พลวัตการนับถือผีของกลุ่มชาติพันธ์ลาวบ้านเนินสะอาดในบริบทสังคมสมัยใหม่

Abstract

    This research aims to study: 1) the beliefs and rituals, and 2) the role and importance of spirit worship of Ban Noen Sa-aad villagers, Na Ratchakhwai sub-district, Mueang district, Nakhon Phanom province. The research is qualitative, which was conducted by gathering data from documents and field work. In-depth interviews were conducted in 4 groups of people with 4 ritual leaders, 5 local gurus, 10 persons having experience in joining the ritual, and 10 students having experience in the ritual. Analytical results were presented using descriptive analysis.
    The research yielded the following results: 1) Ban Noen Sa-aad villagers have had a long history of spirit beliefs. It began by setting up an ancestor tower in the northeastern direction of the community. It was believed that doing so would bring prosperity into their life and protect the people in the village. According to the customary practice at lineage level, villagers worshipped 2 spirit lineages: one was Tri-Ya-Tha and the other was Aa-Saa-Wang. At family level, household spirits were strictly respected. Villagers paid respect when greeting and leaving, notified and offered them their sacrifice. On the farm, there was a Ta-Haek spirit looking after the rice plant and crop to be abundant. When Nakhon Phanom University was founded, Ban Noen Sa-aad village was vibrant with people in higher education coming to live in the community. This event resulted in the career change of the locals to accommodate the incoming population. The ritual of spirit worship has changed in response to the need and the new social problem resolution. 2) The role and importance of spirit worship consisted of the following. 2.1 The role towards treatment. The villagers currently had more medical knowledge, but their perspective and understanding about the causes of illness still remained with supernatural power. It made some villagers rely on the power of spirits. Although it could not be proved that it would work, but it would give them feeling of comfort and relaxation. 2.2 The role towards careers. Currently, people of various occupations came to rely on the power of spirits to succeed in doing their business, such as trading, beauty salon and car repairs. 2.3 The role towards travel. Villagers tended to pray to spirits for some morale when facing unpredictable events. 2.4 The role towards social organizing and controlling. The customary practices of taboo and Buddhist principles were under the control of punishment from ancestors’ spirits for the offense. This shows that the spirit worship of Ban Noen Sa-aad villagers still successively helps maintain the community identity under the community context, conditions and factors that are dynamic.