For the Hindus, the installation banana plants on both side
of the entrance of wedding ceremony are a must. They think banana plant will
bring ‘valeyadi valey’ or ‘continuity of life’.
Banana plants are also used for the purpose to avoid
misfortune in case where a couple is found of not suitable to be married; the man
will need to marry with a banana plant first. A priest will carry out the
wedding ceremony and upon the completion of the ceremony; the man will chop
down the banana tree to signify the failure of the first marriage. Only after
that the couples are married with a proper ritual. It is hoped that in doing so
whatever mishaps already been carried away by the banana tree. And that the
second marriage will bring happiness and prosperity.
In old Malay village, the banana plant clusters were used as
places to throw away or bury black magic items, heirloom items or spirits
imprisoned inside a container. Because of this the old folks always advise the
young ones not to play around banana plants at dusk. There were also stories
told that the newly buried corpse transformed into banana trunk upon digging
up. Because of these stories, banana plants be become ‘taboo’ and almost synonym
to Malay mysticism.
The Chinese however believe a banana plant to be notorious
of attracting spirits. The larger a banana plantation is, and then the chances
of finding power spirits are higher.
A person is forbidden to urinate or shit inside the compound
of a banana plantation. Besides that, he also need to mind his language; if he
ignores these taboos then bad luck will be fallen onto him. He is also forbids to
smear his blood onto a banana plant because it is believed that the banana
plant will turn into banana spirit once fed with human blood. On the other
hand, Chinese also believe that banana plants can bring ‘ong’ or fortune and
luck to the house owner.
In Taiwan, it is forbidden to cast a person’s shadow into
holes dug during banana planting activities. It is also a no-no to burn banana
leaves in a large scale as the local believe that this action will make the
person to be void of offspring.
Like the Chinese, some Thai believe that a banana plant may
house a type of vampire spirit called ‘Phee Pop’. This ‘Phee Pop’ can be caught
through certain rituals.
So friend, do you have your own version of banana plant
usage to be added to this library?
That old movie called Banana Spirit is fun, but it does depict a folkloric ritual that in some aspects is authentic, does it not?
ReplyDeleteI mean the red cord between the tree and the summoner and the offering of blood and incense in order to call forth the dryadic succubus of the Banana tree.
Do you know the whole procedure for that ritual?
Also, in traditions I am familiar with the animist view is that ALL trees have spirits and that these spirits can be good or bad depending on how and why they are approached. Is the perspective the same in for example Thailand, that All trees have spirits, or do they believe that only some trees are haunted?
Have you any experience with the Banana spirit talismans made by some Thai masters? Are they only lucky charms or do they actually connect to the mentioned Spirit?
Also, have you heard about the rituals used in order to boost the power of certain spirit- talismans by burying them by the banana tree?
Thanks for another good post.
Here are the rituals:
DeleteJelengkung
http://liewsp1-magicsea.blogspot.com/2012/06/conjuration-of-jailangkung-spirit.html
Spirit of banana
http://liewsp1-magicsea.blogspot.com/2010/09/spirit-of-banana-plant.html
Phi Pop
http://liewsp1-magicsea.blogspot.com/2012/02/hello-phi-pop.html
Basically all trees have spirits... Some are stronger than others. However not all trees to be haunted, there are special circumstances that will make a tree haunted.
It is not difficult to boost the power of spirits, just give them fresh blood and incense smoke. Be careful if you want to do that.
I agree and my wording in the question was bad. I agree that all trees have their own Natural Spirit and the word "haunted" should instead be reserved when the trees are inhabited by spirits other than their own. Like in the cases where the obsessed dead attach themselves to the trees. In the tradition I work within the Black Ironwood tree is for example known to be like a magnet for the dark and obsessed dead. It attracts the souls of suicides, murderers and murder victims and is fed with blood on each Good Friday in order to lend its powers to the workings later done with his (the Spirit of the tree's) aid. So, that tree has its own spirit, which is a dark and powerful one, but it is also most often haunted by the evil ghosts.
ReplyDeleteVery good for black magic.