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Muay Thai Mongkong Blessing

@

Wat Chalong Buddhist Temple, Phuket, Thailand

Dedicated to Henry Davis friend and Muay Thai Fighter

The mongkon is a traditional and cultural headpiece circlet worn by Muay Thai fighters when they enter the ring for a Muay Thai fight. Each gym or camp has a mongkon that represents the spirit and strength of each gym and the it's master instructor. The Mongkon is worn on the head like a charm or ward that brings prosperity and health and wards away danger and injury.

According to Thai tradition and beliefs, there were different ways of making the Mongkon, usually by the head or master instructor. When Thailand was still called Siam, it was believed the Siamese soldiers tied the Mongkon or bandana-like cloth around their heads before they went into battle. Often, they would chant Buddhist incantations of like "Gam Baan Nak Muen" or translation " The Clenched-fist weighing many thousands." It was from this tradition in the very first Muay Thai schools, where the Master Instructor would make and pass on a Mongkon to his student. Muay Thai fighters would often have tattoos done while chanting the incantations to bring them good fortune and honorable victory.

Legends passed down from generation to generation of the many ways to bless a Mongkon with supernatural powers like invulnerability. Legend tells of a snake eating it's tail forming a circlet, then dried and have incantations cast upon it by Buddhist Monks. Others legends tell of the bones of past ancestors placed within the binding threads of the Muay Thai Mongkon to add blessing and spiritual powers.

Each mongkong is hand-made and is special as it symbolizes the fighter's spirit and respect for his gym, teacher (Kroo), sport (Muay Thai) and country. The Tiger Muay Thai mongkong is blessed by Buddhist monks too give protection to the fighters that where it and enter the ring.

When the fighter enters the ring, he wears the mongkong as he performs his "Wai Kroo" the symbolic dance that serves to show respect for the fighter's teacher, the sport of Muay Thai and the Kingdom of Thailand. After finishing the "wai Kroo" the fighter returns to the corner and a prayer is whispered between the fighter's second as he removes the mongkong before the fight.

Before a fighter even wears the mongkong, it is Thai tradition the fighter go make merit and prayer at the temple. When a fighter goes to the temple, they bring the mongkong to be blessed with them and it is a part of the ceremony. Traditionally, fighters would go and pray and speak to the Buddhist monks to remove any bad omens or spirits that could hurt them or cause them to lose the fight. The fighter prays for strength of spirit and purity to overcome his opponent.

The fighter kneels before the Monk with the mongkong and listens quietly as the monk says a series of prayers over the mongkong and fighter. The ceremony is supposed to bring the mongkong and fighter together, bonded by the spirit of the gym and the fighter representing the gym in a Muay Thai fight. The fighter will make merit by lighting candles and incense and making an offering, such as flowers, to the Buddha.The smoke of the incense is supposed to cleanse the spirit of each fighter and prepare them for battle.

The fighter will quietly pray for some time. Some fighters ask for strength and invulnerability, while other may ask for purity and protection from harm. Each fighter must look inside themselves and find a connection that brings them closer to their beliefs in the sport, their religion, their country, and their gym. The fighter represents his training camp or gym. His fight can bring respect and honor to the gym if he fights valiantly, courageously, and honorably. A fighter and gym can lose face and respect if the fighter is unprepared, lacks honor or courage, or disrespects his opponent.

At Tiger Muay Thai & MMA, Phuket, Thailand, we believe in the tradition and Buddhist elements that are a part of the great sport of Muay Thai. Before a fighter can wear the gym mongkong and represent the gym in a REAL fight, he/she must attend the mongkong ceremony at Wat Chalong and be blessed by the monks and make merit. The wearing of the mongkong and the blessing at the temple show the students respect for his teachers, the Kingdom of Thailand, and Muay Thai as a sport.

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