Culture of Laos
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Laos is geographically isolated and mountainous, bounded by the
Ethnicity
Laos has an estimated population of 6.5 million. The Lao government recognizes 47 distinct ethnicities, which are further sub-divided into 149 subgroups. Lao society is traditionally categorized into three broad groups based on ethnicity and location. Approximately 50% of the total population is ethnic
who make up the 6% remaining.
Anthropologists consider the
The
Language
There are over 90 distinct native languages spoken by the different ethnic populations of Laos.
As part of the
Other major Language families include
is spoken within their respective ethnic communities.Among Western languages French is commonly understood among the older (post-colonial) generation, and is still used in limited application for academic and official correspondence. English is quickly being adopted as the language of business and tourism, and is supplanting French among younger generations as the unofficial second language.
Religion
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Laos is approximately 66%
Buddhism
Traditionally in Laos males would become novice monks at some point in their lives, giving them the opportunity to gain both an education and religious
Animism
Collectively the Lao belief in spirits is referred to as
Phi were believed to influence natural phenomena including human illness and so appealing to the phi became an important part of Lao identity and religious health over the millennia.
Traditionally the
Customs
Lao social structures are comparatively simpler than in neighboring Cambodia or Thailand, which is a logical outgrowth considering the ethnic diversity of Laos. Lao Theung and Lao Sung groups were outside the traditional class structures, but together made up a large portion of the population.
Traditionally the king was at the apex of
Since the
Social Etiquette
Lao social status places an emphasis on respect for elders; religious images and clergy; family and village authority; and the Buddhist concept of
The family unit is the basis of much social interaction, as such it is common for Lao to refer to each other using familiar cognates such as “sister, brother, aunt or uncle” without an actual family tie to that person. Friendship falls between two categories, moo linh “play friends” are acquaintances and moo tai “die friends” who are considered as family. It is not uncommon or even considered rude for moo tai to show up unannounced for an extended stay, or to share personal possessions. Personal face-to-face contact is considered the most polite, and Western notions of invitations, letters and emails are viewed as foreign.
Traditional Lao are conservative about their appearance and personal space. Lao people are also generally sensitive about physical contact. The head is considered as sacred, whereas the left hand and feet are ritually unclean. In keeping with social status it is expected that younger people slightly bow or keep their heads lower than elders or clergy. Except among a parent child relationship it is considered condescending to touch a Lao person's head. Pointing with the hands or fingers is also insulting especially during a disagreement. Positioning of feet is highly important. Feet should never be pointed toward a
The typical Lao greeting is the nop which is similar to the
. In a nop the hands are clasped together upright in a prayerful position, with fingertips below the nose and a slight downward gaze. The nop is often accompanied with the greeting "Sabaidee" or “good health (to you)” and is considered the polite address for members of higher social status.Special social attention is paid to monks and religious items. Touching a
Lao social etiquette is extremely complex, and much of it may go unnoticed by a non-Lao. In the past it was not uncommon for rule books (dtumla) which thoroughly explained social interactions, timing, and which activities which should be undertaken at key times to be used.
Baci Sou Khwan
The
Literature
Laos takes most of its traditional literature from sixteenth and seventeenth century Lan Xang. The most notable genre is the epic poetry of which several masterpieces have survived despite Laos’ tropical climate and history of conflict and warfare.
The Sin Xay follows the mythological tale of a king and his kidnapped sister by the Lord of the Nyak. The Thao Hung Thao Cheuang recounts the struggles of the Khmmu and indigenous peoples of Laos at the time of the Tai migrations as told by their mythical king, and is one of the most important works of literature in Southeast Asia for its depiction of life among its indigenous societies. Other notable works of Lao epic poetry include the rain legends of the Toad King (Phya Khankhaak) which are retold during the annual Rocket Festival, and the story of Phadaeng Nang Ai which is an epic love poem set across multiple reincarnations.
The Lao also have a number of origin legends including the Nithan Khun Borom (Story of Khun Borom) which recounts the creation of the world, and the Nithan Khun Lo which tells how the descendants of Khun Borom settled the lands of mainland Southeast Asia. Reflecting Laos’
Laos has a strong tradition of folklore. Ghost stories, place legends, stories of naga and trickster tales of Xieng Mieng are quite popular and are the dominant forms of oral tradition.
