We board the truck outside our hotel at 6.30am armed with our day packs and a polystyrene breakfast box containing omelettes and French toast – very thoughtful. It’s chilly and misty this morning, so we need our down jackets to keep us warm in addition to boat supplied pink rabbit blankets!! We’re down to 13 on the boat today as 5 have stayed behind at Pak Beng to visit an elephant sanctuary.
We cast off at 6.40am ready for another day on the Mekong. Our guide Noi who has been giving us nuggets of information throughout the trip informs us that there are more than 100 different ethnic groups currently living in Laos. These are divided into 3 main groups: lowland, mountain – middle – and Highland. This morning, around 2.5 hours away from Pak Beng, we’re going to stop for a visit at a village in the Middle Land.
Oudomxay is a province in Northern Laos known for its stunning natural landscapes, ethnic diversity, and traditional villages. The province is home to various ethnic groups, including the Khmu, Hmong, and Tai Dam. Villages in Oudomxay are often small and centred around agriculture, with rice farming, livestock raising, and handicrafts being common livelihoods. We visit the village of Ban Kang Lae in Oudomxay Province.
The village consists of approximately 35 families, 170 people in total. There is a primary school in the village where children go to school from the age of 5 until 10. After this some children remain in the village whilst others continue their education at secondary school.- this however is very dependent on family circumstances and means.
We donate the large bag of socks for the village children along with exercise books and pens. The Village Chief is very grateful for our donation and thanks us many many times.
We tour the village observing the way of life. Some villagers welcome our presence and are happy for us to take their photo whilst others observe us from the safety of their houses.
The village is well organised and people seem happy and content. It’s a hard existence that requires a lot of effort and is so dependent on the success of crops and the vagaries of the weather.
Religion in the Middle and Highlands is practiced in a very different way to the lowlands, where the people of Laos practice Buddhism. In the middle and Highlands, they practice Spirit worship, and each village has a Shaman. Spirit worship, or animism, is deeply ingrained in the traditional beliefs of many ethnic groups in Northern Laos, particularly among groups like the Khmu, Hmong, and other ethnic minorities. These practices revolve around the belief in spirits, or phi in Lao, which inhabit natural elements, ancestral realms, and everyday life. Its fascinating to hear the beliefs of the villagers and if you’re interested here’s some key aspects of spirit worship in the region:
Types of Spirits (Phi)
Phi Ban (Village Spirits): These spirits are protectors of a village, and offerings are made to them to ensure harmony and prosperity.
Shamanism: A shaman, or spiritual leader, conducts rituals to communicate with the spirits, often during times of illness, bad fortune, or major life events.
Phi Kong Kwan (Guardian Spirits): Personal or family spirits that protect individuals or households.
Healing Ceremonies: Shamans or elders may perform ceremonies to heal illnesses caused by offending spirits.
Phi Nature Spirits: Spirits inhabiting natural elements such as rivers, mountains, trees, and rocks.
Phi Pha (Ancestor Spirits): Deceased ancestors who are believed to influence the living’s well-being and are often honored with rituals.
Ritual Practices
Sacrifices and Offerings: Animals, food, incense, and alcohol are common offerings to appease spirits. Chickens and pigs are frequently sacrificed in major ceremonies.
Spirit Gates: Villages often have a spirit gate (often at the entrance) to protect against harmful spirits.
Its a fascinating stop on our journey up the river and an interesting insight into the harsh reality of daily life in Laos along the Mekong.
We rejoin the boat and continue our voyage. Lunch is as delicious, varied and plentiful as it was yesterday and as the sun has now made an appearance we finally lose our blankets and enjoy the heat.
The boat docks at Houay Xai at 4.30pm and 4 of us jump in a van that will take us into town. The rest of the passengers are being taken to the Laos border post as they are crossing into Thailand later this afternoon. We locate our £21 guesthouse where we’re staying for just the one night. Tomorrow, we’re off on a big adventure which unfortunately gives Brownie a very sleepless night.
We track down a mini-mart for some Beer Lao and snacks and watch the sun set on the Thai side of the Mekong. We return to our guesthouse house to pack a small day pack for the next 2 days – we’re going on a big adventure that will see us spending a night in a treehouse.
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