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.
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.
They start by picking 1-3 Sisawat Siamese cats and putting them in a bamboo or rattan basket which has a cover.
Cloud-colored cats or black cats are preferable, believed to be good luck ones.
A wooden pole carried at each end by 1 man is used to carry the basket with the cats in it.
Other things needed are five pairs of candles and 5 paired flowers.
Before putting the cat (nang maew)in the cage, the eldest among the ritual performers will say to the cats, “Nang Maew, may you pray for the rain to come”.
The hae nang maew as practiced in the north is quite similar to the rituals in the Central and Isan regions. They put a cat in a cage (actually a bamboo/rattan basket decorated with flowers), and carry it around in a parade through the village. A traditional music band consisting mainly of drums and gongs add more fun and merriment to the parade. The parade passes by the houses. The residents come out to greet the paraders and to splash the nang maew with water.