to worship their ancestors, and offer the medicine that the mother drank while pregnant and breastfeeding. The ceremony calls the child's spirit back home for the ancestors to recognize. Like the spirit calling ceremony, after the ceremony, the baby's parents and family members have a string tied around their wrists. This is also the first time a newborn baby has a string tied. This ritual will be repeated many times throughout the lives of the Thai people.

During the housewarming ceremony, the baby's shirt is displayed on the offering tray. The shirt is also the shelter for the human soul.

The offering tray for the naming ceremony also depends on the family's conditions. Some families slaughter pigs or chickens to perform the ceremony. For poor families, only 2 boiled eggs are needed for the naming ceremony. On the offering tray, there are also bowls of medicine. The mother will drink all of them to show her love for the medicine collector.

The offering tray for the naming ceremony also depends on the family's conditions. Some families slaughter pigs and prepare chickens for the ceremony. Poor families sometimes only need 2 boiled eggs for the naming ceremony.

According to Thai beliefs, when getting married, the parents' souls will go to heaven to meet "Then" to ask for a child. "Then" will send a soul down to earth to become a new member of the family. Before the naming ceremony, the baby's soul is still wandering somewhere and has not returned home.

On the day of the festival, a special ladder is made for the baby. The steps are made from mulberry tree trunks. Boys have 7 steps, girls have 9 steps. It is believed that ghosts and the souls of the unjustly dead will not follow this path to the baby. Ghosts are often afraid of mulberry trees, but the souls of the family, who are upright, have nothing to fear. The ladder is built into a pillar near the baby's bed, usually next to the kitchen.

The ladder was propped up on a pole near where the baby was lying.

A silver ring is tied to a thread and dropped from a hole or window down the newly built staircase. The silver ring is covered with bunches of forest leaves with the idea that the baby's soul is hiding somewhere. Then the shaman will dig to find where the baby is hiding and the person sitting on the top of the house will pull the ring up the stairs. After this ritual, it means the baby has returned to his family.

The bracelet is hidden in the leaves with the idea that the baby's soul is still hiding somewhere and has not returned home.

After the prayer, the shaman will go find out where the baby is. Then the bracelet will be pulled up the stairs to the house.

Along with the ceremony before the ancestral altar, another ceremony is also performed to call the spirit and offer medicinal herbs. On this offering tray, in addition to chicken and meat, there are bowls of medicine. The mother will drink all of these bowls of medicine when the ceremony is finished.

On the day set above, the baby will have his or her first haircut.

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