Lanten (Lantien, "Yao Mun") Wedding, Ban Nam Lue: Kees Sprengers - Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha - Laos

Cooking before the wedding

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:09:22 GMT

]]>Waiting for the arrival of a delegation from the groom's party, a meal is being prepared in the house of the bride's family. A dish made with fresh blood from the pig killed this morning.

Preparing the brides gifts

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:10:20 GMT

]]>Upstairs, in the house of the bride's family, the women were putting the final touch to all she was bringing with her to her marriage. A number of bolts of cloth, cotton, handwoven, were unfolded, examined and counted.

Dish made with fresh pig's blood

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:11:25 GMT

]]>Putting the last touches to the dish. It contains chopped and fried pork, chopped vegetables, herbs spices, salt (probably MSG also) and spices, coagulated and raw pigs blood. Although it is a frequently made dish at times of slaughter, I myself don't eat it because I am not sure if the pig was entirely healthy. Eating raw blood dishes can be a cause of various diseases.

The bride, before the arrival of the groom's party

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:12:10 GMT

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Writing a list describing the dowry

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:12:54 GMT

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Weighing the silver

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:13:54 GMT

]]>Mr Khammuan, the priest in charge of the wedding, weighing the silver that is part of the dowry. He will then add this to the long list he is compiling of everything the bride takes with her to her husband's village, including many bolts of handwoven cotton, and a mobile phone.

Dowry list

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:14:44 GMT

]]>Every item gets noted in detail on a large piece of red paper. This will later be included in the things coming with her, and on arrival in the village read out in public.

The bride, interviewed

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:16:04 GMT

]]>The bride. This portrait was taken around noon, before the arrival of the groom's party. My Collegue was interviewing her about how she felt about the wedding. Shy looking, looked to me 17, real age age 20. She confirmed it was an arranged marriage, but said she'd met her future husband a few times, he was good looking, same age as her and seemed a very kind man. She liked him. She was initially a bit uneasy about my camera, but after a while seemed to relax, and started to look straight into the lens. This in stark contrast to the following day, when she consistently looked down.

Interview with the bride

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:16:43 GMT

]]>Apart from keeping the organisation informed of any events in the village that may be of interest to TAEC, Leela also acted as language interpreter in the interviews. Keuay being Khmu, speaks Khmu, Lao and pretty good English. Lanten people usually have little or no English at all, some Lao, but sometimes only little, and of course live in their own Lanten language. Leela translated some of the interview from Lanten into Lao for Keuay and me, then sometiems Keuay would check with me and fill in the gaps I'd missed in the Lao. During this brief trip I ended up speaking and hearing very little English, and I think it benefited my Lao.

Dowry list

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:17:47 GMT

]]>Every item gets noted in detail on a large piece of red paper. This will later be included in the things coming with her, and on arrival in the village read out in public.

Portrait of the bride

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:18:51 GMT

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Midday meal

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:19:17 GMT

]]>Midday meal in the house of the bride, while we were interviewing her.

Midday meal

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:20:14 GMT

]]>Midday meal in the house of the bride, while we were interviewing her.
After the interview, we continued to wait for the arrival of the grooms party, which had departed from the groom's village around 6.00 a.m.
we'd been told to expect them anytime after 11.00, but no sign for hours after that.

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:21:20 GMT

]]>Ban Nam Lue, Luang Namtha, Laos

Then, about 2.00 PM someone received a phonecall (Thank God, Buddha or whoever is the Tao deity to thank) for Mobile phones, until two years ago unknown to ever be used by Lanten people.The Tektek had broken down, still in Udomxai province, at least 50 Km away from us.After some debate, we were asked if we'd be prepared to use our pick-up truck to go and collect them. Of course, we agreed. It took us lightly less then an hour to locate the farmtractor. They had just started moving again.I was alone with our driver and two brothers of the bride, neither spoke one word of english. The groom's party was surprised to see us. The brothers didn't make a very good job of explaining what our purpose was. The grooms party didn't really grasp why they might abandon their own transport for this truck with falang on board.So in the end I jumped into the conversation, hoping they'd understand my Lao. I simply explained that if they'd continued on their own, they'd arrive at the earliest at 7 or 8 at night, after 14 hours on the road, IF their transport didn't break down again. If they'd join us, they'd arrive by 3.30 PM, probably allowing the wedding tostart that day, as intended.

