Hmong Ritual Bench

One of the most prominent possessions in a Hmong shaman’s ritual paraphernalia is the spirit bench, rooj neeb (drong neng), or formally rooj neeb rooj yaig (drong neng drong yai). This low wooden platform, with ‘four legs’ fitted without nails, is symbolic of a winged horse which transports a shaman into the spirit world during a curative ceremony, ua neeb (ua neng).

Used solely for religious rites rather than for social occasions, the bench varies in length from one and a quarter meter (4 feet) to three meters (nearly 10 feet). The longer the bench—implying the longer the horse’s wingspan—the more pliant it is and thus the higher a shaman is able to leap, allowing her to reach far corners of the spirit world.

To some extent the ritual bench acts as a percussion instrument, a resonant soundboard, as the thud of a shaman’s steps and jumps creates a steady pulse punctuating his chants.

During a healing ceremony, ua neeb, a shaman, whose face has been covered by a veil, initially sits on the bench in front of the altar.  As the ritual gong, nruas neeb (droua neng), rings out, her body involuntarily trembles, causing her feet to bound up and down and her hands to shake the rattles. The shaman has crossed into the spirit world.

When the shaman is finally incited to take action, she springs on top of the rooj neeb, mounting her steed. Once astride, she shifts her weight rhythmically from foot to foot, as if flying on horseback while surveying the realms of the spirit world.  The shaman further jumps up and down, and jumps on and off her bench at crucial points in the ua neeb when engaging with a patient’s missing souls and the evil spirits that captured them.

At the end of the ua neeb, the shaman dismounts from her horse, falling into a seated position on the rooj neeb as she descends to the human world.

Recording
Ua neeb healing ceremony

Saib plig, “searching for souls,” sacred song, txiab neeb ritual spirit scissors, tswb neeb ritual ring rattles, rooj neeb ritual bench (Hmoob Dawb)

Rhiav Lis, Ban Nam La, Luang Nam Tha Province, Laos, July 2005

Ethnic Group: Hmoob Ntsuab (Hmong Njoua) – Blue Hmong

Local Name: Rooj neeb (drong neng) or rooj neeb rooj yaig (drong neng drong yai)

Type: Ritual Bench     

Class: Stamped Idiophone

Tuning:

Age: Late 19th c. to Early 20th c.

Materials: Hard wood

Dimensions: 56 x 137 x 28 cm / 22” x 54” x 11”

Location:
Ban Huay Kham
Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand

Owner:
This rooj neeb ritual bench, part of a full ritual shaman set, was passed to Hmong shaman Ba Ja (1908 – 1993, aged 85), from his father.  Ba Ja then passed the set on to his son Dong Pia, 64 years, who passed it to his son, Daw Paw, aged 41.

Catalog Number: 5487