They Impaled Themselves | National Geographic

the possessed take over the streets of

the possessed take over the streets of bootcamp

now in the State of Trance the impaling

now in the State of Trance the impaling begins yeah the risks are great the

begins yeah the risks are great the

begins yeah the risks are great the spike could induce uncontrollable

spike could induce uncontrollable

spike could induce uncontrollable bleeding

nerve damage could occur

nerve damage could occur the wounds will become easily infected

the wounds will become easily infected

the wounds will become easily infected and there will be permanent scarring

but it would take a far braver man to

but it would take a far braver man to defy the will of the gods to stop now is

defy the will of the gods to stop now is

defy the will of the gods to stop now is unthinkable

scores of spirit mediums pour out of the

scores of spirit mediums pour out of the shrine

they will march to the sea and back a

they will march to the sea and back a distance of 5 miles with temperatures in

distance of 5 miles with temperatures in

distance of 5 miles with temperatures in the 90s

the people of poo can’t line the streets

the people of poo can’t line the streets to witness their suffering suffering

to witness their suffering suffering

to witness their suffering suffering they endure on behalf of the whole

they endure on behalf of the whole

they endure on behalf of the whole community

in gratitude shop owners make their own

in gratitude shop owners make their own offerings to the gods

while the spirit mediums are entrusted

while the spirit mediums are entrusted to expel the ills of the island the

to expel the ills of the island the

to expel the ills of the island the other residents also play their part to

other residents also play their part to

other residents also play their part to purify their bodies and their minds they

purify their bodies and their minds they

purify their bodies and their minds they are all on a strict vegetarian diet

are all on a strict vegetarian diet

are all on a strict vegetarian diet throughout the festival who can’t be

throughout the festival who can’t be

throughout the festival who can’t be bought for tab on picking game people in

bought for tab on picking game people in

bought for tab on picking game people in trances are possessed by God’s good

trances are possessed by God’s good

trances are possessed by God’s good spirits they will then go to greet all

spirits they will then go to greet all

spirits they will then go to greet all the people of Phuket they’ve been on the

the people of Phuket they’ve been on the

the people of Phuket they’ve been on the vegetarian diet people set up tables in

vegetarian diet people set up tables in

vegetarian diet people set up tables in front of the houses with offerings to

front of the houses with offerings to

front of the houses with offerings to all these gods they start by and bless

all these gods they start by and bless

all these gods they start by and bless all these people to be happy and to have

all these people to be happy and to have

all these people to be happy and to have a long life

among those carrying weapons is Goga

among those carrying weapons is Goga an hour into the journey he breaks into

an hour into the journey he breaks into

an hour into the journey he breaks into a frenzied attack on himself

he bleeds heavily and there is still a

he bleeds heavily and there is still a long way to go a shop owner makes an

long way to go a shop owner makes an

long way to go a shop owner makes an offering to go God to acknowledge that

offering to go God to acknowledge that

offering to go God to acknowledge that he has taken on the pain and suffering

he has taken on the pain and suffering

he has taken on the pain and suffering of the entire community

of the entire community

of the entire community minutes later another man begins slicing

minutes later another man begins slicing

minutes later another man begins slicing his own tongue with an axe

despite this grotesque spectacle the

despite this grotesque spectacle the atmosphere is festive it’s a celebration

atmosphere is festive it’s a celebration

atmosphere is festive it’s a celebration really and so that seems like a paradox

really and so that seems like a paradox

really and so that seems like a paradox you have the pain but you have the

you have the pain but you have the

you have the pain but you have the celebration as well but that’s not

celebration as well but that’s not

celebration as well but that’s not uncommon there are lots of rituals

uncommon there are lots of rituals

uncommon there are lots of rituals around the world that combine pain and

around the world that combine pain and

around the world that combine pain and danger with celebration singing joy and

danger with celebration singing joy and

danger with celebration singing joy and so forth the objects chosen by the

so forth the objects chosen by the

so forth the objects chosen by the scapegoats for piercing are symbolic of

scapegoats for piercing are symbolic of

scapegoats for piercing are symbolic of the weapons held by these Chinese idols

the weapons held by these Chinese idols

the weapons held by these Chinese idols the gods are warlike in appearance the

the gods are warlike in appearance the

the gods are warlike in appearance the masochist have become their soldiers

masochist have become their soldiers

masochist have become their soldiers however strict tradition is making way

however strict tradition is making way

however strict tradition is making way for what is now a competition of

for what is now a competition of

for what is now a competition of self-mutilation these soldiers of the

self-mutilation these soldiers of the

self-mutilation these soldiers of the gods now use tree branches chair legs

gods now use tree branches chair legs

gods now use tree branches chair legs um brows they compete for favor among

um brows they compete for favor among

um brows they compete for favor among the gods by stretching the limits of

the gods by stretching the limits of

the gods by stretching the limits of their own flesh it’s a dangerous game

their own flesh it’s a dangerous game

their own flesh it’s a dangerous game that mr. Howe does not approve off

but some of the followers want to show

but some of the followers want to show off that they are soldiers of the gods I

off that they are soldiers of the gods I

off that they are soldiers of the gods I don’t think it’s right

don’t think it’s right

don’t think it’s right I want to ban piercings with those

I want to ban piercings with those

I want to ban piercings with those unusual objects