Friday 16 November 2018

TAEC’s newest special exhibition, “Voices of the Wind: Traditional Instruments in Laos” is now on display after more than two years of extensive research and documentation in remote regions of northern Laos led by Belgian ethnomusicologist and curator, Dr. Marie-Pierre Lissoir, and the TAEC research team.

A highly interactive and intimate exhibit, display spaces communicate three important contexts of instrumental practices: ritual, instrument-making, and courting. Through village scene re-creation, audio stations, and interactive video and photograph kiosks, visitors will enter a world rarely seen by the general public.

In Laos, music and musical instruments are a part of everyday life. For entertainment, courtship, or rituals, to banish loneliness, teach children, or communicate with the spirits, musical practices touch every member of a community during every part of the year. There is now a struggle and urgency to document these instruments from construction to playing as modernity takes over and replaces intimate settings and songs with amplifiers, microphones, and pre-recorded music. Music is the voice of a community, the voice of a country. A voice that is constantly evolving, like every human activity.

This exhibit also coincides with the recent UNESCO inscription of the music of the mouth organ or “khaen” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is the very first inscription for the country on the ICH list and a positive step forward for safeguarding the transmission of knowledge, skills, and meaning of this emblematic instrument for future generations.

TAEC would like to acknowledge the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation for making this critical research possible, and William Klausner for supporting the creation of the exhibition.

“Voices of the Wind: Traditional Instruments in Laos” will be on display until the Fall 2020.

From the Curator: “Music can be explored in so many ways. There is the role of music in traditional ceremonies and celebrations, but also the crafting of instruments, playing techniques, and the decline of apprenticeship. Laos is particularly fascinating because many instruments are used to communicate, whether to pass a message through the mountains with the powerful sound of a leaf, or to express ones love with the discreet sound of the jaw harp. Speaking about music is speaking about life in Laos, its changes and challenges.”– Dr. Marie-Pierre Lissoir

Hmong instrument maker and musician: “There are so many people making qeej, but if I am the one who is able to help document the process of making it from the beginning to the end, then I hope my knowledge is able to inspire people not to let go of their culture and traditions, not to let go of your ancestors and family spirits. I want to leave this message behind for the future generation.”– Mr. Neng Chue Vang

TAEC’s objectives of this exhibition:

• Demonstrate the diversity and similarities in musical practices among minority groups in Laos.
• Expose unexpected sounds and instruments to visitors in an innovative experiential space. The scenography of the exhibit and its use of different mediums will allow a deeper understanding of music and its techniques.
• Stimulate local and foreign visitor interest in Laos’ musical traditions and its importance to society through special events and outreach at the Centre.
• Highlight, document and safeguard endangered practices and instruments. 


Discover the people of Laos at the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre. TAEC is the only museum and learning centre in Laos dedicated to cultural diversity. The Centre is engaged in a broad range of museum and community engagement activities, reflecting its commitment to supporting living ethnic minority communities to preserve and promote their cultural heritage while looking towards the future.

Located in Ban Khamyong, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, the museum and shop is open 9am until 6pm, closed Mondays. Admission is 25,000 Lao kip for adults, free for children under 12 and Lao citizens. The TAEC Boutique on the main road in Ban Vat Sene sells fair trade crafts made by ethnic groups. It is open from 9am – 9pm every day.

Contact:
Kristy Best, Director Sales & Marketing
kristy taeclaos.org
www.taeclaos.org
Mobile +856 20 5544 7895

The Golden Stupa or Pha That Luang is the national symbol and most important religious monument in Laos and Vientiane’s most important Buddhist festival is Boun That Luang. The That Luang festival is held over three-seven days during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (November, but sometimes October).

The festival starts with a colourful candlelight ‘wax castle’ (phasat ) procession which starts in the evening before at Wat Simeuang, where groups gather and walk three times around the main hall of worship in honour of the Vientiane city pillar, which is located at this temple. As the home of the city’s founding pillar, the Wat is considered one of the most important in Vientiane. According to legend, when the pillar was laid, a pregnant woman, Nang Si inspired by supernatural forces, threw herself to death under the pillar as it was being dropped into position. Nang Si is now seen as the guardian of the city and every year homage is paid to her and Lord Buddha during the festival. As well as the castles, they carry candles, incense and flowers, beat drums and cymbals and sing as they walk around the wat.

The “wax castles” are not really castles, but tall creations of yellow “trees”, with wax petals and which are festooned with gold paper and kip notes.

The procession continues the next afternoon when thousands of people gather to bring their glittering creations to pay homage at That Luang. People wear their best clothes for this procession and there is also a parade of men and women dressed in various Lao ethnic costumes who dance and play traditional music and songs as they approach the stupa.

On reaching the stupa, the worshippers slowly walk around it three times in a clockwise direction, led by monks from Wat That Luang chanting the ancient words of Buddha.

The whole country looks forward to this most important of Lao festivals, and people come from far and near to revere and celebrate That Luang.

The so-called wax castles have been a part of Lao lifestyle for many years, and bringing one to Pha That Laung on this occasion is believed to bring considerable merit.

The following morning a huge crowd assembles at dawn That Luang to give alms to hundreds of monks who come here from around the country, and to pay homage to the stupa. The celebrations known as taak baat begin at 7am in the grounds of the That Luang, but crowds begin arriving at the stupa before 5am to secure the best positions inside the cloister, to pray and prepare their offerings. Both inside and outside the cloister, That Luang’s esplanade is full of monks who assemble to receive their offerings.

During the taak baat ritual inside the cloister and on the esplanade outside, everyone sits quietly and listens to the prayers. Some people pour water on the ground to ask Ngamae Thorani (a female earth goddess) to tell the spirits of their relatives to come and receive their offerings, while others release birds from cages to make merit. Everyone tries to go inside the stupa when the formal part of the ceremony has ended to give alms to the monks, to light candles and incense and pray for good luck.

A traditional picnic follows, when people eat boiled chicken and rice and catch up with friends and familes.

Then in the afternoon, everyone will gather on the esplanade for the traditional game of tikhy, which is played with a ball and long curved sticks, resembling a game of hockey. The game used to be played by two opposing groups, one symbolising the people and the other the establishment. Nowadays, it is considered a more light-hearted sporting event between two teams of the Vientiane municipality. Nevertheless, the procession to accompany the ball (louk khee) from the stupa to the grounds and back.

The festival draws to a close under a full moon, when people from all over Laos will crowd around the Pha That Luang (stupa) for one last candlelight procession, bearing posies of flowers, incense and candles. Normally these days there are also firework displays to mark the end of the celebration. Also during That Luang festival there are trade fairs and concerts and funfairs held around the esplanade.

From Laos-guide-999.com