Shifting the pig into our truck

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:22:34 GMT

]]>The live pig in the back of the Tektek as part of a gift from the grooms family to the brides family.
After some discussion, they agree to shift to our vehicle. That included shifting the live pig, trussed up in the back of the Tektek, who wasn't happy (premonition of his/her coming demise), and all their bags.

WeddingBanNamLue1-204

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:24:10 GMT

]]>The slow farm tractor now can go back to their village, and the grooms group can ride with us to the bride's village.

Bridesmaid in the back of the truck

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:25:47 GMT

]]>The groom's party boarding our pick-up truck. One of the youngest women looked at me with suspicion. Over the next two days, I photographed her many times, in the end, I suspect she started acting to the camera. In some photos, she comes across as a dreamlike character from a 18th century english movie, partly veiled, somewhat haunted. (Barry Lyndon? The French Lieutenant's woman?)She ended up being the main bridesmaid, and I have a slight suspicion she was an earlier bride who moved from Ban Nam Lue to the new village, and was foreseeing some of the potential heartpain the new bride was going to experience.

Arrival in the village

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:26:57 GMT

]]>Upon arrival near the village, the 7 members of the groom's part got out of the truck, and said they'd make their own way to the village from the road. We then took the truck into the village and unloaded the pig and other luggage. The pig was taken into the compound of the bride's family and tied up. The dogs didn't appreciate the new arrival.

Lanten girl

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:28:11 GMT

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The local dogs made it clear they didn't appreciate the newcomer.

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:28:44 GMT

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Waiting for the visitors to arrive

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:30:10 GMT

]]>After everyone was settled in, it took us less then an hour to get back to Ban Nam Lue, and the seven guests got out of the car on the road outside the village, and said they'd make their own way from there on. We drove into the village, and the pig as unloaded and tied up the the yard of the Bride's family.Then we settled under a tree at the entry of the village, to wait for the arrival of the groom's party. And waited. And waited some more. Around 4.00 someone arrived from the road and reported the party was having a bath in the river.Around 4.30, someone else reported the party was taking a nap in a nearby field.At ten to five, they were seen descending the path towards the river that ran between the village and the road.

Groom's party arriving

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:31:51 GMT

]]>At ten to five, they were seen descending the path towards the river that ran between the village and the road.

Visitors being welcomed

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:34:08 GMT

]]>The local woman is offering the visitors a seat, so they can start preparing their ceremonial head dress.

waiting for the head dress to be installed

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:35:19 GMT

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Putting on the Celestial Crown

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:36:12 GMT

]]>The three visiting women were given each a little rattan stool to sit on, then three "celestial crowns" (A traditional Lanten Headdress for women, worn on ceremonial occasions, made of silver) were unwrapped, and the local women proceeded to install them on the heads of the visitors. This process took over half an hour. Local children crowded around the women, and I had a hard time getting in to take some pictures. During that half hour, a small group of french tourists arrived. When they saw the commotion, they stopped and asked what was going on, and started to take pictures as well. I explained what was going on, and told them they could see the pics later on my website. Luckily, they didn't linger long.

Celestial Crown

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:37:02 GMT

]]>The seven were greeted by local women under the tree. The three visiting women were given each a little rattan stool to sit on, then three celestial crowns (A traditional Lanten Headdress for women, worn on ceremonial occasions, made of silver) were unwrapped, and the local women proceeded to install them on the heads of the visitors. This process took over half an hour. Local children crowded around the women, and I had a hard time getting in to take some pictures.

Celestial Crown

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:37:39 GMT

Celestial Crown

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:38:20 GMT

Celestial Crown

Sat, 15 May 2010 04:39:14 GMT

"Best man"

Sat, 15 May 2010 05:26:47 GMT

]]>During this all, the four men were standing, being interviewed by Keuy. He was so engrossed in this interview, he didn't noticed that the women were finished, and standing waiting for him to finish his interview before they could continue with the path to the wedding.

Ready to enter the village

Sat, 15 May 2010 08:59:58 GMT

]]>Half an hour after arrival in the village, with help of local women, the three women in the groom's party have donned their Celestial Crowns and are ready to proceed into the village.

