A Legend and a Ritual Related to High-ranking Ghosts in UbonRatchathani’s Kongchian District

Abstract

“Kongchiam” is one of the districts of Ubon Ratchathani province, located along a Thai-Lao border and separated by the Mekong River. As an area of multi-ethnicity, the district witnesses a variety of ethnic groups
including I-san people, Loa people, Kha and Bru. The legend of the guardian ghost locally known as “Mahesak or high-ranking ghost” has been orally passed on for generations. The ghost houses specifically built for the guardian spirits can be seen in several communities in Kongchiam. The stories concerning the guardian ghost are regarded as holy and reflect beliefs, ideas, perspectives and social ideology. The article aimed to 1) propose a wide range of the stories on Mahesak as learned and accepted by the locals residing in Kongchiam and 2) to show how the legend of Mahesak as existing can play a vital role in the
communities in Kongchiam. The researchers based the present work on the data derived in a field study. The data orally provided were acquired from five sources: a story of Pao and Pang, a story of Pootasuriyawong, a story of
Chulamanee seer, a story of Sinxai and a story of Aya-ayor. These stories have remarkably influenced the residents of Kongchiam. According to the study, the legend of Mahesak as perceived by Kongchiam dwellers reflect a cultural diversity. They also have a belief dimension to indicate a relationship between humans, nature and supernatural powers. Besides, the stories under investigation reflect an idea, social perspectives and ideology in many dimensions. The issues under study can be categorized as follows: 1) the legend of Mahesak and cross-border relations, 2) the legend and the creation of religious ideology, 3) the legend and social spaces, 4) the legend and the creation of ethnic identity.