summary & extracts · navettes de luang prabang – le mékong mythique et insolite charm of...

Book « Laos forgotten paradise », web site « dglaos.com », sold by DGLAOS to help the lao schools, Août 2012 -

Summary & extracts


1 The Mekong Le charme de la navigation – Trajet Houey Saï / Luang Prabang – Accostages et escales – Diversité des bateaux – Activités sur les rives – Paysages constrastés nord/sud – Large Mékong du sud – Crues et basses eaux – Navettes de Luang Prabang – Le Mékong mythique et insolite Charm of sailing – Trip Houey Saï / Luang Prabang – Berthing and ports of call – Variety of boats – Activities on the riversides – Constrasted landscapes between North and South – Flood and low waters – Shuttles in Luang Prabang – Mythical and strange Mekong

2 Scenes in villages First villages up the slopes or by the riversides and along the roads – Welcome by children groups – Short description of ethnical villages (please see chapter 16) – Pictures of working, rice’s grinding and winnowing, various kinds of grinding, coconuts grinding – Family or feasts meals outside – scenes of basket-working – By waterplaces… - Evolution towards sedentarisation and people’s gathering to facilitate the roads linking and other progress factors - Evocation of the adaptation to nature, the animist rituals and the balance between the village life and the search of jobs in towns.

3 Agriculture, forests and fishing Agriculture – Rice’s cycle, LABOURAGE, planting in rice-fields, examples of rice-fields in Luang Namtha and Champassak with irrigation by pumping in Mekong and its tributaries – Reduction of the ABBATIS BRULIS – Agricole diversification, coffee beans, tea leaves, soja plants and other regional traded products – Coconuts- Forests – Wood for heating and cooking – Limber for building and furniture, exploitation and exportation controlled by goverments – Threats in spite of the extension of protected areas for biodiversity and reforestation – Scenes with elephants – Evolution of the Laotian forests and diversification, trees with economical purposes, fruit trees, investments in hevea – Bamboo – Fishing with various techniques (EPERVIER, CARREL, fishing in streams, fish-traps, farm-ponds) – Developing poultry – Seaweeds (from collect to drying) – Salt – Evolution of processes from 2003 to 2010.

4 Handicraft Weaving – Weaving looms, variety of sewing, embroidery, cross-stitching, training and transmission of know-how, dying and spinning, ethnical scenes, the Hmongs’ batik, the symbolical patterns, markets specialized for cloth in Luang Prabeng. Transformation of bamboo, basket works, various handmade items, PAPER – paper making and its variants, supplying with mulberry trees’ bark, developing outlets and products, paper produced by the Lanten, manufacturing process. TRADITIONAL ROOFS AND COMPARTMENTS, SHIPYARDS – FURNITURE – GOLDSMITH – BLACKSMITH – THE SEASON FOR BROOMS : carrying of brooms plants, preparation, sale by peddlars or wholesalers for exportation – KAPOK – EVOLUTION OF HANDICRAFT with the increasing demand for house and furniture building and with developing electrical equipment.


5 Markets and cooking art MARKETS – various fresh foods and markets, identification of the main local fruit – fresh foods requested by the Lao people – small family stalls as extra incomes – sales by ethnical groups – pancakes made with seaweeds and various receipes – rice noodles – edible ratten – FISH AND MEAT – evolution and improvement of the stalls used for selling meat – other natural products rich in proteins, eggs, honey, water cockroaches – FROM TOBACCO TO MEDICINAL PLANTS – arec nuts for chewing, tobacco, illegal drugs, medicinal plants, ancient knowledge – FOOD ON MARKETPLACES, exotic products, Laotian cookery books, preparation of the Lao rice – doughnuts, brochettes and other specialities – French and foreign influences, cooking at home, eating customs and rituals – EVOLUTION OF MARKETS AND SHOPS, supermarkets and specialized shops.

6 Housing TRADITIONAL HOUSES – huts – houses on piles, sheds and terraces, variety and evolution of the natural materials for building roofs and compartments, variety of houses according to ethnical groups – villages organization – silos and sheds – other buildings – EXAMPLES OF TRADITIONAL HOUSES before, during and after the building – TRENDS AND COLOURS – COLONIAL INFLUENCE AND PATRIMONY – various colonial houses, hard materials, restoration – EVOLUTION OF HOUSES IN THE CITIES – trends of styles and materials – RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION – reprocessing of old materials, old wooden piles – nice models of restoration and other questionable examples – HOUSES IN LUANG PRABENG – evolutions of guesthouses and shops for tourism – DEVELOPMENT OF VANG VIENG – VARIETY OF STYLES IN VIENTIANE – NEW URBANISM IN PAKSE – VARIED URBANISM – HOUSES AND ENVIRONNMENT, transmission of customs and knowlegdes.

