Falling on different dates throughout the month - so that people
can exchange invitations with friends and families in different
villages to join in their celebrations - this festival is a commemoration
of the Jataka, the life story of Lord Buddha as Prince Vestsantara.
The story is recited in temples throughout the country and this
is considered a particularly auspicious time for ordination as a
monk.
February
Magha Puja
Held on the night of the full moon, this festival commemorates
the original teachings of Lord Buddha given to over a thousand monks
who came spontaneously to hear him speak. The festival is marked
by grand parades of candle-bearing worshippers circling their local
temples, merit-making, and much religious music and chanting.
Vietnamese Tet & Chinese New Year
Celebrated in Vientiane, Pakse and Savannakhet by the larger Vietnamese
and Chinese communities, who close their businesses for several
days during this period, this festival combines visits to temples
and merit making with noisy parties, and hundreds of strings of
firecrackers.
March
Boun Khoun Khao
A harvest festival celebrated at local temples
April
Boun Pimai
Lasting several days in mid-April, this is the celebration of the
Lao New Year and is a combination of merriment and meditation. Similar
to festivals at this time of year in other Southeast Asian countries
- particularly Thailand - Boun Pimai is celebrated with parades,
dancing, singing and enthusiastic water-throwing. The religious
aspects of the festival are most apparent in Luang Prabang, where
water pouring ceremonies are used to Buddha statues are worshiped
with water pouring ceremonies. Temple compounds are further decorated
with small sand Stupas, offered as merit towards good fortune and
health.
May
Labour Day 1st Ma
public holiday
Visakha Puja
Chanting, religious instruction, and candlelit processions highlight
this temple festival in celebration of the birth, enlightenment
and death of the Buddha.
Boun Bang Fai (rocket festival)
With its origins in pre-Buddhist rain-invoking ceremonies, this
festival now coincides with the Lao Visakha Puja celebrations. Parades,
songs, dances and partying all lead to an explosive climax as huge,
ornate, homemade bamboo rockets are blessed and fired into the skies
to invite the rains. Rocket-makers earn both merit and honour if
their creations fly high. This dramatic festival is also celebrated
in north east Thailand.
June/July
Children's Day
(1st June - public holiday)
Khao Phansaa
Marking the beginning of the three-month Buddhist Lent, which commences
at the full moon in July and continues until the full moon in October,
this is considered a particularly auspicious time for Lao men to
enter the monkhood and is marked by numerous ordination ceremonies.
August
Haw Khao Padap Din
Devoted to remembering and paying respect to the dead, it is marked
by the macabre ceremony of exhuming previously buried bodies, cleaning
the remains, and then cremating them on the night of the full moon.
Relatives then present gifts to the monks who have chanted on behalf
of those who have passed away.
October
Awk Phansaa (Awk Watsa)
Marking the end of the three-month Buddhist Lent on the day of
the full moon. Monks are at last permitted to leave the temple and
are presented with gifts. One particularly beautiful aspect is Lai
Hua Fai. On the eve of Awk Phansaa people gather at the nearest
body of water to release dozens of small banana-leaf boats decorated
with candles, incense and small flowers, in a celebration similar
to the Thai Loy Krathong.
Bun Nam (water festival)
In riverside towns such as Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Savannakhet,
the highly competitive Bun Nam boat races (suang heua) are held
during the same time as Awk Phansaa. Smaller communities sometimes
hold these races on National Day on 2nd December
November
Boun That Luang
Though celebrated at many temples around the country, this festival
is traditionally centred at That Luang in Vientiane. Fairs, beauty
contests, music and fireworks take place throughout the week of
the full moon, and end with a candlelight procession (wien thien)
around the temple of That Luang.
December
Lao National Day (2nd December - public holiday)
Streets strewn with national flags and banners, processions, parades,
and speeches are the highlights of this celebration for the victory
of the proletariat in 1975.
Public Holidays
Jan 1
New Year's Day
Jan 6
Pathet Lao Day
Jan 20
Army Day
Feb 1
Chinese New Year
Mar 8
Chinese New Year
Mar 22
Day of the People's Party
Apr 13-15
Lao New Year (Pi Mai)
May 1
Labour Day
May 16
Birth of Buddha
Jun 1
Children's Day
Jul 13
Khao Pansa (Buddhist Fast begins)
Aug 13
13 Lao Issara (Day of the Free Laos)
Oct 5
Bouk ok Pansa (Buddhist Fast ends)
Oct 12
Day of Liberation
Dec 2
National Day
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