Laopedia
Growing up, we were taught to do and say certain things as part of our traditions and heritage. A lot of times, we weren’t told why were doing these things or the significance behind them. We’re actively working on gathering that information to share on the page so you can learn as we do. If there’s a topic you’d like to know more about, please email us.
The Knop
Many of us were taught to bow or knop when greeting someone. Why do we do this? Well bowing is a greeting AND an expression of respect or thanks.
To knop, place the hands together between the chest and nose level and bow slightly. The bow is accompanied by a slight bend of the knees and a smile.
The bow is important as a way of showing respect towards people of higher status or age.
The person who is socially inferior or younger should be the first to bow. When addressing a person of higher social standing (this includes monks, regardless of age), the hands are usually held in front of the nose. When bowing to the King, the hands would go above the head.
The higher the hands are held and the lower the bow, the greater the degree of respect.
If you are unsure, a general knop and bow at chest level is acceptable! The knop is also used for giving thanks, apologizing, praying to the Buddha, begging, and saying goodbye.
The Head and Feet
Have you ever gotten in trouble for touching someone on the top of their head or for pointing at something with your foot? It’s because of social customs valued by Lao folk. Buddhism is the dominant religion in Laos so many social customs in Laos have Buddhist roots.
In Buddhism, the head is considered the most sacred part of the body, and the bottom of the feet are the most profane. Your head is "high", your feet "low". Lao people consider the head as the most sacred part of the body because they believe it is inhabited by the kwan, the spiritual force of life.
Never pat a person on the head or place a hand on the back of a chair (other than a young person) in which someone is sitting to avoid offending someone. Standing over someone older, wiser, or more enlightened than yourself is also considered rude since it implies social superiority.
As a sign of courtesy, lower your head as you pass a group of people. If you accidentally touch someone’s head, apologize profusely. In the old days, one manifested “height” respect towards the monarchy by crawling in front of the King so that the head of crawlers was below the feet of the king.
The feet form the inferior part of the body (as much spiritually as physically). Using your feet for anything other than walking or playing sports is generally considered rude. You must never indicate or touch another person or object with your foot. Picking things up with your feet is also frowned upon.
Stepping over someone in your path is very impolite. Stepping over food is disgusting and some Lao people won’t eat the food that has been stepped over. In an office setting, never place your feet on a desk while sitting in a chair.
Nang Sangkhan
Every year during Lao New Year, one girl is crowned Nang Sangkhan and leads the ceremonies and rituals for the new year. What is the story behind this pageant?
Legend has it that Kabilaphom, the legendary King with four faces, loved to challenge people with riddles. If they were unable to solve the riddle, he would have them beheaded.
One day, he challenged a young sage to solve a riddle. He gave him seven days to solve it. Confident that the man could not solve it, Kabilaphom said he would give up both his own head and his Kingdom if the young man was correct. On the seventh day, the young man solved the riddle and Kabilaphom had to abide by his agreement.
He ordered his seven daughters to offer his head to the wise man. He warned them that because he possessed such great powers, severing his head would be a catalyst for disaster. If his head fell to the ground, the earth would burn. If it were submerged in water, oceans and rivers would boil. If thrown into the air, tornadoes would destroy the earth.
To avoid these disasters, Kabilaphom told the young man to present his head to his daughters to keep deep inside the earth and care for it. Each year, Kabilaphom’s head has to be paraded on a sacred silver receptacle in a procession to prevent the occurrence of natural disasters. The daughters take turns each year to lead the procession and cleaning of his head.
That is why during every New Year Festival, the seven daughters, parade Kabilaphom’s four-faced head for all to see.
The pageant is held every year to select the daughter who will lead the processions and rituals of cleaning Kabilaphom’s head.
Taking Off Your Shoes
When entering most Lao households, it is a common practice to take off your shoes. Why do we do this? Personal cleanliness is highly valued by Lao folk, and many take pride in clean homes. Traditionally, many Lao folk sit on the floor, sleep on the floor, and eat on the floor. Even today, families in Laos will gather around a ka toke and sit on mats on the floor to eat together. People will lounge on cushions on the floor while watching tv or just to relax. And in many households in Laos, people also sleep in padded mats on the floor.
So if you're not taking your shoes off before entering a house, you could be trekking in dirt (and who knows what else from your shoes) into areas where many families are regularly eating and relaxing at. And that's just gross.
It can be seen impolite to create a mess for the household to clean up after. It is considered respectful and polite to take off ones shoes before entering a Lao household. Remember to also take off your shoes before entering any Wat and some stores in Laos. If you see shoes outside the shop, leave yours there too.
Alms Giving to The Monks In Laos
Laos is a land of rich ethnic and cultural values. One of these cultural distinctions is the Thak Bat Ceremony – giving alms to the monks.
What Is Alms Giving?
The nation follows the Buddhist religion. People come here to perform the famous Thak Bat – a tradition of giving alms to monks celebrated in the Lao Buddhist culture.
Thak Bat has a long history where people following the tradition offer food to the monks every morning from March to October around half-past five to half-past six in the morning and from November to February six to seven in the morning.
How To Give Alms To Monks?
The tradition acts as sustenance for monks in the country. That is why the authorities take great care in preparing the foods to be presented to the monks.