Art
Laos has experienced several major wars and occupations since the eighteenth century. Laos holds distinction as the most heavily bombed country in world, as a result of the wars against the
during the 1960s and 1970s. Years of economic isolation have also taken a toll. The international trade in antiquities has also taken a toll on Laos’ artistic heritage due to persistent poverty. As a consequence much of the traditional art and architecture in Laos has been pillaged, stolen, sold, destroyed or suffered significant damage over the past three centuries.The first attempts at preservation outside the local
Weaving
Weaving is the dominant form of artistic cultural expression in Laos, it is common across all ethnicities and is the most widely recognized cultural export abroad. Lao mothers will often pass their weaving skills on to their daughters as a sign of eligibility for marriage. Patterns, techniques and colors vary according to region or ethnic group.
Women traditionally raise the silk worms on a constant diet of mulberry leaves, the silk is woven on hand looms in the north or (less commonly) on foot looms in the south. Each region and ethnic group has their own traditional weaving techniques. In the south weaving is characterized by intricate patterns of elephants, temples,
Sculpture
The most culturally and religiously significant sculpture in Laos today is the
A number of significant Buddha images to Lao history have been lost or taken during the conflicts of the nineteenth and twentieth century. The most significant is the “Emerald Buddha,” or
Woodworking
Laos has a history of sophisticated craftsmanship in wood. Traditionally used in temples, many homes and government buildings have some richly carved elements today. Richly carved furniture, elephant howdahs, river barges, and funerary carts can also be found among the private collections of the elite or the Royal collections at the Palace Museum in Luang Prabang.
The first detailed European accounts of exploration to Laos in the sixteenth century described in detail the delicate bas reliefs which were found on the temples and palaces. Among the most outstanding examples of the craft are found along the temple frieze of
Handicrafts
Lao metalwork in gold and silver is experiencing a resurgence from its high point in seventeenth century Lan Xang. Silver work is especially prized and popular among ethnic minorities including the Hmong and Yao, and can be found as popular elements of traditional dress among married women.
Laos produces a number of handicrafts which use bamboo and other forms of basketry. Traditionally Lao use intricately woven bamboo mats in homes and temples, although much of the art form has been lost due to the availability and durability of plastic substitutes. Basketry is quite common and is traditionally seen in various forms of domestic kitchen equipment, or even in the house where bamboo thatching is still commonly used.
Mulberry leaves which are not used for silk worm production are frequently used for the production of saa paper. Saa paper is a traditional art form which has been incorporated into a number of crafts for the tourist industry around Luang Prabang.
Architecture
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Laos has a 21% urban concentration, with the largest city being capital of Vientiane (est. 500,000 population). The rate of urbanization is growing in Laos but is considerably lower than any of the bordering countries of Vietnam, Thailand or Cambodia. Most of the Lao population is agrarian.
The ancient capital of
Most Lao people live in rural villages clustered around a temple (
Religious architecture
As a devout
There are three distinct types of
Lao
The old city of
The
Music and performance arts
The national music of Laos is the
A popular form of
The most integral instrument for
Theater
All traditional theater in Laos is essentially musical in nature. Court music and performances known as
Dance
The national folk dance in Laos is the lam vong. The lam vong begins with an individual using head and hand movements based on
Performance based dances from the royal courts are rare, with highly symbolic movements and steps by female dancers. In the 1980s many of the royal court dancers from
Film
Laos has little film or media industry. Television, film, radio and internet media from neighboring Thailand is wide spread and is a source of political and cultural tension. Prior to the 1950s in Laos only documentary French photographs and rarer film footage existed. In the 1960s the Royal Lao Government produced the first feature films in Laos, Khukhak Peunkhaen “The True and Untrue Friend,” and Phaenedin Khong Hao “Our Land.”
During the 1970s and 1980s
In 2007 the full-length feature movie Sabaidee Luang Prabang “Good Morning Luang Prabang” was released by Thai director Sakchai Deenan about a Thai photographer who falls in love with a Lao tour guide. Also in 2007, the Australian documentary Bomb Harvest was released to critical acclaim. The documentary follows the Mines Advisory Group and Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme in their efforts to clear the country of unexploded bombs from the wars of the twentieth century. The film portrays in graphic detail the difficulties of bomb removal in Laos, including the dangers faced by the poor population who dig the scrap metal for resale.
