B'houn: The Laotian New Year
Figure 1:Map
of Laos and the surrounding countries
This map was found at www.cia.gov/publications/factbook/geos/la.html
Abstract
B'houn is centered on many of the basic values and religious rituals and rites of the Laotian culture. The New Year celebration stands as a spiritual and material marker between the old and new years, and is supposed to eliminate all of the evil influences that had assimilated during the previous year and guarentee good fortune for the year to come (Scott 1982, 67). The Hmong New Year displays the ties between Laotian communities and the spiritual world.
Figure 2: This
is the country flag of Laos. This image
was found at www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/la.html Figure 3: These
are Laotian people taking part in the New Year celebration. This image
was found atGilliland, Donald. "Laos New Year."
2001. Experience Asia Through the Eyes of a Traveler.
Things Asian. 21 Oct 2004. http://www.thingsasian.com/goto_article/article.1405.html
Introduction
The Laotian culture is one that is deeply rooted in spirituality and centered on Buddhist practices of worship. B'houn, which is the Laotian New Year celebration, incorporates many of the basic values and religious rituals and rites of the Laotian culture. Currently, the Hmong New Year takes place from December 26th to Janyary 1st (Scott 1982, 67). The New Year celebration is the most elaborate and important of all of the ceremonies. It stands as a spiritual and material marker between the old and new year, and is supposed to eliminate all of the evil influences that had assimilated during the previous year and guarentee good fortune for the year to come (Scott 1982, 67).
Context of Laos
Laos is in the southeastern section of Asia, bordering Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, China, and Vietnam. The geographic coordinates for Laos are 18 00 N, 105 00 E (The World Factbook 2004). The total area is 236,800 square kilometers (The World Factbook 2004). The climate includes a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2004). The weather is tropical.
Laos was first declared a unifies state in 1353 (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2004). Soon after, Buddhism was established as the main religion (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2004). Laos and Thailand used to be part of the same country until the separation occured in 1907 as a result of the Franco-Siamese treaty (The World Factbook 2004).
Even though Laos is now a Communist country, this was not always the case. During World War Two, Laos became a free country under independent government while Japan occupied it (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2004). However, this barely lasted a year before the French government overthrew the Japanese and turned the country of Laos back into a communist country (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2004). Laos was granted full sovereignty in 1954 (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2004). Accoring to the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, the communi8st Lao People's Democratic Republic was established on December 2, 1975. Soon after this party took control, the economic condition declined and social freedoms in the country lessoned greatly. After 1975, about 10% of the Laotian population sought refugee status and left the country altogether (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs).
Origins of B'houn
The Hmong New Year celebration was originally established as a ceremony to celebrate the rest from harvest and work. It used to take place at the beginning of April and lasted for a three-day period (Huang 2004, 33). Nowadays, the celebration no longer coincides with the lunar calendar, but has instead been adapted to fit the Western calender. Also, the celebration is an entire weeklong and usually takes place within several villages so that each village can take part in each other's events (Huang 2004, 34). Although the time of the celebration has changed, the rituals and festivities have pretty much stayed the same.
Performance
The Hmong New Year celebration helps keep many traditions alive annually. New Year sacred rites include the traditional sweeping of each house to drive out all the evil spirits and misfortunes of the past year, during which a rooster is sacrificed and blessings are pronounced for health and prosperity for a particular household during the New Year (Huang 2004, 34). These rituals are all practiced within each individual household. However, one major ritual is performed by all of the heads of househols of the communities.
The performance of the Ntoo Xeeb is held on the first day of January and promotes the welfare of the entire village. Ntoo Xeeb translates into trees that have roots above the ground (Tapp, 1989a, 61-62). The purpose of this ritual is to call forth the Ntoo Xeeb spirit to protect the health and welfare of the people in the village. The villagers take the site of the ritual into special consideration because it must be a sacred well-protected location. After cleaning and enclosing the ritual site, it is time for the actual ritual to take place. Only the head of each household is allowed to be present. First, they make offering of tea and rice wine to the four kinds of forest spirits. Next, the leader ritually removes branches from the gate opening. (Refer to Figure 4 to see the gate.) The purpose of the chant is to invite the spirit to the ceremony and ask it to accept the offerings and in turn provide them with its blessing for the year (Huang 2004, 48). The last part of the ceremony consists of the men rushing to the altar and placing incense and candles on it. They all must ask the spirit for whatever it is that they want.
