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Superstitions about Trees and Plants - 02 |
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Written by Panrit "Gor" Daoruang
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Thai people believe
that it is not advisable to plant certain kinds of trees and plants
near the house or in the compound. They are unlucky.
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Chaba (Hibicus
rosa sinensis nalvaceae). This is a shrub plant which
is raised by the Chinese and bears scarletred flower. There
are many varieties of this shrub with various beautiful colors.
In the old days an adulteress was punished by being exposed
to the public on a kind of stilt with red chaba flowers tucked
aboved her ears. A convict to be executed for heinous crimes
was also decorated with such a flower behind the ear on his
way to the place of execution. In southern India, a garland
of such flowers is hung around the neck of a criminal to be
executed.
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Phutsa (Zizyphus
jujuba). The Indian Jujube bears edible cherrylike
fruit. It grows wild and its thorny branches are used to block
the passage of evil spirits when there is a birth. The flowers
have a strange nauseous smell. This tree is not grown near the
house, perhaps, apart from the smell of its flowers when in
bloom, the last syllable "sa" of "Phutsa"
also means in Thai to diminish or to grow less. It is unlucky
to have it in the compound of the house for one's fortune in
trade will grow less and less.
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Nun (Ceibo
pentendra) or kapok tree is not grown near a house.
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Ngiew (Bombax
malabaricumMalvanccae). It is unlucky to grow the red
silk cotton tree in the house compound.
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These
two types of trees have soft wood of no economic value. In former
days big ngiew trees were utilized as coffins for the soft wood
could be dug out easily for the purpose.
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Malakaw
(Carica papaya cururabitaccae). The papaya tree with
edible fruit, has no bark and is liable to uproot easily, hence,
it is not advisable to grow in the house compound or near the
house. Unripe fruit of the papaya is used as food, but ripe
fruit in the old days was not usually eaten because of its strong
butter-like smell which Thai of older generations disliked.
Recently a number of varieties of this tree have been introduced
into the country with improved fruit which suit the taste of
the younger generation. The papaya tree is to be found in the
compound of houses, but older people cling to superstitious
beliefs, and give well-meaning advice that it is not good to
have such trees in the garden.
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Takian
(Hopea odorata).
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Yang
(Dipterocarpus alatus).
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These are tall forest
trees. They are of course not fit to be grown in a limited house
ground. Beside, such big trees are believed by the people to be
abodes of tree spirits. There are two kinds of spirits that reside
in the trees. One kind is a male spirit half "phi" half
thevada or god, and the other is a female spirit like
the wood nymph. The former, as surmised from the tree cult usually
resides in a big tall tree, the wood of which has no economic
value, while the latter resides in a tree which supplies economic
wood or fruits. Even today people in outlying districts will not
dare to cut down any big tree for fear of the tree spirit residing
in it. Even in felling a tree of smaller size, the people will
first make an offering to the spirit to atone for the offence
made. A very big and very tall tree of the kind which the people
believe to be the abode of the spirit will not be felled at any
cost. In the old days when certain big trees were required for
the making of the traditional royal barge or posts for the tall
roof of a royal pyre, an offering was made and a royal proclamation
was read to the spirit under the tree before it could be cut down.
This was a wise practice to preserve big trees of the forest from
wanton felling by the simple folk.
The Takian tree in
the particular is a very well-known one where a female spirit
has her habitation. She is known as "Nang Takian" or
Lady Takian. In the imagination of the people, Lady Takian usually
takes the form of a beauty maiden who sometimes makes a wailing
and piercing sound when the tree, her abode, is felled. Unforseen
and mysterious calamities will befall the person or persons who
destroy her abode. A Takian tree growing near the bank of a river
with its root protruding above ground is to be avoided, for the
Lady Takian of that tree is a fierce one. Whoever relieves himself
near the base of her tree will suffer from ulcers. To add to the
belief, both kinds of trees, Takian and Yang are usually found
in a wat where all sorts of ghost stories emanate.
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Po (Ficus
religiosa). The religious fig tree under which the
Lord Buddha was sitting when he received his enlightenment.
It is to be found in most of the wats. Hence, when a person
sees from afar a po tree, he knows that a wat is there. Such
a sacred tree is not grown in the compound of the house. The
po tree in the wat is usually a tall shady tree around which
the people sometimes wrap a yellow robe in the same manner as
robing a Buddha image with the yellow robe. Some people place
bamboo poles, trimmed and whitewashed, as supports to the holy
tree. In the old days cowrie shells used as token money, were
inserted inside the bamboo poles. Poor people will bury the
bones and ashes of their dear ones near the root of the po tree
so that they may be near the holy symbol of the Lord Buddha.
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Kluey Tani.
A variety of banana which bears fruits. Though delicious to
taste when ripe, it is not usually eaten on account of its numerous
seeds. They are cultivated in gardens for their leaves which
have the highest quality for wrapping purposes, or to make into
leaf cups. They are in great demand in the market. Kluey Tani
is not grown near the house for it has an evil repute that it
has a female "phi" named Nang Tani who every now and
then scares people.
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Mayom (Phyllanthus
distichus euphobiaceaea). The star gooseberry which
bears acid fruit. Its branches are used by monks who dip it
in the consecrated water and sprinkle it on persons or places
as a sort of ritual purification. Some people do not grow this
tree near the house. The Lord of "phi" is called in
Thai, "Phya Yom" from Yama the Indian God of Death.
Perhaps because the name of the tree "mayom" sounds
like Phya Yom in its last syllable, it is not grown near the
house of some people. The branch of mayom tree which is used
for the purification ritual is no doubt used in immitation of
Yama, the Indian God of Death who holds a staff (Yama Dandha)
with which he beasts the evil spirits. On seeing such a staff
the evil spirits will flee.
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Marum (Moringa,
oleiferaMaringaceae). The Indian drum stick tree which
bears pods like drum sticks. Some people object to having such
a tree grown in the house compound. No doubt the objection is
due to the name of tree "marum" which coincides with
the Thai word ma-rum which means "to come in a crowd".
This may be taken to mean to come in a crowd in order to consume
food or to come in a crowd to attack.
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