To be or “Nat” to be – a look into Burmese spirituality

via Northern Star, 01 March 2023: A recent lecture on Burmese spirits (nats) and how they are invoked for healing and protection. The article also explains some of the history and diversity of nats and their rituals in Burma.

As a part of a lecture series hosted by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Catherine Raymond, a professor in art history and the director of the Center for Burma Studies at NIU, gave the lecture “Healing while Performing the Ritual to the Burmese Spirits” Friday afternoon in Cole Hall.

The protector spirits Raymond talked about are called nats.

In Burma, nats – pronounced similar to “nah” – are believed to inhibit the natural world. They are spiritual beings whose duty is to protect villages or individuals from their shrines on Mount Popa. They are everywhere, but like many similar beliefs, there are certain spirits that precede over the others.

“Spirituality is something you face when you go (to Burma); it’s omnipresent everywhere,” said Raymond.

She recalls a moment when working on her Ph.D. in Burma when she heard the loud banging of drums from ceremonial music being played at 6 a.m.. Since then, she has been interested in the celebration of the nat.

Source: To be or “Nat” to be – a look into Burmese spirituality – Northern Star