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

LAHU NY1 ( RED LAHti) JUTES FOR ESTABL1SH1NG A NEW VILtAGt 189
candles by twisting them together in pairs.62
Lighting the candles, he plac·es them at
various parts of the house, particularly on the newly-prepared altar to the house spirit,
but also on one or more of the principal upright house supports, cross beams and walls
and on the earthen fireplace.6 3
He now prays ... asking to be forgiven for having cut
down trees to build the house, and requesting. health and prosperity for the :Q.ousehold
members in their new abode. I recorded three examples of this prayer, as follows:
TEXT FIVE (A) : HOUSEHOLD HEAD'S PRAYER
WHEN ENTERING HIS NEW HOUSE
1. A- , yaA nyi, a-, yaA pui- kav haw yehv ma awv cev chive, shawv suh -- ma suhk'awA
YUv> a- , shawV hpu shawV CO, shawV baA shawV veV chi ve·, yaA pui- kaV
haw yeh v ma awv cev yehv bon ta tiM a-, shawv ba,.. shawv vev chi ve, ngav Ia,..
meuV pehV ve A hkeh ve A k'aw_.. tu- leh pehV haw_ k'aw,.. tu- leh chi ceuV
k'awv ceuv u- htaM shawv baA ma baA chi hta,.. haw, a-, tu- leh ngav tev peu_
pa A g'a ll- htaA) noV g'a k'a_wv peuV pa A leh ngaV llpa
A leh keh_ lav.
ngaV hpawV k'awV peuV
2. YaA pui- yehv hpawv k'a hpawv chi htaA haw, a- , yehv suh- k'a suh- k'awA
ta A g'a yov law k'o " k'o, yaA nyi tan_ leh ov k'ai ve, chehv sha cawv sha, zuhA
sha mui sha ti- cawv laV, hk'awv g'av chi g'av mav dawv mav ha_ , mav dawv
mav hki-:-, yehv maawv cev chi haw-
chehv leh chehv sha cawv shave, chi bo11; ti-
yehv chi tev yehv YOv law k'o " k'o, a-,
pa " leh k'a lav.
3. Mav dawv mav hki- , mav dawv mav ha_, a- , hpav kav rna kav, yav kav duv kav,
mav guiv mav hpa ", neh ceh yav ceh mav guiv mav hpav, pehv ceh ma ceh mav
gui hk'e, ~hi bon ti- pa A leh k'a lav meh __ .
62. The lighting of beeswax candle> precedes many Lahu Nyi ritual observances. Indeed, so
important is the use of these candles that Lahu Nyi frequently call themselves pehv tu- pa_
or "beeswax burners" ( pehv from pehv haw_ "beeswax", tu- from tu-ve "to light" , pa_the
male suffix) . The reason for the use of such candles varies from one informant to another
and according to the rite in question. Bu t there seems to be agreement that candles "please"
the benevolent supernatural beings, making them more likely to grant boons.
The beeswax
is obtained by the Lahu themselves in the mountains. The wicks are made by twisting colton
wool which, among the Lahu I studied, was purchased from itinerant lowland traders. The
- ~ oft, easii:Y plia.ble-beeswax is then molded with the fingers around a wick to make.a thin
candle about 5 or 6 em. long. In use, two or more candles are twisted together for stability ..
63 . The supports are called yeltv hk11i- daw, cross beams are to.- /a A, walls are g'oA pa,' fiJ·eplace
is hk'a civ.