Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
Way of Life
Rural Lao Lum traditionally livein self-sufficient villages,typically made up of some 40 to50 households. Houses oftimber, thatch, and split bambooare constructed on wooden
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
piles, with the floor about 2 m (6ft) above the ground. Theagricultural year centers on thecultivation of glutinous (short-grain) rice, the preferred varietyamong the Lao Lum. Villagersuse buffalo for plowing and
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
oxen for pulling carts. Lao Lumform close-knit communities, butfamilies are nuclear—consistingof two parents and theirchildren—not extended.Marriage requires payment of abride-price (a payment made by
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
the groom to the bride’s family),and the groom normally residesat first with his wife’s parents.When the couple can afford it,they build their own house.Wealthier urban Lao Lum live inspacious villas. In the past,
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
some Lao Lum men took two ormore wives, a practice calledpolygyny, but this practice is nowillegal and therefore lesscommon.
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
Lao Thoeng villages are generallysmaller than those of thelowland Lao but are constructedof similar materials. The LaoThoeng are slash-and-burnfarmers, who clear an area of theforest to build a village and plant
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
crops. In 15 to 20 years, whenthe surrounding forest has beencut and the nutrients in the soilhave been depleted, they maymove the village to a new area.Lao Thoeng men must choosewives from a clan other than
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
their own. After marriage, a wiferesides with her husband’sfamily until the shared housebecomes too crowded and thecouple constructs their own.Polygyny is rare among the LaoThoeng.
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
Lao Sung villages are similar insize to those of the Lao Thoeng,and like them may be relocatedwhen soils are exhausted. Unlikeother Lao, the Lao Sungconstruct their houses on theground with a stamped earth
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
floor. They raise numerous pigsand chickens and use hardymountain ponies fortransportation. Their principalcash crop traditionally has beenopium, though production isnow officially outlawed.
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
Extended families made up ofparents, sons and their wives,and grandchildren may numberup to 20 people. Polygyny, whileformerly widespread, is nowillegal.
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
Culture
Ethnic Lao culture is closelyentwined with Buddhism, butthe country’s ethnic diversityproduces a correspondingcultural diversity. Painting is nota highly developed art form, but
Socio-Cultural Setting:
Laos
Source:
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved.
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