Ready to enter the village

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:01:27 GMT

]]>Half an hour after arrival in the village, with help of local women, the three women in the groom's party have donned their Celestial Crowns and are ready to proceed into the village.

Groom's party entering the village

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:17:27 GMT

]]>So then the whole party walked in procession further into the village.

Groom's party entering the village

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:18:58 GMT

]]>So then the whole party walked in procession further into the village.

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:21:19 GMT

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Entering the village

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:56:47 GMT

]]>So then the whole party walked in procession further into the village.

shooting at the visitors

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:58:14 GMT

]]>During the wait, and the process that followed, I'd noticed a lot of young boys, with little bamboo pipes, the equivalent of a pea shooter, worked with a plunger like a bicycle pump. They were shooting little wet balls of fluff at each other (Made by chewing a fibrous fruit). During the procession into the village, they had started shooting these also at the visitors.

Shooting at the visitors?

Sat, 15 May 2010 10:01:35 GMT

]]>To my amazement, they followed into the house and proceeded to furiously reload their pop guns and shoot more and more wet fluff at the visitors, covering their nice clean ceremonial clothing in messy fluff. To load them, they banged their popguns on the wooden floor, a dozen or so at the time, making a loud racket. The boys were anywhere between 6 and 12

Shooting at the visitors

Sat, 15 May 2010 10:17:28 GMT

]]>To my amazement, they followed into the house and proceeded to furiuosly reload their pop guns and shoot more and more wet fluff at the visitors, covering their nice clean ceremonial clothing in messy fluff. To load them, they banged their popguns on the wooden floor, a dozen or so at the time, making a loud racket. The boys were anywhere between 6 and 12

Shooting at the visitors

Sat, 15 May 2010 10:26:04 GMT

Chasing away the evil spirits

Sat, 15 May 2010 10:38:23 GMT

]]>My thought was that this is not a very polite way to welcome one's honored guests, but somehow I suspected there was more to it. Keuy explained later: there is always a risk that visitors from afar carry with them evil spirits. This performance is to chase away these evil spirits.

Ceremony

Sat, 15 May 2010 10:58:37 GMT

]]>Khammuan sends someone to the house where I am, telling me to come to the brides house, a small ceremony is being performed by a few elders.

Dowry list

Sun, 16 May 2010 05:54:57 GMT

]]>The 'dowry' list is carefully folded, wrapped in two layers of cloth, and then stored in a small basket made of strips of woven rattan.

Dowry list

Sun, 16 May 2010 05:54:21 GMT

]]>The 'dowry' list is carefully folded, wrapped in two layers of cloth, and then stored in a small basket made of strips of woven rattan.

Ritual

Sun, 16 May 2010 05:55:43 GMT

]]>One of the priests at the wedding performing a ritual. The old religious texts are written in Chinese script.

Ritual

Sun, 16 May 2010 05:56:30 GMT

]]>A small table with offerings to the spirits, including the pig's head, lit by an oil lamp, the elders read an old script in Chinese characters.

Ritual

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:01:54 GMT

]]>An elder performing a ritual, communicating with the Spirits.

Ritual

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:02:26 GMT

]]>An elder performing a ritual, communicating with the Spirits.

Paper figures

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:03:08 GMT

]]>Kammuan shows me 3 stick figures of women, dressed in a paper dress. On it he writes something, and my understanding is one represents the mother, one the daughter, and one the generations of ancestors. Each of the three 'dolls' is used in the ritual, then burnt, as message sent to the spirits.

Paper dolls

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:26:34 GMT

Dinner

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:00:43 GMT

]]>Dinner. By now it is totally dark outside, and since the village has no electricity from outside yet, the house is lit by a solar cell fed tiny light bulb, and some oil lights. In fact, it got so dark, that i decided further photography was no longer possible. I do not use flash on these occasions, too much disruption of the atmosphere, and too disruptive for the people.

Dinner

Sun, 16 May 2010 05:59:45 GMT

Breakfast

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:24:23 GMT

]]>The three women of the groom's party, wearing their 'Celestial Crown', at breakfast.But it must have been a cold night, because over their traditional dress, they are wearing warm modern padded jackets.

