Totems and Rituals

At the end of Thadingut the villagers erect tall bamboo and short Eugenia totem poles. They decorate them with bamboo symbols of the sun, moon and stars, below which are bundles of rice with their roots and earth still attached. Right at the top strips of bamboo are woven into an umbrella or hti, which is very similar to those on Buddhist paya. Although some villagers have become Buddhist or Roman Catholic over the years, they still hold animistic rituals. 

The villagers sacrifice pigs and chickens to pray for good rain, freedom from danger, unity and peace and tranquility. We enter a field where many totems have been erected over the years. At festival time, a fence is erected to separate men from women. Inside, the men dance, sing and play musical instruments: flutes, brass cymbals, bronze drums and gongs.

Below is a table for the offerings.