Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
idea is to make the spirit house a more habitable place than the dwellings for humans located
on the same plot of land; naturally, if the
jao bawn
is comfortable in its digs, it is less likely
to cause trouble for people living in the vicinity. Offerings to keep the spirit of the site propi-
tiated may include flowers, incense, candles or sweets. A much simpler offering to
jao bawn
that visitors may note is the practice of pressing spirit offerings of sticky rice against trees or
rocks. Another manifestation of animism that can be readily seen is the
talaew
, a six-pointed
star made from strips of bamboo and placed over doors and gates or in rice fields. The device
is thought to bar evil spirits from entering and doing harm.
After the revolution, the communists discouraged many animist practices, such as the annu-
al sacrifice of water buffalo in tribal villages in the south, believing that such worship wasted
resources and held back the progress of the nation. As with Buddhism, animism quickly re-
vived once official suppression was relaxed.
Ancestor worship
in different forms is also practised by many of the highland tribes that
migrated to Laos from China, including the Akha, Hmong and Mien. Practices vary, but all
believe that the spirits of deceased ancestors have the ability to affect the lives of their des-
cendants. The ancestors are thought to be rather helpless and dependent on the living for
earthly comforts; they reward descendants who remember them with offerings, but can be-
come harmful if neglected.