Breakfast

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:25:35 GMT

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Sash with script

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:25:05 GMT

]]>The handwoven white sash, with ritual script on it is part of a married woman's formal dress, worn at important occasions. This is a new one made recently for the bride. She will be wearing it that afternoon at the wedding ceremony in the village of the groom

Farewell

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:23:45 GMT

]]>After breakfast, everyone stands up, the men make three deep bows to each other, then make preparations to leave.

Farewell

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:22:55 GMT

]]>After breakfast, everyone stands up, the men make three deep bows to each other, then make preparations to leave.

Farewell toast

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:22:22 GMT

]]>Before leaving the house, the visitors must consume many glasses of LaoLao, literally poured into them by the locals.

Farewell toast

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:21:53 GMT

]]>Both men and women receives their share

Farewell toasts

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:21:15 GMT

]]>Both men and women receives their share

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:20:38 GMT

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Waiting to depart.

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:19:50 GMT

]]>...the floor receiving the spillage.
Then the bride emerges from the bedroom, together with her mother, who looks distressed. They move towards the door.

Departure

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:19:02 GMT

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Departing

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:18:22 GMT

]]>Outside on the landing, the father of the bride, pointing her down the stairs.

Departure

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:17:27 GMT

]]>Once in the yard, she gets escorted by the bridesmaids, but then stopped by a family member. They point at me, and everyone comes back for a formal photo of family.

Group photograph before departure

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:15:27 GMT

]]>......everyone comes back for a formal photo of family. Stiffly posing in a row, mum trying to hold back her tears.

Group photograph before departure

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:16:20 GMT

]]>......everyone comes back for a formal photo of family. Stiffly posing in a row, mum trying to hold back her tears.

Carried by brother

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:14:12 GMT

]]>Then they reach the gate, where the elder brother takes his sister on his back

Carried by brother

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:12:33 GMT

]]>the elder brother takes his sister on his back, and carries her into the village street, then continues carrying her downhill, until they reach the tree at the edge of the village.

Carried by brother

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:11:10 GMT

]]>the elder brother takes his sister on his back, and carries her into the village street, then continues carrying her downhill, until they reach the tree at the edge of the village.

....followed by the groom's party

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:09:49 GMT

]]>They are followed by the visitors in procession, looking happy and joking.

....followed by the groom's party

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:04:13 GMT

]]>They are followed by the visitors in procession, looking happy and joking.

....followed by the groom's party

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:05:37 GMT

]]>They are followed by the visitors in procession, looking happy and joking.

Picking up a wrap

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:08:19 GMT

]]>The bridesmaid picks up her wrap from a village girl, to stay warm on the long trip home in an open truck.

Picking up a wrap

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:07:07 GMT

]]>The bridesmaid picks up her wrap from a village girl, to stay warm on the long trip home in an open truck.

Umbrella

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:27:15 GMT

]]>I think the woman is holding one of the umbrellas that were carried by the groom's best man on arrival. I never found out what the story is about these umbrellas, they seem to have a ceremonial significance.

Taking off the Celestial Crowns

Sun, 16 May 2010 06:28:05 GMT

]]>There, the women sit down again, and their crowns are removed and packed away.

Taking off the Celestial Crowns

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:13:44 GMT

]]>There, the women sit down again, and their crowns are removed and packed away.

Outside the village

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:15:08 GMT

]]>After the tree, they continue downhill to the creek, cross the bridge, then uphill to the main road. At the road, people stand and mill around. Taking leave, I think something is exchanged , a gift between the parties.

Bride and bridesmaid

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:14:45 GMT

]]>The bride and bridesmaid stand together, looking almost a bit forlorn, the bridesmaid striking her film pose again, looking slightly tragic.

Bride and bridesmaid

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:16:40 GMT

]]>The bride and bridesmaid stand together, looking almost a bit forlorn, the bridesmaid striking her film pose again, looking slightly tragic.

Bride and bridesmaid

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:15:33 GMT

]]>The bride and bridesmaid stand together, looking almost a bit forlorn, the bridesmaid striking her film pose again, looking slightly tragic.

Bride and bridesmaid

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:16:04 GMT

]]>The bride and bridesmaid stand together, looking almost a bit forlorn, the bridesmaid striking her film pose again, looking slightly tragic.

