Garland for Kru Muay
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The Yok Kru is a ceremony in which students provide their master with offerings. Each master has individual style of Yok Kruu.
For example, some may just require incense sticks and candles, while some also require money and other objects as an offering. After pupils have offered
the objects, the trainer starts initiating them into his special method of combat. Usually it begins with the basic demeanors of Wai Kruu consisting of
Thep Panom, Prom Si Na and Yang Sam Khum movement. However, some masters do not receive the offerings until they are certain that the amateur
boxers are fluent enough after sparring with partners. They then accept the offerings in the Yok Kruu rite. No matter how procedure is different depending
on each trainer, the main objective of Yok Kruu is to let the pupils show their true respect and faith to the teacher.
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According to Luang Visal Darunkorn, the first teacher of physical study, it is believed that Narayana was the conqueror of evils waning to cause chaos to the earth. Anybody who practiced any kinds of weapon including boxing must have the same purpose: suppressing bad men. Therefore, in the Yok Kruu rite, the amateur boxers need to pay respect for both Narayana and his own master. In case that there are many pupils to be initiated, they can organize a big ceremony providing duck, chicken and pork as offerings. The master will pick up the gloves or the sacred cotton laurel and raise above his head. The students then bend down to the master 3 times and grab the glove or the laurel from the master and receive blessings from him. If there are meat offerings. The master shall slice the meat to be eaten buy the pupils.
As for the annual Wai Kruu ceremony, the same procedure is followed. The trainers, Narayana and Kruu Patyai (The passed away masters) are invited to obtain the offerings. In the middle of the hall, there shall be a vessel of holy water which is to be drenched by the pupils after the blessing of the master believing that the sacred water can ward off dangers from them.
On the conclusion of the ceremony, the pupils would dance the movement " Ram Tawai Tua" to pay respect.
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The Oath Ceremony is related to an oath of a gentleman. The oath given by the pupils to their trainer aims to emphasize that honesty is far more important than their own life. Those who offend the oath would confront ruins in the future.
Those who practiced Thai boxing tend to believe in the superstitious powers like magic and spell. Some might even practice citing the spells in the graveyards or other haunted places in order to boost up their courage, promote meditation and build up readiness to face with opponents.
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