Moreover, if you are a visitor to the area and want to participate in the traditional act, you will need to follow certain guidelines to ensure that you are giving your offerings in a culturally appropriate way.
When the clock hits five in the morning, monks dressed in their saffron robes along with novices go out in the streets with alms bowls in their hands. People who want to take part in the alms giving ceremony wait with prepared food and place portions of foods in the monks' pots whenever one passes by. The food generally comprises of sticky rice with other items.
What Is The Cultural Significance Of Thak Bat?
An important point to note while observing Thak Bat is to acknowledge that it is not an act for making charitable contributions to the monks. Rather, the tradition is considered an act of respect and humility to the religious leaders and practitioners made by lay people aiming to seek spiritual enlightenment. So, this tradition is a way for Lao Buddhists to connect with their spirituality by indulging in the activity.
The act is a spiritual cleansing, which is regarded as the first step of attaining Nirvana. In this regard, buying the items for preparing the dishes and cooking them are regarded as integral parts of the sacred act. So, care is taken in following all guidelines needed to follow the tradition.
The cultural importance and the inherent beauty of giving alms to the monks make this an attraction for many tourists all over the world. In the old city sites, specifically in the center of Sakkaline Road, tourists often stand with the Luang Prabang community to witness this eye captivating act performed with dignity and value.
The Su Kwan
Baci Ceremony
Laos is famous for its rich culture, beautiful mountain terrains and Buddhist monasteries. But more than that, it is known for the unique rituals that are a part of important celebrations and events.
Among these, the Baci or Su Kwan ceremony is a significant ritual that celebrates important occasions such as weddings, travel, births, and even welcoming guests. The Baci ceremony can take place throughout the year on any day.
History Of The Baci Or Su Kwan
Baci or the Su Kwan is a popular traditional ritual that dates back to ancient rituals and olden generations' customs. Su Kwan is the name of the Baci ritual's actual ceremony, which means 'calling of the soul.'
The popular belief is that the Baci ceremony is carried out to summon the Kwan spirits. Even though there were attempts by the communist government to subdue ceremonies, the Baci remained strongly rooted.
Observing Baci as an essential spiritual ceremony has been a part of the Lao Culture since before the emergence of Buddhism. This is the reason that the Baci is not linked to any religion.
What Is The Lao Baci Ceremony?
The Baci ceremony believes that the human body is comprised of 32 or more spirits. Under certain situations, these spirits go wandering around, leaving the body and can end up getting lost. This makes a person go weak and susceptible to all sorts of danger.
It is crucial to call these missing spirits back to your body to get back to your old self. Therefore, the Baci ritual involves tying up strings around a person's wrist, to bring the spirits back and so that good luck is preserved. The Baci is carried out on special occasions and events such as farewells, births, funerals and welcoming guests.
How Is The Baci Ceremony Performed?
The most common time for the Baci ceremony to be held is in April during the Lao New Year. The ceremony starts with the participants sitting around a plate filled with flowers, cooked chicken, sweets, sticky rice, boiled eggs, and alchol. Collectively, everything is called Pha Kwan.
A knowledgeable and highly respected member from the community, also known as the Mor Phon, initiates the Baci. The Mor Phon starts by calling the spirits, so they return. A white thread is tied around the wrists of the participants to keep the spirits in the body.
Everyone sits by gathering around the Pha Kwan while making sure they do not point their feet at other participants or the Pha Kwan. There are white strings tied to the Pha Kwan, which are later placed by the Mor Phon in the hands of the host and the person who is waiting to be blessed. They begin to pray, and the Mor Phon calls upon the spirits to bring success and good luck.
Once the ceremony ends, all the guests are invited by the host to enjoy the sumptuous dishes, and then everyone proceeds to dance. Baci ceremonies are carried out to bless families and unite friends, relatives, and families.
Great Naga
Like many places in the world, Laos is rich in culture and history when it comes to different myths and traditions. The Naga is an essential part of Laos’ history and culture and can be seen as a prominent part of their architecture and sculptures.
What Is The Naga In Mythology?
Now, what exactly is a Naga? Is Naga a snake or a dragon or a mix of both? According to some, it’s a blend of both with many more aspects. No matter where you are strolling around in Laos, in a temple or at the river-side, you have definitely crossed paths with a Naga or two.
When looking at a Naga statue placed at Lao temples, you can notice that it has a striking similarity to both snakes and dragons. However, the truth is that Naga is an entire being with its own identity. These beings are a part of both Hinduism and Buddhism. The locals believe that Naga inhabit the Mekong river. According to the Naga myth, these potentially dangerous beings can fully assume a human or serpentine form and are frequently beneficial to humans.
According to popular belief, the Naga are also responsible for the Naga fireball phenomenon. It is believed that Nagas are guardian entities responsible for keeping evil spirits at bay.
The Role Of Nagas In Religion
Naga aren’t just some beings that are made up creations of Lao folklore. They have a massive role in Hindu mythology and Buddhist faiths. They are believed to having recurrent interactions with different Gods, where they act as a bed where Vishnu was sleeping when he had a dream of creating the world.
There are numerous scriptures of both faiths where there are mentions of Naga in different tales. This is how they have achieved their respected status among various countries in Southeast Asia. They have garnered massive popularity for being a top choice of architecture and temple statues.