7 Architecture, arts RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE – the Vat, a bouddhistic temple – the sim (temple) and various buildings – the vat XIeng Thong – specifications and variety of the Lao vats – THE SALA HOR PHA BANG in LUANG PRABANG – BAS RELIEF AND PAINTED DRAWINGS IN THE LAO ARCHITECTURE – Pediments and decorated galleries – DECORATIVE FRONTISPIECES - CARVED DOORS – the light inside the buidlings– ROOFS with cut-off corners – THE “DOK SO FA” –

THE

NAGAS – THE SHED FOR DRUMS, bells and gongs – STATUES, especially the codified STATUES OF BUDDHA, the “mudra”- THE VAT SISAKET – RESTORATION OF THE VATS – evolutions, risks and rules – THE MATERIALS OF THE STATUARY – Scenes of sculpture by monks – THE VAT PHOU – the main elements placed at each level - entrance and statuary of the Vat Phou – lintels and relics – Vat Phou and Angkor – VARIOUS ARTS, VARIOUS AGES : real gold or silver plate, royal collections and customs – ethnical jewels – music and dances – examples of orchestras and bands – transmissions in schools and in diasporas – painting with nice authorized copies, evocation of other arts, for example literature – INFLUENCES – Inspiration in religions and mythologies, Lao art and history, one example with the Pathousay.

8 History HISTORICAL BACKGROUND – main dates – about twenty dates or periods up to 1975 with pictures – Key-dates from 1975 to 2010 with pictures, symbols through posters and stamps, emblems, varied uses of remaining bombs and scene of mineclearing operations


9 Traditions, religions Multicultural Laos – Constitution in 1991 and acknowledged ethnies – BUDDHA AND SPIRITS – Theravada Buddhism – beliefs and worships – Buddha’s lessons – rituals and festive customs – morning offering, the takbat – the monks after the takbat – inside the vats – the sacred trees – THE CAVES OF PAK OU – THE BUDDHISTIC PILIGRIMAGES – THE THAT LUANG – BUDDHISM THROUGHOUT LIFE – religions of merits and religions of fears – FREEDOM OF WORSHIPS – ANIMIST RELIGIONS – symbols in villages, doors for spirits, symbols in the Akha ethnies and other symbols – THE BACI – symbolical ceremony – BELIEFS AND TRADITIONS – rituals example to invoke rain – VENERATED MYTHICAK CHARACTERS – Other rituals for protection or for venaration – LANQUAGES AND TRADITIONS – the

Lao language – local dialects according to ethnical groups – the French and English languages – the Francophonie – Writing in ancient languages following discovery of remnants with drawings. Calendars of main festivals and holiday, drawings of boats races, the festivals of elephants and the “seagames in December 2009.

10 Education

EDUCATION, one of the national priority – Schooling for everybody is the major aim – long trips between home and school – literacy rate - Building of schools, other needs and helps from NGOs – HIGH SCHOOLS – HIGHER EDUCATION – various fields of higher education – the Laotian National University and its 11 faculties – international and private investments – Technical studies – Comments about the precarious situation of villagers, their difficulties and motivation for educating their children, the role of state school as from childhood.

11 Transportation SAILING ON THE MEKONG – a few varied and significant examples as extra information and reminder of chapter 1 – THE TRADITIONAL BASKET CARRIED ON ONE’S BACK – various scenes and other manual ways of carrying materials and harvested products – THE TRUCKS IN LAOS – THE TUK TUK – ACTUAL BIKES AND SAMLOTS FROM THE PAST – BUSES, from the “SAM NUA” with benches to modern air-conditioned buses – PORTS OF CALL – BRIDGES AND PATHWAYS – evolution of the roads network – roads repair – AIRLINES – The remote Laos will soon become a crossroad for exchanges in the Asian South-East, one example with the Road number 12 between Vietnam and Thailand.

12 Economy ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT – Classification by the PNUD – Increasing National Gross Product – Part of industry and handicraft in the NGP opposed to the part of agriculture – Difficulties to reach remote places – The Kip exchange rate – Ilustration of poppy’s eradication – various key-data supplied by the mentioned international sources – DEVELOPING SECTORS – Hydroelectricity, working or future dams – Textile – Examples of tools, turbines in rivers, clothes exportation – Developing food industry – EXPORTATION – list of exported goods (tea, rubber …) – Incomes from exportation – Key-numbers are listed – Confirmed trend towards new technologies – Report about the sales of country-products (agriculture and picking)


13 General culture Various information about the Laotian life – EMBLEMS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION – “Frangipanier” flower, the That Luang- Other mythical symbols, elephants and nagas, Tolani Goddess – Summary about the administrative organization into 18 provinces – EQUALITY OF WOMEN – Equality between men and women in Laos, their participation into economical, social and political activities – The role of the Laotian Women Union – FAUNA AND FLORA – Exceptional variety, rare and saved species, a few examples of pictures – COOPERATION – Importance of the international cooperation – PATRIMONY – Importance of the protection of Laos ‘s architecture patrimony, 2 sites classified in the Unesco worldwide patrimony – HEALTH – Prevention, health care education and international help, reduction of the child mortality rate, active campaigns further to international epidemics, reduction of the risks but a still worrying sanitary situation. Poppy’s eradication.

