The Music in Calling of the Soul Ceremony of Karen People

Abstract

This study explores the role that music plays in the Calling of the Soul Ceremony in which white threads are tied around the wrists of Karen people who live in the Narea Suan National Park in the Lai-Vo Sub-district, Sanklaburi District of Kanchanaburi Province. The following results were found. The act of thread-tying is considered an important ceremony by Karen people and takes place annually on the full moon of the 9th month which is called “Duan La Khao”. Another name for this thread-tying ceremony is "Khai Chu Laa Khao". The ceremony is held to call the soul of anyone that might be lost anywhere to come back to their bodies. Three significant music instruments are combined in this ceremony as follows: 1) Que (buffalo horn-pipe) is a symbol of Karen tradition, Blowing to start the ceremony. 2) Metali (mandolin) is used when singing to call the souls into the ceremony. 3) Na-Deng (Karen Harp) is used during the time when the elders are tying threads on the wrists of their grandchil-
dren who have attended the ceremony. Moreover, the music represents the roles in three dimensions: 1) to create an atmosphere of greater importance, 2) to represent the identity of Karen people, and 3) to be a mediator by telling a new generation to pass on this wonderful and beautiful tradition.