“Chap Doem Puj” refers to auspicious first rice-transplanting ceremony. This is a rice farming tradition practiced by farmers in many areas of Surin Province. The ritual is performed to affirm faith and to supplicate both natural and supernatural forces. It is believed to align with the ritual of paying homage to the guardian spirits of the land and fields, and to ask for forgiveness Mae Phosop, the Rice Goddess, for treading upon the fields during cultivation. The ceremony serves as a formal announcement that transplanting is about to commence, seeking her blessing for the rice’s healthy growth and abundance, for timely rains, for plentiful yields, and for protection from any harm or disturbance.
Jab Deum Puj: The Spirit of the Rice Field
As the world spins rapidly forward, many traditional cultures and traditions are being challenged by time and the ideas of the new generation. One of these is “Jab Deum Puj,” an ancient pre-farming ritual, a heritage passed down from ancestors that reflects beliefs, respect for nature, and the strong bonds within the community. Although the younger generation might see it as merely “a ruse of the old generation” or “nonsense,” for those who continue the practice, this ritual still holds deep meaning and is like the very soul of the farmer.
Significance and Beliefs: More Than Just Following Tradition
The Jab Deum Puj ceremony is not merely about following a custom passed down through generations; it is also an expression of gratitude and remembrance for the virtues of Phra Mae Phosop, the goddess of rice and agriculture who nourishes all life. Furthermore, it is about paying respect to ancestors, deceased grandparents, and the “Ta Yai” (guardian spirits) believed to reside in the field, ensuring they are acknowledged and receive offerings.
For farmers, this ceremony is also a tool to build morale and encouragement. It is a way of divining the abundance of the crops for the coming year. “This year, after planting, will there be rain? Will things be fertile?” is the question in every farmer’s mind. This belief is so deeply rooted that forgetting or failing to perform the ceremony might result in the rice not growing well, or family members falling ill. This is because it is believed that the fields are protected by guardian deities (thevada), and failing to honor them can bring penalties.
Steps and Preparations: Meticulous Simplicity
Preparations for the Jab Deum Puj ceremony begin during the sixth lunar month, involving steps and items rich with symbolic meaning:
- Building the ceremonial platform: Men will sharpen four bamboo poles, each with 7 steps (notches), and set them up as posts. A wooden board is laid as a floor before clods of earth are placed on it, which signifies inviting Phra Mae Phosop to descend and reside on the platform.
- Symbol of the rice plant: Sharpened bamboo is used to create a symbol representing the rice plant, and 7 bent bamboo hoops are hung on it to represent ears of rice.
- Offerings: Women will prepare a variety of offerings, including both savory and sweet items such as boiled chicken, khao tom mat (sticky rice bundled in banana leaves), rice wine, and grilled fish, along with flowers, incense, candles, and beautiful sarongs (pha thung) as offerings to the guardian spirits.
- Seedlings for the spirit-calling: An indispensable item is the preparation of rice seedlings, which are used in a spirit-calling ritual (riek khwan) before being transplanted into the actual field.
When everything is ready, the ceremony begins with paying respects to the household spirits (phi ban phi ruean) and ancestors at home first. Afterward, they travel to the spirit house (san phra phum) and the rice field, which is the main location for the ceremony.
Divination: Reading the Future Through the Chicken Jawbone and Planting
The heart of the Jab Deum Puj ceremony is the divination of the future of the cultivation, which is done in two main ways:
- Reading the chicken jawbone: After making offerings at the field, the boiled chicken’s jawbone is used for prognostication. The shape of the jawbone can indicate the abundance of rice for that year. If the jawbone is beautifully curved, like a heavy ear of rice bending down, it means the rice grains will be full and the harvest will be good. However, if the “leaf” part (the flatter part of the jaw) is too beautiful, it might mean the rice plants will only be beautiful in foliage but will not produce grain.
- The divination planting: After the offering ceremony is complete, the head of the family, usually a man, will lead the family members into the field to plant seven rice seedlings. These seven seedlings represent the rice in the entire field. If they grow well, it is believed that all the rice in the field will be beautiful likewise.
Echoes from Two Generations: The Challenge of Preservation
Although it is a beautiful and meaningful tradition, “Jab Deum Puj” is facing challenges from the younger generation, who see these rituals as distant and irrelevant. Many elders in the community express concern that this tradition may fade away with time. “I am also afraid that the children’s and grandchildren’s generation will not follow their parents because the new generation will think it is nonsense.”
However, there is still a strong effort from people in the community to “preserve this culture and tradition” by teaching and instilling its importance in their descendants. They bring them to participate in the ceremony so the new generation can learn what their ancestors did before they began farming. Because for them, this is not just a ritual; it is a remembrance of the virtues of their forefathers, it is a way to build unity in the community, and it is something that, when done, brings “peace of mind” (sabai jai)—a feeling deeply embedded in the soul of every farmer.
The Jab Deum Puj tradition is therefore more than just a belief; it is a kusonlabai (a wise stratagem) that connects people from generation to generation, builds the morale of farmers, and reinforces the respect that humans have for the land and the nature that sustains life. Preserving this tradition is not the duty of any single person, but a collective effort of everyone in the community to help pass on this spirit of the rice field.