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Buddhist festival ceremony, interacting with audience
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Part of a ten day vegetarian Buddhist festival in Trang, Thailand. This is a recording of an evening fundraiser event held at the temple, and is well attended by the local townspeople. Men at the event are considered to be in “trance,” or occupied by the spirits of people from “Paradise.” While in trance, they climbed a ladder made with rungs with razor blades.
In this clip, you can hear an announcer’s voice and the drumming, soon followed by a faint, but high pitched voice speaking rapidly. (To me, it sounds like “Beaker” from The Muppet Show.) There are bell sounds, the higher pitched voice and then the voice of a child who repeats himself.
The high pitched voice is from one of the men who is in “trance.” The high pitched voice may be due to the fact that it is the voice from Paradise, not the man’s natural voice. After he speaks and comes close to the audience member, the child with him asks that person to donate some money.




