Hot temperatures, bright colours and water play signify Lao New Year is upon us. From the bright colours of the flowering trees to the bright flowered shirts and shorts people of all ages wear, the City of Vientiane is ablaze with colour.
I began the three-day New Year celebrations at a Baci cermony with my host family and their relatives and friends. As my host family is Catholic the traditional Lao Baci ceremony also incorporates elements of a mass. Everyone sits on the floor around a conical-shaped arrangement of banana leaves, flowers, and candles from which hang white cotton threads. After the prayers and chants, everyone begins tying the threads around each other's wrists. Often people start by waving the thread across the upturned hand, 3 times outward accompanied by "out with the bad" and then 3 times inward "in with the good". As they tie, wishes for good health, long life, safety, success and perhaps more comedic wishes for a handsome husband, a big house, or an expensive car are given. For some this brings tears, as wishes of a more personal nature are shared. Following the Baci, the elders of the family are respected.
The grandmothers in their late 70's and 80's sit on the floor. Next in line sit their children and spouses. In small sibling groups the matriarchs of the family are approached and offered small gifts including towels, clothing, tetra packs of milk, etc. They in turn touch each head and extend a blessing to each child and grandchild, as the child kneels before them. Tears of happiness and gratitude flow freely.
After these rituals, bowls of traditional food are soon set out and family and friends gather in small groups to share the meal and offer frequent toasts to the New Year. By this time, the band has also begun to play, performing a combination of traditional Lao songs, Thai pop and American pop music.
After the meal, I join in dancing the traditional Lao circle dance, with women on the outside circle facing the men on the inside circle. I try and move my hands in the graceful Lao way, but somehow my hands do not create the graceful presentation I would hope for. As we dance water is gently poured down our backs. The matriarchs of the family and village then sit in a row, and one by one various family members pass in front of them gently pouring water over their hands. I'm invited to place a flower garland on the wrist of three of the women, after pouring water over their hands.
The water activities of the youth are in extreme contrast to the gentle, respectful gestures shown to the elders. The youth gather along the side of the road armed with buckets of water, containers of body powder, bags of corn starch and tubes of lipstick. As each vehicle passes they throw water. Sometimes they move into the middle of the road preventing the vehicle from passing until they have had time to throw water and wash the wind shield. For those on motorbikes, they also are powdered and sometimes have their faces marked with lipstick. Sometimes passing pick up trucks are also armed with a team of well-wishers, complete with large containers of water, water guns, and often bags of coloured water equivalent to water balloons. Despite two warnings from the police to move out of the streets, the water activities continue.
I stand back avoiding this aggressive water play and panic at the thought of driving my motorcycle home later in the day. Up and down the road there are groups engaged in similar water play. Later in the day, when my host family extends the invitation to stay the night, I accept with no hesitation. After all, this is only the first day of Lao New Year. What will happen on the second day of Lao New Year?
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