Phuket’s annual human barbecue (part 1)

Posted by admin on September 24th, 2008 filed in Activities, The locals, Tourist tips

During Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival a large amount of human flesh will be roasted and skewered. The popular island’s sun-soaked beach areas and tropical cocktails give way to numerous eye-watering processions as well as ear-splitting parades. Ten days during the Vegetarian Festival the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ will be busy making peace with the kingdom of the animals.

In Thai language known as “Ngaan Kin Je”, Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival dates back about 200 years ago when the word ”tourist” didn’t exist. The island’s main resource of income was the tin mines which attracted many hard-working Chinese labourers.

This year the colourful event will take place in town from September 28 to October 7.
On the eve of the event, a huge pole is raised at all of the Chinese shrines in Phuket, and the nine emperor gods are invited to descend from the heavens and take part in the ceremonies. To signify the start of the festival nine lanterns are hung on the poles at midnight.  Online Phuket fesivals calendar.

The next morning, Phuket changes into a sea of while and yellow. Stalls and restaurants fly yellow flags to make clear that they only serve vegan dishes. The served food is free of strong flavours like peppers and garlic and also doesn’t contain any dairy products. Meanwhile young and old participants wear white clothes to express they are abstaining from alcohol and sex along with eating and the killing of animals.

The ceremonies then take on a celebrative atmosphere with huge crowds of people turning up for the maa song processions. The maa song are devotees that are possessed by the gods. These possessed devotees manifest super-natural forces and mutilate themselves so they are able to absorb evil from other persons and provide prosperity for the whole community.

Aside from piercing many parts of the body they also climb blade-rung ladders, lie on beds of nails and take hot oil baths. Each morning starts with processions across the town. After sunset, groups of young males throng the temples’ inner sanctums preparing themselves for the self-mutilate act.

 

At the shrines’ base they enter a state of trance, begin to speak in tongues and then don colourful aprons decorated with Taoist symbols. Then, on their mouths’ either side a doctor makes cuts.

Stay tuned for part two!