Australian filmmaker Kim Mordount's first feature film was made in Laos and features a Laotian cast speaking their native language. Entitled The Rocket, the film appeared at the 2013 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) and won three awards at the Berlin International Film Festival: Best First Feature, the Amnesty International Film Prize and the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation K-plus program.
Traditional clothing
Traditional clothing serves as the key visual cue for establishing belonging among ethnic groups. The techniques, patterns and materials vary not only by region and ethnicity, but even by clan and family.
For the
Among Lao Theung, cotton materials are widely used. Khmu women are known for simple cotton sarongs with horizontal stripes, and long sleeved black blouses. Among Katu and Alak there is a tradition of adding significant amounts of beadwork and silver coins. Lao Theung use silver and brass jewelry in large amounts both to ward off evil and signify status.
Cuisine
Lao cuisine reflects the ethnic diversity of the country and its surrounding neighbors. Laos has strong regional variations even among common dishes, with glutinous rice (sticky rice) being the staple of most meals.
A common Lao meal would consist of a richly spiced minced fish or chicken salad or
Lao cuisine is similar to Thai, but with several notable differences. Many Lao dishes have been adopted by Thais through the migration of Lao people throughout their country. The Lao meal as a whole generally appeals to more extremes of sourness, bitterness, and spice than in Thai cuisine. Lao cooking uses copious amounts of mak phaet (chilies), pa daek or fermented fresh water fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal in greater amounts to add bolder flavors to most dishes. Glutinous rice is eaten almost exclusively in ethnically Lao areas.
The Lao also have a greater consumption of wild game and insects known commonly as “jungle food.” Freshly killed game is sometimes eaten raw in richly spiced dishes and is seen as a delicacy. Insects can be eaten in a variety of forms, with the more pungent types being used as spices or substitutes, such as common red
The years of French colonialism have also given Laos a number of food items including the baguette or khao jii, as well as omelets, pâté and croissants. The French also introduced coffee cultivation, with the strong variety found in southern Laos near Ban Paxong as the most desired. The common Lao breakfast reflects French influence and is a simple affair of strong coffee served hot or iced, and is taken with a baguette or other pastry which dipped in condensed milk.
Sports
Traditional sports include
Ka-taw or kick-volleyball is also a traditional Lao sport, where players use a rattan ball and advance play using their feet, knees, chest and head.
The end of “Buddhist Lent” or Phansa is marked by boat races on the
The increase of
International competitions
The
Laos first begin competing at the
Festivals and public holidays
Lao festivals are traditionally based on the lunar calendar and vary each year on the exact date. The largest public festival is the four-day celebration of Lao New Year, or Pi Mai.
| Date | Holiday | Lao | Observance |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | International New Year | ວັນປີໃໝ່ສາກົນ | Western New Year- public holiday |
| January (late) | Vietnamese Tet |
ປີໃຫມ່ຈີນ/ຫວຽດນາມ | Vietnamese Tet - celebrated with fireworks and traditional foods.
|
| February | Boun Khoun Khao | ບຸນຄູນເຂົ້າ | Marks the end of the rice harvest. Lao mark the occasion by forming a stupa of unhusked rice in the vicinity of the village temple. The rice is then blessed by the monks, and a communal meal is held in the evening. |
| February | Boun Makha Bousa | ບຸນມາຂະບູຊາ | votive offerings .
|
| March | Boun Khao Jii | ບຸນເຂົ້າຈີ່ | Commemorates the selfless action of an old woman who offered a rice cake to Buddha because it was all she was able to give. The festival marks the importance of the lay community in Buddhism . In the morning during tak bat, or alms giving, monks are offered specially prepared rice cakes as a reminder to them of the importance of the community.
|
| March | Boun Phra Vetsandon | ບຸນພະເຫວດ | Three-day festival commemorating the memory of Prince Vessantara- the last incarnation of Jataka exemplifies the virtue of perfect charity. Celebration is marked by solemn candle processions and rice-cake offerings.
