SSEAYP 2012 - Lao Participants

The Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) is a program aimed at bringing the youth of ASEAN together to help educate the participants and create a sense of community.  According to their website it's been around since 1974. 

These videos showcase the young Lao participants from 2012 program.  First video is in Lao and the second in English.

Lao Word of the Day: To Realize, To Feel

LLR (book): Where do Lots of Lao Words Come From?

Title:  ພາ​ສາ​ລາວ​ສັບແລະ​ຄວາມ​ໝາຍ / Lao Language Vocabulary and Meaning / pasa lao sup lae kuam my
By:  Tongkum Anmanisone (Awnmaneeson), Suvan Tilavong (Teelavong)
Publisher/Year:  The National Publishing House (peemtee hongpeem haeng sat), 1997

Online Pali Dictionaries

Found a few resources for looking up Pali words.  There's books you can buy on this as well but the convenience of an online search database is great too.  There's a lot of Lao words that were originally sourced from Pali.  Though they've been changed and often are shortened in Lao language today.  So if you have an interest in learning where certain Lao words come from and what they mean, it'll be good to keep these links in mind.

Lap Bpa - Fish Lap

Lap bpa, sometimes called goy bpa, is a healthy dish.  Because it is fish, the preparation for this type of lap is a bit different from regular meat based lap.  If you're looking for a non-red meat version, this is for you.

There's another variation of how this is made.  However here's a video a user has posted with how they make it.  Looks good!

List of Lao Magazines

There's no shortage of magazines in Laos these days.  Not even 8 years ago there were perhaps 4 regularly and widely available magazines in Laos.  Now there are at least 2 dozen.  Plus when you consider, the many government ministries or their subgroups, the Buddhist Sangha, and general cultural and literary publications, it's quite a lot to choose from - gotta love it!  Visit any bookstore in Vientiane, you'll see the variety.

Fun Online Travel Shows Visit Laos

It seems Laos is not such a secret travel spot anymore these days.  All too often if I mention Laos, I no longer get the "where's that?" statement as often as I once did. On that note, found videos on Youtube from a couple of different users.  Apparently everyone has their own online travel show series these days.  Must love Youtube for that!

Here's 2 that we found.

Lao Word of the Day: Theory

¿Quieres aprender a hablar laosiano?

¿Habla usted español ¿Quieres aprender a hablar laosiano?
Translation:  Speak Spanish?  Want to learn how to speak Lao?

Pencils of Promise - Building Schools in Laos

Pencils of Promise is an iNGO dedicated to building schools and also learning materials to areas that need them most.  They've built a few schools in Laos already, some in remote area.  Check out their website and their Lao related projects.  Consider supporting them either through manpower or money, or both!

Link:  http://www.pencilsofpromise.org/our-projects

Coffee and Land Rights in Paksong, Champassak

Article Title:  Coffee Colonialism in Laos, June 20 2012
By Asia Times Online with reporting from Beaumont Smith.

Article discusses land concessions sold by Champassak Governor Siphandone to Outspan Boloven, a subsidiary of agribusiness giant Olam International (Singapore).  The issue at hand is that the land belongs to people already living and farming the land and they're fighting for the land and their livelihoods.

Land rights is becoming a huge issue in Laos in the last decade or so as its lush forests and fertile soil are sold off on long-term concessions to foreign companies with little or no compensation to the local villages already situated on the land.

Read complete article at Asia Times:
Link:  http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NF20Ae01.html

Photo Site: Laos National Circus 45th Anniversary Celebration (2011)

There's not that many photos of Laos National Circus but a Flickr user Antoine Mangier posted a whole bunch from the 45th Anniversary last year in 2011.  Worth checking out!


Link:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/twanpix/sets/72157627001518342/with/5850754571/

Lao Word of the Day: Necessary

Foot-Long Daddy Longlegs Spider Found in Laos Cave

Another rare discovery in the caves of Laos.  They've found what appears to be a new species of spider.  12 inches of legs on this daddy long legged spider!

Image: © Senckenberg

Read more at this link:
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/16/giant-daddy-longlegs-discovered-in-laos/

Lao Orphan Malika Hopes to Find Family

Help her find her long lost family!

In summary, she was an orphan from the That Kao Orphanage and was adopted by a doctor and her husband who was an American diplomat in the late 1960s.  Now all grown up having lived in America, married and with a child of her own, she still retains a strong desire to find out who her family were and to learn more about her roots.  And understandably so.  Check out the article and spread the word - perhaps someone might recognize the pictures and have an idea of where she came from or who her family were.

Documentary Film In the Making: Roses and Red Ants

Young Lao/American film maker, Nakhone Keodara, and his team are aiming to make a Lao historical documentary.  It's aptly entitled Roses and Red Ants.

Life of the Buddha (Animation in Thai)

This video is quite nice.  Although it is narrated in Thai, it's a beautiful animated video of the the life of Buddha.

