Nat and Nat Kadaw : The Existence of the Local Cult in Myanmar Tradition

Description: 

Introduction: "Myanmar has had the prosperous religion, traditional, and other forms of culture in their ways of life. Regarding of the religion, the long-­‐standing and extensive belief in holy and tutelary spirits (Nat) among Myanmese could be generally cited as the Myanmar?s tradition prior the Theravada. Then Buddhism has become to the official faith since King Anawrahta of Bagan dynasty instituted Theravada? a school of Buddhism? to be the principal religion in 11th century. Like Myanmar, other societies in Southeast-­‐Asia and all where the ancient belief and religion is respected and followed by those local people. Among the several Myanmar primitive cults, this article would like to raise the topic of the existence of colorful ritual which fully contains of high respect; Nat and Nat Kadaw (spirit and spirit medium). Actually, this traditional belief has been gradually illustrated by the scholars in different aspects, the classic one was written by the American anthropologist; Melford E. Spiro (1967). Three decades later, the specifically ritual book about the well-­‐known Myanmar local festival was completed by Yves Rodrigue (1995) and other views such as the intensive of this ritual, spirit and spirit medium have been still described by Bénédicte Brac de la Perrière (2009) and the other authors. This attractive cult, however, has still remained interesting phenomenon because the existence of the local be lief and rite has closely been in Myanmese ways of life from Buddhism belief, strict Buddhists and non-­‐Buddhist alliances. In addition, some interesting aspects are that how the Myanmar?s socio-­‐economic changing into the modern society effects to their local belief and spirit worship, how their social transition would affect to the people appealing, and how the Nat Kadaws play their roles and have relations under this context.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.

Creator/author: 

Patchareepan Ravangban

Source/publisher: 

International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015

Date of Publication: 

2015-07-26

Date of entry: 

2015-08-21

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  • Individual Documents

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Language: 

English

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