|
|
|
There is an old Laotian saying, that goes like this: "Giliya bork saad, malayaad bork skoon..." which translates roughly "Your behaviors determine your origin (nationality, culture, etc...), and your etiquettes determine your family line..." Your action reflects to who you are and therefore who you are (implicitly), to greater or less extent, is based on how you're brought up. I guess this stresses the importance of knowing your own background in order to fully understand who you are as a person. Therefore, in my quest to search for my identity, I researched extensively on the subject of Laos and Laotian Culture. On one of my endeavors, I've discovered a good site in Yahoo! It's concise, yet very clear. I'd like to thank the author(s) (not readily known) for the following piece: About 60% of Lao, mainly the lowland Lao and a sprinkling of Thai tribes, are Theravada Buddhists. Every Lao Buddhist male is expected to become a monk for a short period of his life, usually between school and starting a career or getting married. The main non-Buddhist 'religion' is phii worship, a spirit cult which is officially banned. Hmong/Mien tribes practice animism and ancestral worship, and some follow a Christian version of the cargo cult, believing Jesus Christ will arrive in a jeep, dressed in combat fatigues. A small number of Lao - mostly the French-educated elite - are Christians. The official language of Laos is Lao, as spoken and written in Vientiane. As an official language, it has successfully become the lingua franca between all Lao and non-Lao ethnic groups in Laos. There are five main dialects in the country, each of which can be divided into further sub-dialects. All Lao dialects are closely related to the languages spoken in Thailand, northern Myanmar and pockets of China's Yunnan Province. Traditional culture in Laos has been heavily influenced by various strains of Khmer, Vietnamese and Thai cultures. The lowland Lao share the same ancestry as many Thai tribes, so the similarities between Lao and Thai culture are especially strong. This can be seen in Lao sculpture, classical music, dance-dramas and cuisine. Lao folk music is more indigenous, based around the khaen (a double row of bamboo reeds fitted into a hardwood sound box). Folk music is often accompanied by dancing or bawdy theatre. The focus of most traditional art has been primarily religious and includes wats (temples), stupas and several distinctively Lao representations of Buddha. The Lao remain skilful carvers and weavers, but traditional silver-smithing and gold-smithing are declining arts. Rice is the foundation for all Lao meals, and almost all dishes are cooked with fresh ingredients such as vegetables, freshwater fish, poultry, duck, pork, beef or water buffalo. Lime juice, lemon grass and fresh coriander give the food its characteristic tang, and various fermented fish concoctions are used to salt the food. Hot chillies, garlic, mint, ground peanuts, tamarind juice, ginger and coconut milk are other seasonings. Dishes are often served with an accompanying plate of lettuce, mint, coriander, mung-bean sprouts, lime wedges or basil - diners then create their own lettuce-wrapped tit-bits. The above excerpt comes from Yahoo!Travel Destination: Laos |
|
Send mail to borhoo@yahoo.com
with questions
|