Phi Faa is a supernatural power and deified by the locals of Northeast Thailand (Issan) and Laos. The Phi Faa Ritual is an

animistic practice preferably celebrated for a person that rejoices the convalescence from a serious disease. The guests

of a Phi Faa Ritual involve themselves into this highly spiritual ceremony with dancing around a decorated sacrificial

altar. The dance lasts a full night and creates trance conditions for many of the participants. The guests believe Phi Faa

will participate the ceremony and they expect healing and protection from unfavorable fortune.

Introduction

Folk religion is the practice of a religion by lay people outside of an organized institution. The rituals and practices are

transmitted orally between generations. The aim is seeking healing or preventing misfortune, e.g. by help of

supernatural beings. In many cases shamans (-> shamanism) are intermediaries between the human and the spirit

worlds, often by help of entheogens, shamanic music, drumming , chanting or a combination of these medians. Within a

shamanic ritual sound is used a healing power, directing spiritual energy from the spirit via the shaman to the sick

person.

The Spirit

Phi Faa, Nang Faa or Phi Thaen is a supernatural power residing in the sky. It is believed that Phi Faa created the earth.

She is close to a god or a being like his highest ranking angle. Phi Faa is able to heal from disease and protect from

unexplained disasters. The Phi Faa Ritual is preferably celebrated for a person that rejoices the convalescence from a

serious disease. The faithful thank Phi Faa for her support and plead to grant further protection.

The Shaman

The shaman is the medium, that is able to contact the Phi Faa and invite her to take part in the ceremony. The shaman

selects the suitable date and location for the ceremony, instructs the people during the preparation of the ritual, controls

the correct decoration of the sacrificial altar and conducts the full ceremony.

The Sound

Music, Chanting and Dancing are indispensable elements of the Phi Faa Ritual. The Khaen , a bamboo mouth organ, is

the central music instrument of the Phi Faa Ritual. It is creating a sacred atmosphere when used to accompany ritual

prayers and devotions and it is engaging the participants of the ritual while leading the rhythmic dancing around the

sacrificial altar. Especially for the latter dedication the Khaen is accompanied by the Phing (a guitar like string

instrument), by a hand drum and by Chings (small bells, cymbals). The genre of chanting is very similar to Mor Lam, the

traditional music of Lao and Northeast-Thailand.

The Guests

The guests of a Phi Faa Ritual involve themselves into this highly spiritual ceremony with dancing around a decorated

sacrificial altar. The dance lasts a full night and creates trance conditions for many of the participants. They believe Phi

Faa will participate the ceremony and they expect healing and protection from unfavorable fortune.

The Ritual

The steps of the ritual are related to the songs chanted by the shaman and are always accompanied by the Khaen. This

is because the Khaen is believed to be an important mean to communicate with the gods and the spirits. The steps of

the ritual are as follows: Inviting the gods or spirits, explaining the reason for the invitation, pray for assistance, pray for

protection, consoling the patient, re-calling the spirit that has fled the patient, inviting Phi Faa to accept the offers, Baasii

ritual, fortune telling and take leave of Phi Faa.

The Baasii Ritual

The baasii ceremony is an important part of Lao culture and few Lao would consider undertaking a long journey or

important endeavor without holding one. The faithful sit around a small table on which a variety of offerings are

displayed – bananas, sticky rice, biscuits, money and rice whiskey. An elder or a shaman recites the blessing, while

everyone touches the offerings or, if they can’t reach, the elbow of someone touching the offerings. The elder or the

shaman ties a piece of string around the wrist. In Lao tradition, the soul consists of many guardian spirits that

occasionally wander away from their owner. These must be called back and bound to the body to ensure a person is

properly protected before any important undertaking. Once the elder has finished other participants continue tying loops

of string. Yet more string is produced and finally everyone ties string around each other’s wrists, whispering good wishes

all the while. It is believed that the string must be worn for at least three full days to ensure the desired effect.

Outlook

In developed and industrial societies the younger generation does not take over these traditions. Shamanic rituals are

mainly accompanied by elder people and the tradition is running danger to get lost. Therefore the author record the

preparation and the ritual as a full and allows to view the most important parts of the ritual together with comments via

the World Wide Web.

Publications

Warawut Roengbuthra, Bussakorn Sumrongthong , Phi Faa Ritual Music of the Northeastern Part of Thailand, Voices, Vol

6(1), March 1, 2006

Sumrongthong, Bussakorn (2004). Music Therapy in Thailand. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy