Flowers in their hair: Shan boys ordained into Buddhist monkhood

The Buddhist celebration is unique to the Shan people of northeastern Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of whom have moved to Thailand during their country's decades of dictatorship and turmoil.

Monks ritually shaved more than 40 boys' heads with razors, tufts of hair falling onto lotus leaves.

In shimmering robes, jewellery and colourful floral headpieces, they were carried around the Ku Tao temple in Chiang Mai three times on relatives' shoulders, to the rhythmic beat of traditional gongs.

"I've made this decision myself... I am glad and happy," said nine-year-old Donlaphat Lungta, whose parents migrated from Myanmar and was born in Thailand, where the Shan are known as Tai Yai.

The Poy Sang Long tradition, meaning, "ordaining beloved sons" is a vibrant three-day ritual before the boys enter monastic life for between three days and one month -- a rite of passage believed to bring merit and good fortune.

"Boys who take part in this tradition are considered students of Buddha. It is a deeply meritorious event," said Chaiya Kongcheun, president of the Tai Yai Education and Culture Association, which works to preserve Shan culture in Thailand.

The elaborate attire symbolises a prince from Myanmar's history, explained Chaiya, while being carried on someone's shoulders represents power and a semi-divine status.

For Donlaphat's father, Nu Lungta, the ceremony was a valuable investment in his son's future, years after he underwent it himself.

The 40-year-old who works as a vegetable delivery driver estimated his spending on the celebration at 150,000 baht ($4,300), including food and decorations.

Around 50 of his relatives helped cover the costs, he said, watching a monk shave his son's head, adding that he would have delayed if he could not afford to celebrate appropriately.

"I hope he grows into a good man and helpful, never taking advantage of others," he told AFP.

Each night, the boys -- aged between seven and 12 -- and their families sleep in booths at the temple, surrounded by colourful balloons and rainbow ornaments.

Before dawn, Donlaphat put on shimmering white robes and was lifted onto a succession of relatives' shoulders for the procession, while his parents walked alongside him.
Shan heart
Myanmar's political instability and decades of conflict have forced many in the Shan community to seek refuge in neighbouring Thailand, drawn by cultural and linguistic similarities.

Chaiya said the kingdom saw a surge in Shan immigration following Myanmar's 2021 military coup and the subsequent civil war, with Shan state one of the worst-affected regions.

The procession drew hundreds of onlookers, with scores of police present to maintain security.

"Tai Yai people fled war to find peace in Thailand," said Chaiya.

The Poy Sang Long ceremony is now held in March and April in various locations in northern Thailand, and Chiang Mai is home to one of the country's largest Shan communities.

Father Nu said he feels fully integrated into Thai society.

"For me, Thailand is my home... my son was born here," he said.

But for many Shan, the connection to their homeland remains strong.

Mokam Lungkuna, a 35-year-old construction worker who took her nine-year-old son Thanwa to be ordained, has lived in Thailand for two decades.

"My heart is in Shan State," she told AFP, speaking over the sound of drum rolls echoing through the ceremony.

"It will always be our culture."