By Sabrina Kamaruddin
Pictures of courtesy Google
The Academy Award-winning movie Spirited Away introduces to the international plane a crucial mythological element of many Asian cultures; the character of Haku, short for Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi (literally “god of the swift amber river”), is not an estranged image of Southern and Eastern Asian native beliefs. The basic narrative of Haku, a river god trapped in the form of a human boy, would not usually appear abnormal to people from the surrounding regions of Southeast Asia for a number of reasons: firstly, the supernatural transformation of a being into another organic form is commonplace in much Asian folklore, seen in many Hindu and Buddhist stories and the basic concept of karma; secondly, the dragon and its scaly skin such as the serpent are common mythological creatures and play a significant part of folklore in this part of the world.
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| The depiction of Haku typifies the Asian dragon who is unlike the larger, winged dragon of Western folklore |
No visit to the Mekong River should go without a mention of its native myths. Each culture manifests myths by different names, and carries with them different lores, all versions of the creature star in significant otherworldly phenomenons revolving around, in essence, similar fundamental beliefs. The strong Hindu and Buddhist influence over China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia resurface in their folklore in the form similar to Haku – native people of the Mekong from each of these countries believe in the existence of a snakelike, dragon creature that resides in the river warding off venerators.
The origin of the word naga is possibly from the Hindi naag which literally translates to ‘snake’. Stories involving the nagas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in regions where Hindu and Buddhist beliefs are still integral in the modern culture (both directly and not), an area stretching from India to Japan. For example in India, nagas are considered nature spirits and the protectors of springs, wells and rivers. They bring rain, and thus fertility, but are also thought to bring disasters such as floods and drought, and are strongly associated with the aquatic—rivers, lakes, seas, and wells—and are generally regarded as guardians of treasure.
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| Alongside the unicorn, turtle and phoenix, the dragon is an elemental creature in Buddhist mythos |
The legend of the naga is a strong and sacred belief held by people living along the Mekong River. Many pay their respects to the river because they believe the naga still rules it, and locals hold an annual sacrifice for the naga. Each ceremony depends on how each village earns its living from the Mekong River — for instance, through fishing or transport. Local residents believe that the naga can protect them from danger, so they are likely to pay respects to the naga before taking a boat trip along the Mekong River.
A cobra-like deity in Hindu mythology, the dragon-like naga gets a Buddhist spin in Thailand. Legend has it that phaya nak (river dragon) raised Lord Buddha over a flood during his last pre-enlightenment meditation. The creature then welcomed his final incarnation on Earth by spitting fire skywards, at what became the end of Buddhist Lent. Alleged displays of the phaya nak’s combustible breath have re-emerged beneath October full moons in the form of fireballs ever since, as a sort of tribute to Buddha. This paranormal activity, known as bung fai paya nak (naga fireballs) has been attracting attention from many tourists and scientists alike, although there are theories that they are not natural and are in fact man-made.
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| Remarkable fireballs emerging from Mekong river near the Nong Khai province of Thailand |
These naga stories vary little from one culture to the next, especially in regions around Southeast Asia whose cultural origins overlap, and grand narratives as well as minor ones like those of the naga being a shared belief. Like the message I pushed across in my previous article of the Hindu faith in Vietnam, the story of the naga reiterates the idea that Vietnam and the home country of most of us travellers, Malaysia, is essentially not too different. Although years of toil, political erosion of culture and the causal determinist effects of religious discourse has led to what may appear as superficial fissure between our cultures, we are historically and culturally very similar indeed.
Sabrina Kamaruddin aka Sabariah/Sabsab/Sabby/Sabby K/Sabo/Sab/Sabs/S'bina/Sabun/Sbrnk(read:sabrenka)/Bina/Been/Na/Bimbom/Nyet/Nyak/Flabby is trying to survive her Communications major. Rod Steward is her deity
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