Salak Yorm: a celebration of faith and merit
Each September, the tranquil province of Lamphun in northern Thailand springs to life with the vibrant Salak Yorm Festival, a cherished celebration of spiritual devotion led by Yong women.
While Yong men traditionally enter the monkhood for three months, the women express their deep connection to Buddhism through elaborate rituals, centred on towering trees adorned with intricate offerings.
These trees stand as powerful symbols of the essential role women play in merit-making.
From September 11 to 17, the festival reaches its peak at the revered Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai, where these colourful, decorated trees—some towering over 20 metres—serve as a tribute to the cultural and spiritual contributions of Yong women.
This centuries-old tradition offers visitors a rare glimpse into the rituals that have shaped the lives of the Yong people, a community that makes up more than 85 per cent of Lamphun’s population.
The Yong trace their origins to Mueang Yong, an ancient town in what is now northern Myanmar. In the early 19th century, their ancestors migrated to Lamphun under the reign of Chiang Mai's King Kawila, bringing with them a rich tapestry of customs, including the iconic Salak Yorm Festival.
Historically, the creation of a Salak Yorm tree was a rite of passage for young women, as significant to their transition into adulthood as ordination was for young men.
In the past, only the most beautiful or wealthy women would host the elaborate ritual. Khon, a grandmother and the last Yong woman to have participated in the personal ritual nearly 60 years ago, recalls:
“Many young men came to my house, bringing baskets, fishnets, and other items to help create my perfect tree. It was busy but full of joy. Salak Yorm marked the moment you became fully grown.”
In earlier times, some women would even weave their hair into sacred containers, offering a part of themselves as a symbol of their spiritual devotion.
These intimate contributions were revered as symbols of maturity and readiness for the responsibilities of adulthood.
Today, the Salak Yorm festival has evolved from a personal milestone into a communal celebration, with entire villages coming together to construct the towering offering trees.
Men and women alike take part in the intricate process, preparing thousands of bamboo sticks and other detailed decorations to adorn the trees.
Visitors to Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai will be mesmerised by the towering structures, adorned with vibrant red, yellow, and green strips of paper, bananas, sugar cane, and even fishnets—all offerings for the monks.
From September 14 to 17, the temple grounds buzz with activity as monks, novices, and villagers work side by side to complete the trees in a race against time.
The construction of a Salak Yorm tree is a significant task, often taking two full days of intense work. In years past, these trees were topped with strings of gold and precious stones, valuable materials that monks would later use in the building of pagodas.
As night falls, the community gathers around the finished trees for an evening of storytelling and traditional songs, recounting the history of the festival and the significance of the offerings.
The following day, an offering ceremony takes place, though true to tradition, no specific monk receives the donations. Instead, numbers corresponding to the trees are drawn at random, ensuring that the offerings remain a pure act of merit, free from personal attachment.
The Salak Yorm Festival, though transformed by time, continues to honour the deeply rooted traditions of the Yong people, blending the past with the present in a spectacular display of faith, community, and cultural pride.
Salak Yorm: a celebration of faith and merit
