The Thai society is predominantly an agrarian one.
Rain plays an essential role in the cultivation of rice and other staple crops.
Thai farmers believe that rain is a gift from the deities up above.
When it fails to fall in the monsoon season, crops suffer from drought.
Crop yields are affected.
So a ceremony to ask for rain from the deities must be held.
Isan people know that drought is caused by weather changes.
A cat has a very important role in this ceremony, because of the fact that it dislikes water.
So the rain summoning tradition stemmed from this old belief that
In the rain-making ceremony Isan people by reciting rain-making verses known as “tao mae nang maew” or “ hae nang maew”, literally meaning the parading of a female cat.