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This morning at 2:00 AM, the father of Vichet, our interpreter project manager, died of complications from diabetes at his home. By daylight the body had been washed and laid out and relatives were gathering. At 3:00 PM this afternoon the monks came for a second time to chant their prayers for the dead and several of us from the Deaf Development Programme attended. This is the front room of the family home and the body is in the white coffin with the orange top. |
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Five monks came to chant the prayers. They sit in order of seniority, from right to left, and the head monk, the eldest, leads the chants to which the other monks and the people respond. The second eldest monk has a bowl of holy water and sprinkles the people throughout much of the rite. |
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At the end of the common prayers, four of the monks departed and the head monk is then seated on a special chair, which the monks bring with them, to address the people. He speaks of Buddhist values, death, and hope. Mostly the older women sit and listen. The younger Cambodians sit outside around the tables and talk. |
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The family of the deceased must provide a meal for all those who attend, and these tables and the overhead canopy were set up by the catering company. This is a driveway and open area in front of the house. |
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This is a tent set up by the catering company where they cook their food. They prepared two meals today and will prepare a breakfast tomorrow morning because the cremation ceremony starts at 7:00 AM. There are no set times for the various ceremonies but they are selected by the monks and fortune tellers as auspicious times to comfort the spirits of the deceased and to avoid bad luck for the mourners. |