Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Every
nat pwe
is accompanied by a risk that the invited spirit may choose to enter, not
the body of the
nat-gadaw,
but one of the spectators. One of the most commonly
summoned spirits at
nat pwe
is Ko Gyi Kyaw (Big Brother Kyaw), a drunkard
nat
who
responds to offerings of liquor imbibed by the
nat-gadaw.
When he enters someone's
body, he's given to lascivious dancing, so a chance possession by Ko Gyi Kyaw is espe-
cially embarrassing.
Once possessed by a
nat,
the only way one can be sure the spirit won't return again
and again is to employ the services of an older Buddhist monk skilled at exorcism - a
process that can take days, if not weeks. Without undergoing such a procedure, anyone
who has been spirit possessed may carry the
nat
stigma for the rest of their lives. Girls
who have been so entered are considered unmarriageable unless satisfactorily exorcised.
The written Burmese word
nat
is likely derived from the Pali-Sanskrit
natha
, meaning
lord or guardian.
Superstition & Numerology
Superstitions run deep in Myanmar. Many people consult astrologers to find mates and
plan events. According to Benedict Rogers, author of a biography of Than Shwe, the re-
tired senior general has seven personal astrologers at his call, several of whom are tasked
with focussing their darker arts on his chief nemesis, Aung San Suu Kyi.
On a less dramatic level, Myanmar astrology, based on the Indian system of naming
the zodiacal planets for Hindu deities, continues to be an important factor in deciding
proper dates for weddings, funerals, ordinations and other events. Burma became inde-
pendent at 4.20am on 4 January 1948, per U Nu's counsel with an astrologer.
Numerology plays a similar role, with both eight and nine being auspicious numbers.
The Burmese word
ko
(nine) also means 'to seek protection from the gods'. General Ne
Win was fascinated with numerology, especially that relating to the cabalistic ritual Paya-
kozu (Nine Gods). In 1987 he introduced 45-kyat and 90-kyat notes, because their digits'
sum equalled nine.
Those with a general fear of
nat
will avoid eating pork, which is thought to be offensive
to the spirit world.
