LAOS EVENTS & FESTIVALS -LUANG NAMTHA

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 LUANG NAMTHA

9^TH -15^TH JANUARY

AKHA AND LAHU NEW YEAR

HMONG NEW YEAR

SEDA NEW YEAR

LATEN AND YAO NEW YEAR

PANNA AND TAI NEUA NEW YEAR

“SPIRIT OF THE NEW RICE FESTIVAL” BY KHMU AND MON –KHMER SPEAKING ETHNIC GROUPS

25^TH FEBRUARY BOUN MAKA BOUSA

This festival is held on the full moon to commemorate a speech given by the lord Buddha  to 1250 enlightened monks who gathered spontaneously , without prior notice for the event. In the evening, the faithful visit local temples and walk around the Vat Three times with candles in a ceremony known as vien tien.

25^th FEBRUARY  BOUN KHAO CHI                                                   

Boun Khao Chi is a special ceremony associated with Maka Bousa. Sticky rice, which has been coated with eggs and then roasted is offered  to monks at this time.

22^nd -25^th FEBRUARY THAT  PHOUM POUK FESTIVAL  IN NAMTHA DISTRICT

The stupa is locatd on a hill in the northeastern part of the Namtha Valley, near Nam Ngaen Village. The original stupa was constructed in 1628 to demarcate neutral territory between the Kingdoms of Lane Xang ( centered in Luang Prabang) and Lan Na ( centered in Chiang Mai) . In 1996, the old stupa was destroyed when an American place dropped a bomb on it. The new monument, seen besides the older, ruined stupa was constructed in 2003. That Phoum Pouk is celebrated annually.

CHINESE AND VIETNAMESE NEW YEAR

Chinese and Vietnamese Lunar New Year is celebrated with parties, fireworks and merit giving at temples. Chinese and Vietnamese businesses usually close for 3 days.

3^RD-5 TH May BOUN BANG FAI or ROCKET FESTIVAL IN SING DISTRICT

This festival consists of a variety of activities . A traditional dance named “ Sualakhang ( traditional dance ) ‘ is performed in circle . In addition to this , men will wear traditional Lao women’s clothes and cosmetics, as people tie the clothes on each other. In the afternoon , people take artificial elephant and horse mock –ups around the city. Furthermore , each village will prepare rockets for the rocket competition. The village that is able to launch its rocket the highest up in the sky, wins. The rocket competition is held in order to demonstrate appreciation to “ Payathan” who provides people with the rains necessary for agriculture.

24^th  May BOUN VISAKHA BOUSA

This festival celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the lord Buddha. It is held on the 15^th day of the sixth lunar month. Beautiful candlelit processions take place in the evening during this time. 

10^TH – 12^TH JUNE FEEDING THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY PILLAR

Lao Yuan ethnic group and “ Vor Salee Festival “ by Lahu ethnic group

22^ND JULY   BUDDHIST LENT ( BOUN KHAO PANSA)

This festival held on the full moon, marks the beginning of Buddhist lent , a three month period  where monks are required to stay within their vat ( temple) to meditate  and focus on their dharma studies. Lao men are traditionally ordained as monks at this time.

4^th SEPTEMBER BOUN KHAO PADAP DIN

Special offering are made to the deceased on the new moon of the 9^th lunar month.

19^th SEPTEMBER BOUN KHAO SALAK

Offering including daily necessities such as books , pens , sugar and coffee are made to specific monks based on a lottery system. Laypeople also give beautiful wax flower candles to the monks to gain merit.

27^th – 30^th SEPTEMBER

SWIDDEN RICE FIELD FESTIVAL is celebrated by the Lahu ethnic group before the harvest.

19^th October  BOUN ORK PANSA OR END OF BUDDHIST LENT

This is held on the full moon, marking the end of the rainy season. Monks , who were ordained during the 3 month lent period, leave the vat to reunite with their families . During the evening of van or panksa, in a charming ceremony , small banana leaf boats called heua fai flo at on the rivers with offerings of incense, candles and small amounts of money to bring luck and prosperity.

19^th – 20^th OCTOBER BOAT RACING FESTOVAL ( BOUN SOUANG HEUA) IN NAM THA DISTRICT

This colourful event, usually occurring in October  , marks the exciting start of the festival season as one of the first festivals to happen after the end of Buddhist lent ( Ork Phansaa)

The tournaments are held to give the respect to the God of the River and to celebrate the harvest , “ Boun Suang Heua”. Surrounding villages send over their boats to compete , creating a colourful and noisy festival. There are 2 types of boats involved, customs boat and formula boat.

10^th -17^thNovember XIENG TEUNG STUPA FESTIVAL ( BOUN TAT XIENG TEUNG) IN MUANG SING DISTRICT

Most famous festival attracts large crowds of people from around the province as well as Tai Lue Buddhists from as far away as Myanmar China and Thailand.

14^th -17^th FEBRUARY , THAT LUANG NAMTHA FESTIVAL ( BOUN THAT LUANG NAMTHA IN NAMTHA DISTRICT

A long time ago Sy Sod So Tammikarad. King of Xieng Sean ( in Present –day northern Thailand) and Naleatafai , King Chantabouly ( Present –day  Qodomxay) , but 2 stupas to symbolize their friendship. One stupa was THAT PHOUM POUK, the second stupa , located on the eastern head of the Namtha River, was lost to the forest , but rebuilt in December 2004. Now called the Luang Namtha Stupa, it’s easy to access from the northern of town their celebrate Tha Luang Namtha is annually.