The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo

•
168 Anthony R. Walker ·
The t_emple itself is entered through the single door which opens from the front
courtyard. Inside (Fig. 8), there is only one room. The "G'uiv sha threon" is located
against the back wall. In front of this is an open dancing space. To the right of the
throne, also against the wall, is an altar dedicated to G'uiv fu_, guardian spirit of the
village community and supernatural intermediary between the villagers. and G'uiv sha.
On this altar are two small porcelain cups of Chinese design which hold, respectively,
offerings of rice and water placed i~ them by the senior priest on the lunar festival days
(cf. Walker 198lb).
3
4-
-
5
Fig. 8 Interior plan of
5
haw-yehv
2 1. door
2. dancing place
3. Gu'iv sha throne
4. G'uiv[u_al•ar
0 1
5. raised platform
me~res
. 1
Long strips of white and yellow cloth, as well as a number of cloth umbrellas,
hang from the rafters. The strips of cloth bear the same name, htov pa_, as those
attached to the bamboos outside the building, but inside they are meant only, it seems,
as gifts to G'uiv sha. The umbrellas, hpa" miv bo (hpa" "cloth", mr bo ?), are also
said to be offerings to G'uiv sha. But as the umbrella is a symbol of royalty among the
Tai peoples (an emblem ultimately derived from India), the hpa" miv bo probably, like
so many Lahu Nyi ritual objects, are copied from Tai prototypes and symbolize again
the royalty of G'uiv sha, together with the "throne" and wooden posts. But I did not
hear such an explanation from Lahu themselves.
To the left of the throne is a small wooden trough, haw_..:. ti" kehv (etymology
unknown), containing water, from which a rudely-carved bird, co ngeh" "life bird", is
drinking . . Those few informants who could offer any explanation (beyond awv li
"custom" ) for the "life bird" said only that G'uiv sha owns such a bird which "cries
out" (bvuhv ve) for the long life of the villagers.