14 The Monks’ life The number of the monks in Luang Prabang is a contrast with their number in the provinces’ vats. Young people becoming monks for studying during a few years – MEDITATION AND PRAYERS – the young monks’ prayers and their religious education – the monks’ life, a demanding buddhistic experience – initiatic process – preparation of the religious ceremonies – EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG MONKS – Schools specialised for monks in several vats – other tasks – THE MEALS – meals as rituals – WORKS OUTSIDE – restoration and maintaining works – building works by subcontractors – One example of sculpure workshop – The KUTI is the house for the monks and is an example for traditional houses – WISDOM EDUCATION – the monks are opened to progress, to internet – demanding community life is a contrast with the festive and noisy urban life – Special case for the nuns – TRAVELLING MONKS – one example and pictures of a monks community leaving on a boat – Conclusion : Religions can have no answer to questions about life mysteries. Buddhism : a way towards the soul’s awakening

15 Ethnical groups Historical backgrounds and equality between ethnical groups – First classification in three groups according to the houses location (Lao Loum, Lao Theung, Lao Soung) – Classification in four ethnical linguistical groups with the main ethnical groups and the estimate of the people number (Lao-Taï, Mon-Khmer, Hmong Yao, Tibetan-Birman) – Various immigration – One page explanation about each of the main ethnical groups (clothes significations , main customs, cultural characteristics… for the Lao-Loum, Taï-Dam, Khmou, Hmong, Yao, Lanten, Akha, Phounoy with significant pictures)

16 Ethnical villages

Twelve ethnical villages visited by the author regularly - families’ life, villages’ evolution, developments, acitivities and incomes, sometimes participation to new year’s festivities and to weddings. A variety of visited villages : Lao Loum, Khamu, Hmong, Lanten, Yao, Akha and Phounoy.


17 Cities and visiting sites

The book is a real small travel guide book : it shows about 50 towns and sites from the North to the South, the main touristic sites, typical landscapes and various sights. The book includes an administrative map of Laos, some maps of the North, the South, the “4000 islands” in the south of Si Phan Done, and it involves several enclosures (bibliography, lists of NGOs, full index per language on a detachable page) ________________________________________________________________________________________________ The book specifies the author’s cooperation with a Lao committee led by Soukaseum Bodhisane, vice-chairman of the Lao National Tourism Administration and it mentions the main persons who have taken part into the book’s elaboration, the translations in Lao by Sisamay Luangchandavong and in English by Nathalie Gilbert, Mary Arnold, Shirley Perry . The author also states that he is the only one committed by the English and French texts and by the pictures that have been taken mostly by himself or chosen by him. He testifies to his great concern for objectivity and he thanks for all the helps that he has received, especially from his guides, Lanoy Chansong and Douangta Chanhthasombath. The main pictures sources are from Daniel Gilbert (1740 among 1820 pictures), the LNTA, Michel Huteau, Peter Livermoore, François Guyot (Yao village) and Bernard Renoux. The Lao dances are representated by pictures of the Puang-Champa band from Luang Prabang and the paintings are printed with the authorization of the following artists, P.Anoussa, P.Noy et G.Penny Peckmann. The book mentions the names of the persons who have produced the represented stamps ( Laos stamps collections of the author and the Philatelists Association, the A.I.C.T.P.L) especially the creations of the painter Marc Leguay. Bounpheng Sivilay, François Vieille, Erick Gauthier and Virginie Audineau have read and corrected the texts in French and English. The participation of sponsors mentioned with their logos makes the publishing of the book easier in three languages and for a biggest number of readers. The distribution of the book is managed by the LNTA (in cooperation with the author for France) and procedures for sponsoring and for selling the book on a subscription basis (advanced purchase of the book) are also led by the LNTA from December 2009 to March 2010. This text is entirely available on the following websites, www.dglaos.com

“Cover 4 th” : Paradise is a dream which was imagined by civilizations and religious mythologies, it is an ideal imaginary destination. Laos

thanks to an exceptional nature, beautiful sites and ethnical villages with ancient traditions represents a rare image of paradise. Many

tourists in search of escape have already been seduced by Laos. One merit of the book is to reveal the truth about the realities of the still

hard living conditions of many villagers forgotten by progress. Laos wants to bring progress for everybody, while protecting its real wealth,

environment, cultural patrimony and the ancient know-how of its ethnies. Tourism must aim at gathering the people, like this book about

Laos does. Indeed the book proposes a humanist vision upon these welcoming villagers who are completely integrated in the surrounding

nature which provides them with everything. The sustainable human development will have to save this respect of nature, forests and rivers.

To contact the author : Daniel GILBERT, site www.dglaos.com, email : [email protected], Tél. France 00.33.(0) 666872343

Daniel Gilbert is responsible of his texts and pictures ; he is partner for this book with : Lao National Tourism Administration

http://www.dglaos.com/

http://www.dglaos.com/

mailto:[email protected]

summary & extracts · navettes de luang prabang – le mékong mythique et insolite charm of...

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