1559 Thailand Blind therapists gather for dedication ceremony
austraLasia 1559
Blind Thai therapists gather for ancient massage
dedication ceremony
PAKKRED: 12 May 2006 -- Thursday 11th May saw a gathering
of 250 blind massage therapists gather at the Salesian administered
Skills Development Centre for the Blind at Pakkred, Thailand, for an
ancient and solemn ceremony to bless their art. They represented
more than a thousand such therapists in Thailand.
The event was a mixture of the ancient and
contemporary, the Christian and Buddhist, the Thai and Chinese and, of
course, the Salesian! The group was gathering for an annual
ceremony of paying respect to the Chief Trainers, or the ancient
therapists who developed and taught the art, and the present-day
trainers.
The ancient ceremony involved the lighting of
candles and joss sticks, offering lotus flowers and much profound
bowing to the trainers. It began with a speech by Fr Charles
Velardo, Director of the Centre, who encouraged them and blessed the
gathering. This was followed by the chanting of an ancient text
by a Thai Brahmin, and the anointing with 'sacred paste' of the fingers
of the hand used to give the massage.
The image of 250 therapists in their neat white
uniforms was a sight to behold. They were accompanied by their
wives and children and many other spectators to the event. In
true Salesian tradition, the ceremony was followed by a sports
competition - goalball - amongst seven teams of blind athletes.
Lots of fun and good competition. The day finished with a huge
Chinese dinner.
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