nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

ARTISAN IN LUANG PRABANG, LAO

    
     I know of no other country with its population as laid-back as Lao. On the surface, nothing seems to bother the Lao people. A common Lao saying is ‘bo pen nyang’ (no problem or never mind). Much of this is due to the belief system of Theravada Buddhism, a small branch of Buddhism practiced in Lao, Cambodia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Theravada Buddhism partly emphasizes the cooling of human passions, thus making strong emotions taboo in Lao society. Karma is believed to determine one’s life, so the Lao people don’t get too worked up about the past or the future. Avoiding any psychological stress is a cultural norm. From the Lao perspective, unless an activity contains an element of muan (fun), it will probably lead to stress.


     Lao has a school of performing arts that includes traditional dancing and music. The practice of classical Lao music and drama has been in decline for years. However, Lao folk and pop music is still being created. The principle instrument is a khaen, a wind instrument made of a double row of bamboo-like reeds fitted into a hardwood soundbox and made airtight with beeswax. There are between four and eight rows, and can vary in length from 80cm to 2m. When the khaen plays, the people dance circles around each other. This popular folk dance is called lamvong. Lao pop music has become popular, and even Lao hip hop.

WAT XIENG THONG , LUANG PRABANG, LAO

     Lao is best known for the architecture of its many temples, and for its weavings. The best architects in Lao have concentrated on Buddhist temples, making the Lao stupas unique from neighboring countries. The traditional weavings use dyes made from tamarind, turmeric, tree bark, and even insects. Weavers in southern Lao, using foot looms rather than frame looms, are known for making the countries best silk weavings.
     There is no national game in Lao, but popular sports include kataw, tee kee, and petanque. Kataw is played with a rattan ball and it is kicked back and forth over a net. Tee kee is a rough type of hockey played with a rattan ball. Petanque is a form of lawn bowling, or bocce. Lao games focus more on entertainment than competition, and tend to be more home and neighborhood based.