11/7 Luang Prabang: Ethnic Groups & Wats Across the Mekong

11/6: Had an unwelcome surprise when we checked out of our small guesthouse in Nong Khiaw. We discovered that our $10 per night room had in fact been a $15 per night room as we had used the air conditioning while we had stayed there. Of course there were no signs and no communication from the staff informing us about that until we checked out. A 50% jump in the room rate seemed rather steep but at least the initial cost was only $10!

Got the morning mini van right after that back to Luang Prabang where we had been before coming to Nong Khiaw. Luckily this shuttle driver didn't pull any of the same shenanigans the other driver had when we came to Nong Khiaw, having us wait 75 minutes while he tried putting in the van more passengers than there were seats.

Interesting baggage, don't you think? At least it was on top on the luggage rack and not in the van with us.

My semi permanent seat on the Manichan Guesthouse balcony back in Luang Prabang!

11/10: In the morning we walked over to the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center (TAEC), just a few blocks away from our guesthouse. The building was constructed between 1820-1830 and was originally the residence for the French colonial judge.

TAEC was founded in 2006 to provide accessible information about the ethnic people of Laos and their traditional arts. Based on language, history, tradition and beliefs, 4 main ethnolinguisitc families are found in Laos. The ancestors of these peoples share common origins in southeast China and migrated southward to escape conflicts withe the Han Chinese.

Laos is slightly smaller than the United Kingdom and the country's 16 provinces stretch 1,162 kms from north to south with terrains ranging from mountain ranges over 2,000m high to the Mekong river valley at 70m above sea level. This diverse landscape is mirrored in its ethnic composition and population distribution. In northern Laos where we spent most of our time, 'ethnic minorities' are actually the majority of the population.

According to TAEC, there are many sub groups and clans among Laos’ ethnic peoples. The Akka, Hmong and Khmu tribes are some of the more well known groups but each contains distinct branches which may vary markedly in language, dress and customs. The Hmong tribe is the 4^th largest ethnic group in Laos and they are often regarded as mountain people preferring to live on mountain tops practicing agriculture on steep slopes. But that was due in part to their late migration from China to Laos between 1810 and 1820 which limited their access to arable land and confined their settlement to high elevations. Mountaintops also provided ideal conditions to cultivate opium - a major cash crop at the time. The Hmong have adapted recently by sending herbal medicines, traditional costumes and recorded music to Hmong relatives living overseas for resale. There are over 300,000 Hmong living in the US alone and roughly 20,000 in France, Australia, Canada, French Guyana and Argentina.

Laos, as we already knew, is famous for its woven textiles. One of the tribes, the Kmhmu, weave on a 'back strap' or 'body tension' loom as opposed to the regular floor loom. To weave, this kind of loom is anchored to any stable upright object - a tree, the stilts of a house - while the opposing end is secured to the weaver's back to provide tension on the warp threads (the ones running lengthways). Thus, this loom allows for mobility - it can be rolled up, stored, and taken out to be used almost anywhere. Feel like trying that style of weaving, Darlene?

The Kmhmu are also well known for their superior basket weaving skills which they sell and trade to villages of other ethnicities. The baskets are made for a variety of household and agricultural uses, including holding rice grains, sheathing knives or catching fish. Different types of bamboo have varying qualities of strength, color, and flexibility and the weaver will choose the appropriate type of bamboo for a particular object.

Family is central to the daily life of all ethnic groups living in Laos. 80% of Laos’ population of 6.6 million live in rural areas and until recently families were large with upwards of 5 or more children. Even now, extended families live in the same household, and several generations including grandparents, aunts and siblings, share responsibilities.

Prayer flag made from bamboo sticks and cotton. Lay people place prayer flags or banners in Buddhist temple grounds to earn merit, usually for a deceased relative. The giver and producer earn merit for this act.

In traditional societies, handmade goods have practical functions but are also the medium through which stories, beliefs, values and cultural identity are transmitted. Adults teach children gender-specific crafts: men are responsible for basketry and woodcarving while women weave or decorate textiles for daily use or for special occasions. Nowadays imported manufactured products are widely available in Laos and increasingly serve people's daily household needs, while traditional crafts are becoming an important source of income, sold to locals, relatives overseas and tourists. Trade of textiles, basketry and jewelry has always existed within and among ethnic groups, but large-scale commercialization has brought many women economic independence, raising their status within the home and allowing them to care for members of their households.

The tourist market, such as the night market in Luang Prabang, has affected the diversity of products made. Traditional crafts like skirts and baby carriers are converted into slippers and bags, i.e. items visitors will use. Girls learn at a young age to sew, embroider and weave from their mothers and other female elders and many of them sell their products at the Night Market. Organizations such as TAEC work with rural ethnic minorities to transform their traditional skills into sustainable sources of income.

One of the highlights for us at TAEC was ‘Stitching our Stories,’ short films done by young Laotian women documenting aspects of their country’s culture. Each filmmaker chose her own topic and then interviewed family members or community elders; we viewed videos titled Saa Paper Making, Hmong Embroidery and 3 Shamans.

A novel use for a wooden shuttle used for weaving. 

The Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center had provided a fascinating insight into a part of Laos we had known little about apart from our brief visits to the ethnic villages on our boat trip two days before from Nong Khiaw. 

We decided next to take the public ferry across the Mekong River to the small community of Xieng Maen and walk to some of the wats near there.

Ferry to Xieng Maen:

Waiting for the ferry on the pier behind the Royal Palace: We had just missed it but we didn’t have long to wait until it returned. Cost for foreigners was 5,000 kip each – about .60 for the under 10 minute journey.

Just as we were about to leave shore, a tuk tuk arrived with a woman, her young daughter and a fairly large dresser she wanted ferried across the river. I wish I had taken a video  of the tuk tuk driver running down the pier with the dresser on his back!

The woman and daughter safely aboard.

Not the type of ferry any of us are used to with no barriers on the sides to hold onto as we crossed the river.

Monks getting into their own boat at Xieng Maen.

One very dusty tuk tuk; we almost looked like that a few minutes later as we walked up the dirt road from the pier.

The path through the village was only wide enough for motorcycles.

Young woman practicing her karaoke skills with a huge amp!

Photos of Wat Xieng Maen:

First time we'd seen any markings of donations on temple pillars.

Paintings on the temple's walls that were almost like the Stations of the Cross.

Wondered what was written on the chalkboard.

Left Wat Xieng Maen and continued walking  toward more wats.

What a gaily painted house – very different from any of its neighbors.

Thought we'd see Wat (or vat) Long Khoun next based on the sign above but the first temple we came across was Wat Chompet below.

Photos of Wat Chompet:

Think this photo should be called 'Stairway to Heaven.'

I loved the simplicity of the interior of Wat Chompet.

Beautiful views from the wat across the Mekong to Luang Prabang.

Monks' gravestones, I thought.

In the distance across the Mekong we could see spectacular Wat Paa Phon Phao.

A young girl learning intricate embroidery skills from her mother, the wat ticket taker, just to the right out of the picture.

Photos from Wat Long Khoun:

Wat Long Khoun was the former retreat of kings awaiting their coronation.

1st time we’ve seen frescoes in a wat.  

Photos of Wat Tham Sak Kalin, the last wat of the day:

Monks were helping to renovate the exterior of the wat.

The actual wat is located in a 100m deep cave with the shrine at its entrance.

Nice being in the fresh air again as we walked back through town and then caught the ferry back across the Mekong to Luang Prabang.

The ferry 'captain' and a last view of the Mekong below.

Thinking of all veterans and those who served their countries on 11/11 from Phonsavan, Laos.