Ateliere artizanale de fabricare a hârtiei

The villagers turn bamboo into pulp along the banks of the river adjacent to the village. They then spread the pulp into thin sheets over square cotton screens to fashion a rustic paper on which they record religious literature in a script based on Chinese characters. The paper is also much prized these days by the handicraft industry.

miniature sand stupa for good luck

In the middle of April the three-day Songkan (Water Festival) celebrates the start of Lao New Year (Bun Pi Mai Lao). Songkan, from the sanskrit samkranta (fully passed over) signifies the passage of the sun from the zodiac sign of Pisces into Aries. All of Laos observes this festival, but is particularly well celebrated in Luang Prabang, where many people dress in traditional clothes for the major events and stretch the event out to a full seven days. On a spiritual level the Lao traditionally believe that during this period the old Songkan spirit departs and the new one arrives. On the first day of the festival, when the old spirit departs, people give their homes a thorough cleaning. At Hat Muang Khoun, a Mekong River island beach near Ban Xieng Maen, locals gather to build and decorate miniature sand stupas for good luck, amid much playful throwing of river water.

Pictures and presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu

♦ Lao classical music

Luang Prabang