LLR (book): Dtumla (rule) Book

Title:  ​ຕຳ​ລາ​ຫາ​ລືກ-​ຫາ​ຍາມ​ບູ​ຮານ​ລາວ / dtumla haleug - hayam bulan lao
By:  ດວງຈັນ ວັນນະບຸບພາ / Duangchan Vanaboobpa
Publisher/Year:   Noom Lao Publishing (peemtee hong peem noom lao), 2002

Lao Word of the Day: To Contradict

Lao Handicraft Festival 2012

For those that are into Lao art and handicrafts, this is for you.  On Nov 1-7 2012, the annual Lao Handicraft Festival 2012 will take place at Lao-ITECC.  It will include an array of sellers and producers, demonstrations, workshops, contests, and fashion shows.  It's free to get in.

Lao Word of the Day: Method, Way, Process

Mok Pa - Steamed Fish

I love mok anything!  Whether it be bpa (fish), gy (chicken), naw my (bamboo) or even padek (fermented fish), it's just so good and healthy.  It's something about the flavors plus the enhanced aroma from steaming inside a banana leaf that just makes it to die for.

Directory of NGOs in the Lao PDR

The first edition of the Directory of NGOs in Laos was first published in 1990.  Additional editions were then printed in 1993, 1994, 1997 and so fourth.  In fact, as I recall the early editions definitely came in a yellow cover much like the Yellow Pages directory.

LLR (book): Minority Cultures of Laos

Title:  Minority Cultures of Laos:  Kammu, Lua', Lahu, Hmong, and Mien
Edited by:  Judy Lewis
Contributors:  Damrong Tayanin, Lue Vang, Julia Elliott, James Matisoff, Yang Dao, Eric Crystal
Publisher/Year:  Southeast Asia Community Resource Center, 1992
Price:  From Refugees Educators Network website prices are $10 (printed copy), Free (digital copy)
Link:  http://www.reninc.org/other-publications/handbooks/

 

Contract Farming Ever Growing Presence in Laos

In Laos, you often read about large companies, especially Chinese ones, buying up land or obtaining very long term leases of land.  There's also a trend that's not quite as reported on - contract farming.

Contract farming is when a company enters into a contractual agreement with a farmer or a group of farmers whereby the farmer is paid to grow and cultivate a specific plant that will be sold exclusively to the company who has contracted the work.

There's good things and bad things about contract farming.  You decide. Here's a couple of links to get you started on, if you're interested in this topic.

http://www.adbi.org/discussion-paper/2008/02/25/2492.rice.contract.farming.in.lao.pdr/contract.farming.in.the.lao.pdr/

http://www.fao.org/uploads/media/ADBI%20rice%20contract%20farming%20in%20lao%20pdr.pdf

Lao Announces Dramatic Shift in Land Policy

Lao announces dramatic shift in land policy, commits to expand rights of communities, ethnic groups.
August 28, 2012.  Reported by RightsandResources.org and Science Codex.

Clicks links to read articles.

Talented Young Lao Music Students - Dok Champa Song

Very talented group of young Lao music students playing traditional Lao instruments.  They're performing the well known Dok Champa song.  Makes me want to learn how to play one of the instruments!

Pictures of Traditional Lao Orchestra Instruments

 Pictures Above:  Scanned from old Lao stamps in the 1950s and 1960s depicting Lao youth playing the variety of instruments.  Likely drawn by artist Marc Leguay.

Laos to Take Last ASEAN Place in WTO

Laos Is Poised to Take Last ASEAN Place in WTO by Bloomberg News.

Lao Language: Culture Related Words

LLR (journal): ວິທະຍາສານມໍລະດົກລ້ານຊ້າງ / Lanexang Heritage Journal

Title:  ວິທະຍາສານມໍລະດົກລ້ານຊ້າງ / Lanexang Heritage Journal
Created by:  Institute for Cultural Research (sataban konkua vutanatum), Ministry of Information and Culture
Publisher/Year:  Noom Lao Publishing (peemtee hongpeem noom lao), Late 1990s - Early2000s

SaoDarly.com

We found another online persona by the name of Sao Darly.  Again, we love seeing coverage on Laos and people who put in a lot of effort to post online content should be commended.  She posts a lot on Lao food in particular but also on a range of other fascinating things that she comes across in Laos.

Everyone should check her out.

Lao Essential Artistry - GotLaos.com

We found a company called Lao Essential Artistry that has quite an online presence.  They have an awesome website where they sell Lao goods (www.gotlaos.com) but they also have a really detailed online album on Flickr with lots of pictures from Laos and Youtube videos, and a blog.  And of course a Facebook page

Watch Lao TV Online for Free

If you've never seen what Lao TV looks like, here's an opportunity to do so without having to get a satellite.

LaoStar lets you to watch Lao tv online on their website through live video feeds.  You get access to 5 channels on there, previously there were 3.  The content essentially includes news, public service channel, music and entertainment.

Lao Word of the Day: To be Offended

Buddhist Prayers and Chants Books

Have you ever been curious about what the monks are chanting or the prayers that you hear old Lao people say?

Lao Cultural Books...and Plenty of Them!

Whenever you see Lao books for sale, you'll often find numerous books that contain background information on cultural events, rituals or traditions.  They often have titles like papaenee lao (Lao customs) and vutanatum lao (Lao culture).

Lao Word of the Day: To Feel Sorry For, to Pity