Joking

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:17:08 GMT

]]>The guests look bit worse for wear because of that heavy dose of alcohol, then the car arrives and they climb in the back. there's some playful posturing going on, some joking.

Joking

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:19:55 GMT

]]>One of the guys in the grooms party is flirting with a local girl, suggesting she may want to come along for the journey, reaching out to her.

Joking

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:20:38 GMT

]]>She plays coy, gets encouraged by the bridesmaid, and pushed by her friend. In the end, she doesn't join them, and the bridesmaid gives me one of her wistful looks. Then we drive off.

Arriving at groom's village

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:19:05 GMT

]]>The grooms village, Ban XXX, lies in Namor district, Udomxai province, about ten km from the main road over a winding, steep narrow and potholed road. When we arrive, the people in the rear climb out and the women quickly whisk off the bride to a house at the far end of the village.

Interviewing father of the groom

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:18:30 GMT

]]>The biggest house (maybe the headman's house) is where the wedding will take place, but when we enter it, we find out they're in the middle of an ordination ceremony.Consultations with the local elders reveal the ordination will be paused around midday, so the wedding can take place. In the meantime, we sit down in the shade and Keuy interviews the brother and the father of the groom.

Portrait of man

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:18:02 GMT

]]>I photograph them and a few bystanders, which results in a rather striking portrait of an unidentified man, giving me a big smile, seemingly happy to be photographed.

Gourds

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:22:16 GMT

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Chinese beer....

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:21:15 GMT

]]>Come 12.00, of course nothing happens, but around 1.30, we are invited inside for the wedding meal. The groom sits on the side, on a mat, head down.I end up sitting at the far end of the table which gives me a good overview of the room. The man next to me poors me a glass of beer, from a green chinese brand beerbottle. Then he leans over to me and says "This beer is really just like buffalo piss!"

Wedding meal

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:55:22 GMT

]]>Food gets served, people start eating. the men that is. Only men sit at the table.

Wedding meal

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:54:34 GMT

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Best man enters

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:52:04 GMT

]]>The man leading the grooms party entering the house at the start of the wedding ceremony in the grooms village. He's been carrying an umbrella with something attached to it over the entire period, but I haven't been able to work out the significance of that. I believe it may have been used during a short procession from the house where the bride rested before the wedding, and the main house, but unfortunately, I missed that. Because this was my first wedding, and I didn't know the script, e.g. what significant thing will happen where and when, I missed some details. A few more, and I'll eventually get it right.

Bridesmaid enters

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:52:45 GMT

]]> The bridesmaid entering, followed by the bride, whose head is covered.

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:53:30 GMT

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Bride and groom's party enter the house

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:51:20 GMT

]]>They enter the large, rather dark room, where a few dozen men are sitting around a long table, eating and drinking.

WeddingBanNamLue1228

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:49:37 GMT

]]>They make one round of the room, turn their backs to us for a few minutes while one of the men in the group performs a small ceremony which I interpret as a communication with the spirits (Western observers might call it praying), then the bride (Head covered in a Yao Mun scarf, almost veiled) and one bridesmaid disappear behind a curtain into a sleeping area, out of sight.

Around the table

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:50:43 GMT

]]>They walk around the left side of the long table, then back outside again. Then back inside.

The groom

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:48:45 GMT

]]>The groom, sitting on his own, away from the table, waiting the arrival of the bride. The colourful paper beind him is part of an ordination ceremony, which went on before our arrival. It will continue after the wedding

Celestial Crown being fitted on the bride

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:48:06 GMT

]]>Eventually, she comes out again, hand in hand with the bridesmaid. They walk towards one end of the room, near the door outside, and she sits down on a stool, one of the other three women in the escort group takes off her Celestial Crown, and they start putting it on the bride. This of course takes about 15 minutes. She is asked to take off her slippers, and put on the traditional embroidered mocassins.
There are only a limited number of "Celestial Crowns" left in circulation. Many were sold in the days of high silver price to traveling traders, and melted down to ingots, or sold abroad to collectors. In this village, one of the older women who came to collect the bride, takes off her crown now for it to be worn by the bride for her wedding ceremony.