|
| April | Boun Pi Mai | ບຸນປີໃໝ່ | Celebrates the four-day festival of Lao New Year, and is similar to the Thai three-day festival of Songkran (วันสงกรานต์ ).
|
| May | Visakha Bousa (Vesak) | ວັນວິສາຂະບູຊາ | Buddha . Celebrations include the ritual freeing of birds and small animals.
|
| June | Boun Bang Fai | ບຸນບັ້ງໄຟ | Lao animist holiday during the dry season to ensure the rains. Celebrations include fireworks and bawdy fertility symbolism.
|
| July (late) | Khao Phansa | ເຂົ້າພັນສາ | Solemn occasion marking the beginning of season. After ordinations, the day is marked morning alms tak bat and by the procession of the Lenten candle which will burn in the temple for the next three months. Holy water is poured out by attendees as a merit making way to honor ancestors. |
| August | Boun Hor Khao Padapdin | ບຸນເຂົ້າປະດັບດິນ | Literally the “festival of rice cakes decorating the Earth,” is the Lao day for honoring the dead. During the day special rice cakes are made. At night, with no moon, people leave the offerings on temple grounds for the deceased. The next day people take similar offerings to the temples for the monks and offer prayers for their ancestors. |
| September | Boun Khao Saak | ບຸນເຂົ້າສລາກ | The festival of “rice drawn in lots,” is another festival for honoring the dead. Lao people make offerings to monks, each with a slip of paper containing the name of a deceased relative. The monks will then pray for that individual upon taking the offering. |
| October (late) | Boun Ok Phansa | ບຸນອອກພັນສາ | The holiday marks the end of Buddhist “Lent” and the rainy season. Monks are liberated to perform their normal community duties. It is celebrated with boat races and carnivals. In the evening people launch small, candlelit banana-leaf (heua fai) floats on the rivers, decorated with offerings of incense and small amounts of money to bring luck and prosperity. |
| October (late) | Boun Suang Heua | ບຸນຊ່ວງເຮືອ | The Lao river festival which coincides with the end of Buddhist “Lent.” The festival is marked by boat races throughout the country. In Vientiane, Savannakhet and Champasak the races are held the second weekend in October. The Luang Prabang boat races are held later. A major market day precedes the races and festivities take place throughout the night on race day. |
| November | Nor Chia | ບຸນປີໃຫມ່ຊົນເຜົ່າລາວສູງ | Hmong New Year, which is celebrated by Lao Sung groups. Includes traditional clothing, games, and food. “Dating games” are played where young women throw cloth balls to boys they prefer. Gambling and Ox fights are also traditional. |
| November | Lai Heua Fai | ລອຍກະທົງ | The Lao festival of lights, similar to Diwali and Loy Krathong. People decorate the streets, homes, temples and boats with lights. Fireworks are also common. Small banana-leaf floats (heua fai) are released in the river which carry away defilements and negative feelings. Larger boats are decorated with lights as offerings to the dead, the naga, and any spirits (phi) which linger on the water. |
| November | Boun Kathin | ບຸນກະຖິນ | Takes place anytime during November between Ork Phansa and Boun That Luang. The festival is a time when specific offerings are made to monks for their care throughout the year. The offerings make merit, but also serve the practical purpose of providing monks from poor families with what they will need on entering the monastery. The kathin is the name of the loom on which a woman weaves a monk's robes. Offerings include robes, a razor, sandals, an umbrella, and an alms bowl. The offerings are made to the monastery, where the abbot will disperse the items to monks according to need. |
| November | Boun That Luang |
ບຸນພະທາດຫຼວງ | A three-day festival honoring the That Luang stupa , which is the most significant religious and national symbol in Laos and is believed to be built over relics of the Buddha.
|
| December 2 | Lao National Day | ວັນຊາດ | Celebrates the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975. Marked with parades and dancing at That Luang temple. |
| December | Khmu New Year | ບຸນປີໃຫມ່ເຜົ່າຂະມຸ | A Lao Theung New Year holiday. The festivities recall the legend of Thao Hung Thao Cheuang and the legendary feast at the Plain of Jars. |
References
- ^ [1]Pew Research Center 2015
External links
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