LAOS EVENT & FESTIVALS - HOUAPHANH

LAOS celebrate several annual festivals called " Boun" particularly enjoyable and beautiful aspects of the traditional Lao lifestyle . Most festivals are connected with religion and the yearly rice farming cycle; while the timing of the festivals is calculated according to the Buddhist lunar calendar.

EVENTS & FESTIVALS IN HOUAPHANH

14^TH -16^TH APRIL LAO NEW YEAR (BOUN PI MAI LAO)

Lao New Year ( Pi Mai Lao ) is a national festival that lasts for 3 days from 14^th-16^th  April . 14^th April is the last day of the old year. Traditionally on this day, houses and villages are properly cleaned; water and flowers are prepared for use during ceremony. The second day of t or the festival is the “ day of no year”, a day that  falls in neither in the old year or the New Year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the New Year.

In addition to cleaning their homes ( with lots of water) people go to the temple by using the fragrant water with flowers to cleanse Buddha images, monks and splashing friends and passers –by.

The people celebrate by organizing baci ceremonies, parties with lots of dancing and singing visiting local attractions such as Saleuy Waterfall , Namnua waterfall and Viengxai district. Some districts, especially those a long Nam Ma River, have their annual boat races coincide will the New Year celebration.

SEPTEMBER  ETHNIC MONORITY FESTIVAL

VENUE : VIENGXAI DISTRICT

The annual Viengxai ethnic minority festival is held to show case the ethnic diversity of Houaphanh Province, especially around Viengxai . It is home to 27 different ethnic groups , including Mien Yao ,Hmong and Tai Daeng. It takes place in December and includes a beauty contest, a dance performance , folk songs, traditional songs, traditional food, a sports competition, a market fair , ethnic textiles fashion show, a bamboo handicraft showcase and religious ceremonies. If you are visiting Houaphanh Province, you should not miss Viengxai amidst its very beautiful limestone karst landscape, caves and fresh air.

25^TH DECEMBER – 15^TH JANUARY HMONG NEW YEAR ( BOUN KINCHIENG)

The Hmong New Year celebration features colourful displays of traditional costumes made from green , red and white silk , along with ornate  silver jewelry. Music  traditional Hmong instrument such as the teun –flute , Hmong style khene pipe and leaf blowing ceremony, spinning top races and crossbow demonstrations.

The Hmong people will celebrate their New Year on the village yards or in the rice fields. You can join with them along the road to Viengxai, Xamtai and the 3 districts, following Nam Mar River.