PCHUM BEN: LOCAL CEREMONY TOWARDS ELDERLY’S HEALTH PROMOTION IN KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

Abstract

This qualitative research was aimed to study the background of Pchum Ben ceremony and the relationship between the ceremony and elderly’s health promotion in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The research area was Phreada village, Bontia Srey sub-district, Siem Rieb district, Siem Rieb province, Kingdom of Cambodia. The research sample was selected by purposive sampling included 3 ceremony conductors, 5 community’s leaders, 3 monks, 5 elderlies and 5 villagers. The research time was between September 2013 until October 2015. The Ethnographic study was used as methodology model together with in-depth interview technique, note-taking, voice recorder, discussion, observation, and content analysis. The result was found that 1) Pchum Ben is an important ceremony which has been inherited a long time from the past until nowadays. It is the merit-making practice for ancestor’s spirits in order to release them from bad karma. The spirits will come to take the merit from their children and then bless children happiness, auspicious, successful and free of illness. So, the ancestor’s spirit worship has been organized annually. The ceremony will be held on 2 important periods included Ben Thom and Ben Tooj. On Ben Thom, the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th day of the 10^th waning moon, family members sacrifice merit for spirits and Buddhist chanting will be performed in order to connect and invite spirits to take the merit in order to get to a peaceful life. On Ben Tooj Day, the 15^th day of the 10^th waning moon,  about 3 o’clock in the morning people will gather together in the temple with Khao Binh and invite monks to chant in order to invite their ancestor’s spirits. Then, the prepared offerings in a basket, Kra Cher, will be poured under trees or beside the main hall of the temple to worship ancestor’s spirits. In the same morning, Buddhist chanting and taking the funeral rope to sacrifice merit will be performed again to finish the ceremony. And, 2), Pchum Ben ceremony benefits elder’s health promotion. Elder’s people take part in this ceremony from the first till the last step which accorded to their way of life, thinking and transferred beliefs. The participation is started from material preparation and so on. Moreover, elderlies also play a role as a spiritual anchor for children to back home annually. Elderlies get up early in the morning to prepare food, offerings and other components to make merit for ancestors. It is the way to workout, getting fresh air, keep calm and happiness by donation and practice Buddhist precepts. Elderlies can value themselves from being a ceremony conductor to transfer local knowledge to the young generation. Moreover, it is a chance to meet and exchange with people of the same age and to be a spiritual anchor in order to build harmony in family and community. These are items to promote elderly’s health in order to make them good temper and peaceful mind which bring them healthy physical.