Artifact
This is a Buddhist monestary. Many of the important New Year ceremonies take place here. This was found at Gilliland, Donald. "Laos New Year." 2001. Experience Asia Through the Eyes of a Traveler. Things Asian. 21 Oct 2004. http://www.thingsasian.com/goto_article/article.1405.html
Interpretation
Prognosis for B'houn
B'houn is increasing in popularity because it has begun to assimilate to western culture (Huang 2004, 33). One example of this assimilation can be seen in the changing of the actual dates that the celebration takes place. Historically, B'houn took place at the end of the harvesting season in April. However, currently it has been changed to take place around the same time as the American New Year celebration. The Hmong New Year's rituals that are practiced in the mountainous villages are virtually unknown. However, the more secularized tribes in the cities of Laos share the New Year holiday with many tourists each year. As the Hmong begin to assimilate more, the New Year celebration and rituals will become better known and popular amidst the western cultures and society.
Conclusion
B'houn's rituals and ceremonies demonstrate the deeply spiritual culture of Laos. The New Year celebration symbolizes the cleansing of the past year in order to bless the year to come. This celebration serves to elimiate all of the evil influences that had assimilated during the previous year and guarentee good fortune for the next year. Although you will not normally see fireworks, a countdown to midngith, or any of the other festivities that are common to an American New Year celebration, in Laos you will experience many unique ceremonies that strengthen the bonds, spirituality, and overall togetherness of many communities.
Internet References Cited
- Gilliland, Donald. "Laos New Year." 2001. Experience
Asia Through the Eyes of a Traveler. Things Asian. 21 Oct
2004. http://www.thingsasian.com/goto_article/article.1405.html
Note of Site
- Leepaolo, Tougeu. "Laos New Year." 2000. Definition of Hmong New Year. Hmong Center-Multicultural Resources and Education. 21 Oct 2004.
- http://www.hmongcenter.org/defofhmonnew.html
- Note of Site
- Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
- 2004 Background Note: Laos, Electronic Document
- http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2770.htm#history
Note of Site
The World Factbook
- 2004 Laos, Electronic Document
- www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geo/la.html
Note of Site
- Author (if applicable). 2000. Department of Anthropology - Miami
University. http://casnov1.cas.muohio.edu/anthro/
Note of Site
Peer-Reviewed References Cited
Scott, George M., Jr.
1982 New year in a new land: Religious change among the Lao Hmong refugees in San Diego. In the Hmong in the West: Observations and Reports: Papers of the 1981 Hmong Research Conference, Downing, B., and D.P. Olney, eds., 63-85. Minneapolis: Southeast Asian Refugee Studies Project, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs.
1987 The Lao Hmong refugees in San Diego: Their religious transformation and its implication for Geertz's thesis, Ethnic Studies Report 5/2: 32-46.
Tapp, Nicholas
1989a Hmong religion. Asian Folklore Studies 49:59-94
1989b Sovereignty and Rebellion: The White Hmong of Northern Thailand. Singapore: Oxford University Press.
2000 Ritual relations and identity: Hmong and others. InCivility and Savagery: Social Identity in Tai States, ed. Turton, A., 84-103. London: Curzon.
2001 The Hmong of China: Context, Agency, and the Imaginary, Leiden, Boston, Koln: Brill.
2002 Hmong Confucian ethics and constructions of the past. In CUltural Crisis and Social Memory: Modernity and Identity in Thailand and Laos, Tanabe, S., and C.F. Keyes, eds., 95-110. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.