The Ritual Music for Sa-Eang Ceremony of Kuy Ethnic Group in Lower Northeastern part of Thailand

Abstract

The objective of this article was to study the element of the ritual music for Sa-Eang Ceremony of Kuy Ethnic Group in Lower Northeastern part of Thailand. The data in this qualitative study were collected by field trip. Then, the results were reported by using descriptive statistics. The results of this study was found that the Sa-Eang Ceremony of Kuy Ethnic Group, the villagers believed  that the ritual  was  healing of sick people by playing music and dancing. The villagers  have to communicate as a method of healing sick people, after they have recovered from the sickness, they will have to do the ritual in the village.  The Sa-Eang Ceremony happens in the Sam village  Phokrasang Sub-district Khun Han District Sisaket Province. The ritual has been held every year in this village and the offering was provided  and followed by playing music and dancing. They believed that the ritual cannot be held during Vassa period. The element of the ritual music for Sa-Eang Ceremony which comprised of  1 Pi Sa-Eang,  2 Thon Drum and 1 Gong Hui, sometimes they have a Khene instrument to play together. This was a medium musical band which included 4-5 players. The ritual music was in a short melody and moderate tempo, The music was played in a short melody loop which called the pentatonic sound system. The structure of the song was clearly divided, the band always started playing from the beginning till the end of the ceremony.