Groom, waiting

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:46:45 GMT

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Celestial Crown being fitted on the bride

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:45:34 GMT

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Celestial Crown being fitted on the bride

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:47:30 GMT

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Celestial Crown being fitted on the bride

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:46:10 GMT

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Celestial Crown being fitted on the bride

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:44:46 GMT

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Bride, holding her head down

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:44:18 GMT

]]>The bride has her head down, during the entire following ceremony she doesn't raise her head once. (I was told that was to demonstrate her humility, but it did get in the way of photography!). I have only a few photos of her during the wedding where she looks into the camera, some stiffly posed family group shots, and a few before the wedding, during the interview with Keuy. The other exception was when she walked past me during the rounds of offering drinks to the guests around the table, she was looking down, and I called out "Hey Jao Sao, bung nee" (Hey, Bride, look here). She forgot her role of downcast humble, looked at me, small smile, then looked away again. A documentary photographer shouldn't really interfere with the process they're documenting....

Bride and bridesmaid.

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:43:47 GMT

]]>The bridesmaid holds the hand of the bride and leads her to where the groom is sitting. They sit down next to him, , but both still looking down, almost not acknowledging each other.

Bride and bridesmaid.

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:43:11 GMT

]]>The bridesmaid holds the hand of the bride and leads her to where the groom is sitting. They sit down next to him, , but both still looking down, almost not acknowledging each other.

Bride and bridesmaid.

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:42:24 GMT

]]>The bridesmaid holds the hand of the bride and leads her to where the groom is sitting. They sit down next to him, , but both still looking down, almost not acknowledging each other.

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:41:40 GMT

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Baci Ceremony

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:41:04 GMT

]]>Baci Ceremony. A ritual common in Laos as well as NorthEast Thailand, of animist origin, but adopted by various ethinc groups of different religions. The body houses 32 different spirits, and the wellwishing ceremony strives to bring these all harmoniously together. It is used by weddings, birth, funerals, but also to heal, to welcome friends, and other important occasions.The bride on the left, the groom on the right. The father of the bride sits in front of them and starts attaching a baci (Cotton string) around the wrist of his son, then around the wrists of the bride. He is followed by the other people in the room. Many will either attach a folded up banknote under the string they put on, or on the table in front.

Baci Ceremony

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:40:27 GMT

]]>About halfway during this process, one of the elders grabs my hand, puts some strings in it and pushes me to the front. So I take my turn in tying the strings, and wishing them many children and grandchildren, big harvest, long life, health, and love from one another. (Such wishes are the usual thing to do when one ties a string).
The last seemed unexpected since it elicits a giggle from the two girls. I know this was an arranged marriage, but i'd like to think love is not unthinkable.

Baci ceremony

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:39:28 GMT

]]>Note all the money tied under the strings. This is partly intended to offset the cost of the wedding.

Reading the dowry list

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:38:47 GMT

]]>One of the elders has opened the rattan box prepared by Khammuan, unfolded the sheet of paper, and starts to read out the long list of the items the bride has brought with her for the marriage.

Bridesmaid, bride and groom

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:37:59 GMT

]]>Groom and bride, still looking down. I'd like them to look at the camera, but don't want to ask. The bridesmaid has no problems now looking at me.

Pouring whisky for the toast

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:36:57 GMT

]]>Then somewhat to my surprise, the bride and groom get up and start doing what i've seen in ordinary Lao weddings, the take a bottle of whisky or laolao, two glasses, and offer the first to the father for a toast.

Offering first cup to the father

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:36:18 GMT

]]>The father of the groom is offered the first drink

Father of the groom

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:35:51 GMT

]]>The father with the two cups, seems to meditate or pray for a minute before drinking.

Doing the rounds

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:35:02 GMT

]]>Then they slowly make their way around the table. Most recipients will add a bit of money to the tray. The bridesmaid follows with a small plastic bucket, to collect any leftovers .

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:34:13 GMT

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Look at me!

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:23:40 GMT

]]>This is where they are still doing the rounds with the bottle, and after they passed me, I call out "Hey, Jao Sao (Bride), give me a smile." She forgot her role of downcast humble, looked at me, small smile, then looked away again.
A documentary photographer shouldn't really interfere with the process they're documenting....

Formal family portrait

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:22:52 GMT

]]>Just before we left, someone asked us to take a photo of the family.
It was hard to find a place in the shade that was wide enough to fit them all, the sun was high.
Usually these posed groups look stiff, this is no exception.