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

1&8 . _. :Anthony_ R . .Walker
this informant said, were -/awy nyi~ or mule day6o and htawy Ia nyi (meaning tinknown,
but probably rabbit day). This man reckoned that if he began on, mule day his household
woqld prosper and if he started on htawy Ia nyi he would become rich. -But he
.. . . . '
. could not link tl.)e na~e of the ~y to the_ (~oped-for) consequence. All informants
agreed that it mattered· not whether work began during the period of the waxing or the
waning moon, but of course no work eould be done on the new and full moon days,
shr nyi (see above, p. 177). · · .-
The house may be built of any wood except that of the a yaw tree, a ·variety of
chestnut (Lagerstoemia cylindrica). This tall, straight tree, Lahu say, is particularly
liable to be struck by lightning--and indeed these Lahu, associate the tree with the
mvuhy hteh" ney or "lightning spirit" (cf. Walker 1977c : 214). If a yaw wood were
used in house constru.ction, Lahu Nyi say, it would invite lightning to strike the building.
The menf~lk usually ~ut the w~od and bamboo building m_aterials, while the women
assemble the grass or leaves for the thatch, but there is nd fixed division of labour in
this respect.
It may take from one to three or four days to finish the house, depending on
· how much help is received from household members and friends. Then it' is swept
clean and the first important ritual of occupancy followl. . Some member of the house~
hold (unstipulated) fetches water from the village supply and brings it into the house,
saying, "l" kaA hk'e, chehy sha Ia" I" (like water may we have good health·!) or ••r ka"
hk'e le may na., may gaw~ gav I" (like. water may we suffer no sickness 1). -- If the
household has enough pigs, the household head may kill one for a feaS( -to ·mark the
completion of his house. I was told by the headman of the village iii. which I was
living that it is highly appropriate to kill a pig on . this occasion, for it will ensme
success in the hunt for the men of the household. c; I
7. Entering a New House
In the evening of the first day of occupancy,~ major rite must be· perform~d ·
during which the spirit protector of the house, the yehv rzev or "house spirit" (cf.
)\Talker 1977e) is invited to take ':'P residence._ The household head prepares beeswu
60. A second informant concurred in this view, while a third listed mule day as one of the inaus-
. _. picious days. ___ . _ _ _ _ _ ·--· .. __ __ _ _ ___ . _ ........ __ _
61. His words were .. Yeh., suh- chehY_tev nyi, va" 'caw.,. k'o ti cav k'o, yeh,. chi hta,. chehv htaY~
heh" pui- hk'aw sha_ g'a ca pul-a" ("On the day of living.in a new house, if one has a
pig and kill~ it, when living in this house one will be able to·bag many forest animals").