In pellegrinaggio con un “nat kadaw”
Corpi, suoni ed incontri etnografici con gli spiriti in Birmania Centrale
Abstract
The pilgrimage to the sanctuaries where local spirits (nat) are worshipped represents one of the main elements of the cult of the nats in Central Burma (Myanmar). At specific periods of the year, devotees, ritual specialists (nat kadaw) and musicians gather together to celebrate the nats in their “palaces”, presenting them offerings and prayers, and dancing possessed by them on the intense sound of the nat hsaing music ensemble. This article describes the celebrations for two spirits (Ma Ngwe Daung and Ma Ma Oo) on the base of the pilgrimage experiences by a young nat kadaw from Mandalay. By focusing on the ethnographic process rather than analysing and interpreting the ritual and the performance practices, this article highlights the implications of the multi-sensory experience of participating in a celebration, reporting the physical and musical encounters between human and non-human participants. Starting from a reworking of the ethnographic notes, informal interviews and audio-visual materials collected during the fieldwork, the article offers a reflection on the researcher’s position in the field and his personal ethnographic experience.
