Randomness

When we hear the mention of a rocket launch, our minds think of scientific studies. This is because they are mostly used to deliver satellites into space. What if I told you that launching rockets is also a cultural practice?

In Northeastern Thailand, you will find this tradition. The Isaan community celebrates Bun Bang Fai festival, also called Rocket festival. It is a merit making ceremony that is conventionally practiced at the beginning of the wet season. It mostly happens on the second weekend of May every year.

Villagers launch rockets to symbolically seed the clouds and bring on the rainy season. This is usually prior to the planting season. The festivities offer a chance to make merry before the hard work begins.

Held in a park in Yasothon town it is a three days’ fair. On Friday, there are cultural performances by students from the different districts. At night, they have Morlam concerts with dancers and musicians. There is a lot of dancing and drinking beer.

On Saturday, they have the Bang Fai Ae Parade that features traditional Isaan dances. They perform elaborately choreographed dances for the judges and thereafter, parade their beautifully decorated rockets.

On the last day, that is when they fire the rockets. A majority of the launches are successful but in case one fails, the group members are thrown into a mud pit that is commonly prepared for their humiliation.

Various districts in Yasothon province, hold their festivals in the following weekends. I got the chance to participate in Mahachanachai district. Morlam concert was epic. Though I could not sing along, the instrumentation was key and tunes were catchy. On Saturday, I attended the Bang Fai Ae parade. Cultural dance performances from the different groups were entertaining to watch. Besides the dances, my highlight was the drummers whose moves were also in synch with the beats. Watching the cheerful villagers beam with pride as they paraded their lavishly adorned rockets, I was in awe.