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Prayers, Prophecies and
Predictions -Fortune Tellers in Cambodia |
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Prayers, prophecies, predictions-the Cambodians are
a nation of believers. To them, visits to fortune tellers are a necessary part
of their lives. Bearing offerings of candles, fruits and joss sticks, Cambodians
almost ritually trudge to their to their favored fortune tellers to ask
about life and career, not only for themselves, but also for their loved ones.
Businessmen seeking new opportunities never fail to ask advice about their
upcoming investment ventures.
These masters of fortune come in many different forms-ranging from
spiritual possession to cad reading and palmistry, just to name a few.
Mainly,
women, the fortune tellers dedicate their lives to helping people with their
gift for reading the future, the present and the past.
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Some are powerful
enough to eliminate imminent ill fortune for their devotees by providing advice
on how to "release bad luck to the elements", yet others can cure the
sick. But all are guided by forces they firmly believe to be greater than any
found on earth.
Mdm Sithon Sim received the gift to tell fortunes after a bout of serious
illness in 1980. Feverish as she was when the raging fever seared through her
mind and body, she detected the presence of a god and a voice telling her she
has been chosen to be his representative on earth.
As she related her experience, Mdm Sithon marveled that she was not afraid
at that time even though she is not particularly bold person. At the
subconscious level, she knew that it was not an ominous presence but really that
of Pariah Ant Dangkak, a god who takes care of the universe, and is
worshipped by many Cambodians.
She rejected the call to be possessed by the spirit and fell ill again. She also
made herself unattractive in a vain attempt to repulse the spirit- she did not
wash, did not brush her hair, did not keep clean..... When the spirit stopped
appearing to her,Mdm Sithon thought she had won the battle of the wills.
Little did she realist that the spirit was already in her, the chosen one
When her friends and neighbors visited, she could "see" their
fortunes. Soon, word spread about her ability and she began to receive a steady
stream of customers, initially for free and then later for the smallest
payment she could exact- one rile and a packet of cigarettes, as dictated by the
spirit. Two months later, she was asked to erect an altar in her home in honors
of Preach And Dangkak.
The altar still stands today and Mdm Sithon can often be seen praying at the
alter, her head bowed lowed low in deep respect, her hands clasped reverently.
It was a baptism by fire as over the past two decades, Mdm Sithon has tried
several more times to reject the call, each time with dire consequences.
She has been severely ill, a child was born handicapped, and all that is left of
her two- story house is the dim remains of part of the lower floor - the result
of an unexplained fire.
Mdm Sithon has since accepted her calling- she is confident that and her family
are well looked after by divine powers and is content to spend her time helping
people live their lives more meaningfully.Gods and spirits are
discerning when searching for are their earthly vessels. For Mdm
Fortune Teller (the spirit does not wish to disclose her name), the search for a
suitable human body concluded in 1987, after three years of close observation
and careful selection of a kind and honest person.
She had never been a religious person as she did not believe in god, nor did she
visit any pagoda. On a fateful day on 7 July 1987, the spirit first took
possession of her body and identified himself as Sakakvichay Visarsith or Preach For Modem Fortune Teller, there was no struggle as she
readily accepted his explanation that he has chosen her to be his Smortal
vehicle to do good. She was asked to performs certain tasks- every two months,
has to complete a " bai-sei " for the altar. Made of gold paper, a
"bai-sei" is an intricately folded floral arrangement about one foot
tall. She was also asked to adopt the Buddhist spiritual way of life and
dedicate her life to helping people. Each visit to Mdm Fortune Teller would see a believer bring exactly one bundle
of joss sticks, five candles and a cash token. Frequently, it would be the
spirit of Rachana Pseichampeisarsith, daughter of Sakakvichay
Visarsith, that would enter her body tell fortunes. Periodically, he himself
would also visit, but only if he wanted to meet someone special. According to
Mdm Fortune Teller, his visits are not common, perhaps once every six months or
one year.
Her consultation room is elaborate compared to Mdm Siphon's. A huge stepped
altar occupies a quarter of the room. Totaling fifteen steps in all, each
level is filled with "bai-seis", multilayered paper umbrellas,
small swords, lotus-filled pots, urns and candles.
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The predominantly gold coloured scheme and the swirling smoke from the burning joss sticks make the
alter look all the more impressive. A pink canopy of gauze material and rows of
party lights complete the picture. While working , Mdm Fortune Teller looks resplendent in either male or
female outfit, depending the identity of the spirit. |
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She would be positioned
beside the altar, sitting cross- legged on a raised wooden bench as she
tends to her customers. Across the room from her is a settee for other
"accompanying spirits" when the spirit of the father or daughter
visits and takes possession of her body.
Like Mdm Sithon , she is able to cast away bad luck by performing certain rites,
and is also gifted in her ability to cure the sick. Unlike Mdm Sithon
however, she is a willing servant who does not fight the gift to read fortunes
as she feels that she is lucky to be specially selected to serve the people.
Mdm Van Maly reads what is on the since 1982, when the spirit of a boy told her
she must tell fortunes, that such is her lot in life. When she said no to this
incredulous encounter, she fell ill but could still hear, and even feel, the
constant. incantation. The spirit taught her how to read the playing card over
three months, guiding and coaching her as she read the fortunes of her visitors.
When asked, Mdm Maly said that visitors must offer bananas and candies as
a gesture of thanks, as required by the boy spirit. Subsequently visitors also supplemented the gifts with tokens of cash, especially the more
well-to-do businessmen.
Mdm Maly uses 32 cards out of full pack of 52, discarding the cards lower in
numerical value than seven. After shuffling the deck, the visitor is asked
to pick one card out of four columns of seven. She will read the card and put it
to from another permutation. At the end of each new card arrangement, she
interprets various of the visitor's life, splicing the past with the present and
the future.
At the end of four arrangements, a person's fortune is told.
Unlike other fortune tellers, Mdm Maly does not need divine possession or advice
to do her job. Here is a learnt skill and she mentions
that she has had no need to call the boy spirit to help her since his
departure almost two decades ago.
And like many fortune tellers, Mdm Maly is
using her knowledge to help her community as she entertains visitors from
faraway provinces. She also reads the fortunes of
foreigners who have somehow heard of her powers.
So much revered are fortune tellers in Cambodia that many people with
travel miles just to seek a consultation , and most will not even
venture into anything new without first seeking the advice
of these soothsayers. Fortune telling is definitely deeply
entrenched in the fabric of Cambodian life. |
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