Traditional belief

Most of the Kayan are Christians and Buddist by they still practice their traditional beliefs. Every year, they celebrate a ceremony called ‘Ka Khwan’. It is a celebration to the creator of heaven and earth, ‘Nat’. Every year, before planting paddy rice, the Kayan people gather outside the village, bringing a pig. Then, the ritual leader prays to the creator of the heaven and earth, ‘Nat’ to bless the planting of paddy rice. Then the pig is killed and sacrificed to ‘Nat’.

If someone gets sick, the family members bring a chicken to the ritual leader. Then the ritual leader kills the chicken, and sacrifices to ‘Nat’ and prays for the sick person to be cured.

 

The traditional Ka Khwan festival.