Spirit House
Makayla Schafer
Mrs. Sharon Aiken
College English 1101-69
September 21, 2014
Spirit Houses When traveling to a new country, everything can look unfamiliar and foreign. During my trip to Thailand, it was not the luxurious dresses or the exotic fruit that caught my attention, but it was the beautiful miniature houses outside of homes and businesses. I would soon learn that these “birdhouse” looking structures were actually called spirit houses, and would contain the spirits of deceased loved ones. A spirit house can be simply defined as a house containing a spirit, although to the natives of Thailand, these houses have much more significance. I would learn this significance by observing the natives worshiping these small spiritual houses. It was my first night in Thailand and the locals had gathered to greet us Americans and the returning natives with a traditional Thailand dinner. As we were eating dinner, a man began to come around the table with a large deep dish. I was uncertain of the purpose of this dish until I saw others spooning off some of their meal into the dish. After dinner was over we traveled to a rather big spirit house in the middle of the town. Each person sprinkled a spoonful of food out of the dish onto the ground of the spirit house; this food would symbolize the respect of the natives to the spirits inside the house. Each person also lit a candle and prayed for guidance from the spirits. This practice was so unfamiliar to me that I had to know more. A native teenage would clarify the meaning and history of spirit houses to me. As she began to share the story of spirit houses with me, I found myself astounded with interest. Spirit houses in Thailand arose from the belief in Animism. Animism is the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the universe itself have souls. According to culture heritage of Thailand these souls or spirits can perform many humanistic actions, like protecting of the people, being mischievous, and even
Mrs. Sharon Aiken
College English 1101-69
September 21, 2014
Spirit Houses When traveling to a new country, everything can look unfamiliar and foreign. During my trip to Thailand, it was not the luxurious dresses or the exotic fruit that caught my attention, but it was the beautiful miniature houses outside of homes and businesses. I would soon learn that these “birdhouse” looking structures were actually called spirit houses, and would contain the spirits of deceased loved ones. A spirit house can be simply defined as a house containing a spirit, although to the natives of Thailand, these houses have much more significance. I would learn this significance by observing the natives worshiping these small spiritual houses. It was my first night in Thailand and the locals had gathered to greet us Americans and the returning natives with a traditional Thailand dinner. As we were eating dinner, a man began to come around the table with a large deep dish. I was uncertain of the purpose of this dish until I saw others spooning off some of their meal into the dish. After dinner was over we traveled to a rather big spirit house in the middle of the town. Each person sprinkled a spoonful of food out of the dish onto the ground of the spirit house; this food would symbolize the respect of the natives to the spirits inside the house. Each person also lit a candle and prayed for guidance from the spirits. This practice was so unfamiliar to me that I had to know more. A native teenage would clarify the meaning and history of spirit houses to me. As she began to share the story of spirit houses with me, I found myself astounded with interest. Spirit houses in Thailand arose from the belief in Animism. Animism is the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the universe itself have souls. According to culture heritage of Thailand these souls or spirits can perform many humanistic actions, like protecting of the people, being mischievous, and even