Poy Wang Fai Tai Neua (Tai Neua Rocket Festival)

Tai Neua also has Poy Wang Fai (Rocket Festival) as other ethnic groups in Laos which is one of  other Tai Neua traditions. Poy Wang Fai (Rocket Festival) will be organized every year. Traditionally, the rocket festival is the sixth Lunar month ceremony that Lao people have conducted  for many generation(s). What is history? Why does Tai Neua people still organize Poy Wang Fai (Rocket Festival)?


Rocket Festival's History

Once upon a time, when the lord  Buddha was not yet enlightened, he had to be born and reborn to accumulate sufficient merit fitting to be the Buddha.   In one of his lives, he was born Phya Khankhaak, the Toad King.

Because of his merit making and loving kindness, all the humans and animals respected him. The news of this well-respected human king made the rain god, Phya Thaen so jealous and  humiliated.

In order to spoil the name of the Toad King, Phya Thaen did not send the rain to the earth for 8 years and 8 months.   People had no water for cultivation and consumption.  A huge number of vulnerable people and animals died.   Only the strong could survive.

 All surviving creatures on earth decided to fight Thaen for rain. The Naga King and his naga or mythical serpent troops volunteered to start the war against the god of rain.  In this battle, the Naga King and his naga or mythical serpent troops lost and they received many wounds.  After the wounds were healed, the naga and snakes' bodies became multi coloured.

Then the King of Bees and his army took over the war. The fighting took many days and  huge numbers of bees were killed.  The King of Bees and his troops met the same fate as the Naga army and their bodies became multi-coloured as well.

All other creatures were very afraid.     Finally, the Toad King decided to go to the front and he had a clever plan of three steps. The first step, he sent the termites to eat the handles of the swords of the god of rain and his army.

The second step, he sent the King of Scorpions and his troops to the sky to hide themselves in the firewood and clothing of the gods and goddesses and be ready to bite at any time. In the morning when the God of Rain and his soldiers woke up, they would be bitten when they took their firewood and when they got dressed. When they took the handles of the swords, all handles would be destroyed and broken and become useless.

The third steps, the Toad King ordered his troops to begin the fight.  Since the God of Rain's soldiers were suffered from the bites of scorpions, they were not brave enough to fight. When they took the weapons, all their weapons became useless.  The King of the Toads sat on the horse back and chased after the God of Rain.  And finally the God of Rain was captured and tied up.     The King of Toads was the winner.  They made an important treaty after they had seized the God of Rain.

The peace treaty was made.     Some articles were outlined as follow:

1. The rocket must be made to communicate between the earth people and the God of Rain. Every year, before the rainy season arrives, the earth people have to prepare the rockets and send them to the sky to remind the God of Rain to pour the rain down for ricefields and other crops.

 2. The sounds of the frogs are the signals to show that the rain has already fallen down. So when the rain arrives, the frogs have to shout out, signaling that there is plenty of rain available for rice planting.

3. Kites and the flute sounds are the means of signaling that the harvest season has arrived.  There is no longer need for rain.  When the God of Rain hears these sounds, he has to stop sending the rain and wait until he sees the rocket in the next year.

Type of Rocket

There are two types of the rockets. The first type has no tail. These are : Wangfaiphou, Wangfaiphaniang, Wangfaitalai, Wangfai dokmai, Wangfaikongkao, Wangfaima. The second type has tail and classified as four sorts as below :

1. Wangfainoi is the small rocket. It is used to check that the rain will arrive on time or not. If it goes very high up that means lucky.

 2. Wangfaihoi is the one which contained less than 12 kilos of gun powder. It was made for competition.

3. Wangfaimune is the one which contained between 12 kilos to 119 kilos of gun powder.

4. Wangfaisene is the biggest rocket which contained 120 kilos of gun powder.

Why do we prepare the rocket festival?

Poy Wang Fai (Rocket Festival)  is a very important event that we could not abandon since the early period of time.  It is also the important symbol of unity and friendship used to fight against dry weather and to request rain. 

Even though, belief in the rain god  is less now than in former times,  the Lao still respect this tradition and continue to prepare the rocket festival as one of the most significant activities that takes place before of  the season of rice cultivation. In addition to the preparation of rockets, there are some Buddhist ceremonies such as waterblessing rituals that the senior monks perform at the same event.

The Rocket festival is the only annual chance the farmers have to request rain from the   god called  Phaya Thaen. Because of the strong belief held since ancient times, when the land was dry and farmers did not have enough water for rice production. So the rocket festival were instituted..

It is the one means for human beings to communicate symbolically with the god to request rain.

Conclusion is even if the rocket festival is the old tradition, Tai Neua people are still believe because the festival made good results as follow :

        1. To promote the friendship relations among the villagers.

        2. To keep the ethnic group heritage.

        3. Describing conditions of people lives.

        4. Be confidence to gain rain from God for crops cultivation.

        5. Reduce the worries by merits and fun making.

        6. Motivate people and tourists.

        7. Better markets promotion and gain more incomes.

What do you think of Rocket Festivals? Do you know any think about Tai Neua Rocket festival?