"Boon Nam" - A Water Festival ... fireworks and devil boats

Around the beginning of October of every year, the Lao people celebrate the Water Festival. This is a time for thanksgiving to the spirit of the river and the sending away of evil through little boats. The water is thought of as a sanctifying force carrying the evil spirits away (symbolized by the little boats). Some great boat racing on the Mekong River follows the next day. There is quite a party in the downtown area. Normally, this area is fairly quiet with few people... BUT during the festival, it is jammed packed with everyone from the surrounding areas.

The evening before, we went down to the river area to see the Lao release these small boats made from banana leaves and incense plus optional candles, money, sparklers, beads, or flowers. They hire small kids who are waiting in the water to push the boat out into the river (great time for the munchkins who are willing to get wet and dirty in the river). There is a lot of fanfare going on around the river. Loud fireworks ignite screams from unsuspecting Lao (mostly girls). This is also the time when the monks come out of their long period of fasting (its a Buddhist season of lent during a 'rain retreat').

Its all really a spectacular thing to see. All the people carrying these little boats lit with candles. Here are some attempts at pictures... note: its not easy to take pictures at night let alone when there are a ton of little candles and other lights.


Here are the massive 'little boats' market with many plain and exquisite versions of the exorcising vessels.

This is one made from mostly flowers and incense.

This is a picture of the river where some of the boats are caught near a tree. Does that mean those people will be extra bad this coming year?

And another shot of the tree hugging boats!

And here are some people bringing their boats to the river's edge.

Here are some monks teaching near the river's edge. Didn't know enough Lao yet to understand what they were saying.
One thing that is funny is that Lao people love to get some big speakers and talk nonstop through them to the crowds (complete with awkward laughing at moments when they need a break from talking... I really can't describe how eerie it is to hear that laugh).



Many people visit the temple (Lao: 'wat') near the river and pray to the Buddhas sitting there. They pray for prosperity, health, love, or anything they feel need.


There is also a parade that takes place in the downtown area. There are a number of floats made by the monks to celebrate the festival. Here is one that Amy C. is checking out for a photo op...
They also have a really neat lighting to them, as shown by the following photo:
There were also some really cool vendors during the festival. One such was the balloon people. They had some of the funniest balloons. There were also some great food vendors who sold caramel-flavored, kettle popcorn... yum!

Tune in to the next post for the boat racing part...