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Culture of Laos
This article describes the cultural aspects of Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
The Lao government recognizes 47 distinct ethnicities, which are further sub-divided into 149 subgroups. Approximately 50% of the total population is ethnic Lao (Lao Loum or Lao Tai); 10% are categorized as Lao Theung or “upland Lao” who are predominantly people of Mon or Khmer ancestry; another 34% are Lao Sung or “mountain Lao,” and are referred to as “hill tribes.” Hill peoples in Laos include the Hmong, Yao (Mien), Akha, and Lahu. Laos is home to communities of Vietnamese and Chinese who make up the 6% remaining.
Anthropologists consider the Lao Loum as a subcategory of the wider “Tai” ethnic group who share genetic, linguistic, and cultural heritage. The Tai family includes the Lao and Thai, and other groups which have been distinguished by their traditional dress and include the Tai Dam (Black Tai), Tai Daeng (Red Tai), and Tai Khao (White Tai). The Lao Loum define themselves based on location, agricultural practice, language and religion. The Lao Loum occupy the Mekong River valleys and cultivate wet rice crops, they are predominantly Theravada Buddhist and have syncretism with traditional animist beliefs.
The Lao Theung include Mon-Khmer peoples which are among the indigenous peoples from the Mekong River valleys. The largest single group (11% or 500,000 people) is Khmu (Khmou, Kmhmu, Khammu, Khamu, Kammu). Also included in the Lao Theung population are Katang, Bru, Kui, Laven, Mal, Phai, Katu, Lave, Ngae, Jeh, Khuen, Jeng, Alak, Ir, Kasseng, Khlor, Aheu, Bo, Halang, Doan, Hung, Xinh Mul, Khua, Arem, Bit, Chut, Maleng and Mlabri. The Lao Theung peoples are distinguished by dry rice cultivation, and animist beliefs.
The Lao Sung are known as “hill tribe” peoples, and are among the populations to migrate into Laos in the nineteenth century from southern China and Vietnam. The Hmong are the largest group, which are subdivided by traditional dress including the White, Red, Black and Striped Hmong. The Yao (Mien and Lu Mien) are another group of Lao Sung, and distinguish themselves through the incorporation of Taoist deities with their animist beliefs. Other groups of Lao Sung include the Akha, Kaw, Lahu, Kaduo, Lisu, Hani, Phana, Si La, and Kado. The Lao Sung are identified by language, dry rice production, slash-and-burn agriculture, traditional opium production and animist beliefs.
Laos is approximately 66% Theravada Buddhist, which roughly falls along ethnic lines with the majority of practitioners being Lao Loum. The remainder is largely animist. Other religions are in the minority including Islam and Christianity and represent a combined total of less than 2% of the population.
The That Luang is a stupa with a pyramidal base capped by the representation of a closed lotus blossom which was built to protect relics of the Buddha. The shrine has been rebuilt some times since being created in the thirteenth century by the Khmer, with expansions by King Setthathirath in the 1500s as part of a nationwide building campaign.
There is a belief that merit is transferable among people, thus a daughter or son may make merit for a parent by temporarily entering a monastery. Lay persons are expected to feed and care for the monks of their local community, with the morning processions of monks (tak bat) who walk to collect offerings. Monks renounce material possessions and labor, thus the community and the monastery (wat) are bound in a mutually reinforcing relationship.
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Culture of Laos
This article describes the cultural aspects of Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
The Lao government recognizes 47 distinct ethnicities, which are further sub-divided into 149 subgroups. Approximately 50% of the total population is ethnic Lao (Lao Loum or Lao Tai); 10% are categorized as Lao Theung or “upland Lao” who are predominantly people of Mon or Khmer ancestry; another 34% are Lao Sung or “mountain Lao,” and are referred to as “hill tribes.” Hill peoples in Laos include the Hmong, Yao (Mien), Akha, and Lahu. Laos is home to communities of Vietnamese and Chinese who make up the 6% remaining.
Anthropologists consider the Lao Loum as a subcategory of the wider “Tai” ethnic group who share genetic, linguistic, and cultural heritage. The Tai family includes the Lao and Thai, and other groups which have been distinguished by their traditional dress and include the Tai Dam (Black Tai), Tai Daeng (Red Tai), and Tai Khao (White Tai). The Lao Loum define themselves based on location, agricultural practice, language and religion. The Lao Loum occupy the Mekong River valleys and cultivate wet rice crops, they are predominantly Theravada Buddhist and have syncretism with traditional animist beliefs.
The Lao Theung include Mon-Khmer peoples which are among the indigenous peoples from the Mekong River valleys. The largest single group (11% or 500,000 people) is Khmu (Khmou, Kmhmu, Khammu, Khamu, Kammu). Also included in the Lao Theung population are Katang, Bru, Kui, Laven, Mal, Phai, Katu, Lave, Ngae, Jeh, Khuen, Jeng, Alak, Ir, Kasseng, Khlor, Aheu, Bo, Halang, Doan, Hung, Xinh Mul, Khua, Arem, Bit, Chut, Maleng and Mlabri. The Lao Theung peoples are distinguished by dry rice cultivation, and animist beliefs.
The Lao Sung are known as “hill tribe” peoples, and are among the populations to migrate into Laos in the nineteenth century from southern China and Vietnam. The Hmong are the largest group, which are subdivided by traditional dress including the White, Red, Black and Striped Hmong. The Yao (Mien and Lu Mien) are another group of Lao Sung, and distinguish themselves through the incorporation of Taoist deities with their animist beliefs. Other groups of Lao Sung include the Akha, Kaw, Lahu, Kaduo, Lisu, Hani, Phana, Si La, and Kado. The Lao Sung are identified by language, dry rice production, slash-and-burn agriculture, traditional opium production and animist beliefs.
Laos is approximately 66% Theravada Buddhist, which roughly falls along ethnic lines with the majority of practitioners being Lao Loum. The remainder is largely animist. Other religions are in the minority including Islam and Christianity and represent a combined total of less than 2% of the population.
The That Luang is a stupa with a pyramidal base capped by the representation of a closed lotus blossom which was built to protect relics of the Buddha. The shrine has been rebuilt some times since being created in the thirteenth century by the Khmer, with expansions by King Setthathirath in the 1500s as part of a nationwide building campaign.
There is a belief that merit is transferable among people, thus a daughter or son may make merit for a parent by temporarily entering a monastery. Lay persons are expected to feed and care for the monks of their local community, with the morning processions of monks (tak bat) who walk to collect offerings. Monks renounce material possessions and labor, thus the community and the monastery (wat) are bound in a mutually reinforcing relationship.