Laos, landlocked
and wholly traditional, this Southeast Asian country is only recently
becoming regularly visited by tourists. The literature of this country
seems non-existent at first, buried deeply within the infrastructure
of a country battered by years of instability. Yet literature is
a very important part of this country's culture. Buddhism has been
very influential on Lao literature. There are also significant writings
and stories unique to Laos alone, such as the epic story of Sin
Say or Khun Borom. Moreover, prose and poetry were among the first
and most popular form of literature. Poetry that would manifest
itself in music, specifically love songs.
Information
on the history of art from Laos is scarse and hard to find but this
does not imply that the art itself is not worth finding! The small
country has a long history of traditional art, from sculptures and
architecture to paintings and textiles. However it is only in modern
times that Laos has opened its gates to the rest of the world, sharing
with us its centuries of artwork. Laos has an unparalleled diversity
within its culture, and all the artwork is characterized by distinct
patterns, both functional and decorative - certainly unique.
