an update from Luang Prabang

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I can’t believe I have been here over a week...time is just flying by.

Last Tuesday (a week ago..!) Thong took me out to show me the land he has purchased and the house he has built for his mother and brothers. The house is an improvement on the house Thong was renting. And, while there is no electricity yet, the lines end close by, and many people are building in the area, so I think he made a wise choice.

Thong and Yeng (his bride to be..custom here is to live together once you are engaged) are living in a little place that they have built on land that is owned by Yeng’s brother. It is only about a five minute walk from Thong’s land. There place is small, but quite cute. They were able to pour a cement slab, and then cover the floor with some kind of flooring material, so the place is easy to keep clean. I have learnt that Miss Yeng is an absolute neat-nick. They have lots and lots of photos up on the walls, and they also have a fridge. Cooking is still outside, the hydro is not strong enough to allow them to use an induction burner or electric wok. You can see the outside of their house in the photo.



On Thursday, Thong and Yeng held a baci ceremony for me here at my house. They had a shaman who performed the baci, which is blessing/welcoming ceremony. In the photo, the shaman is saying his blessings over our hands. There are two cooked chickens (feet and heads included) and a hard boiled egg under the chickens. After he says his prayers, we had to lift the chicken plate up into the air, and the shaman said some other prayers. Then, each of the people present gave us a blessing, while tying a white cotton cord around each wrist. The man tying the cord on my wrists is Miss Yeng's brother. In most cases, the blessings are said out loud, of course, they are in Hmong, so I have no idea what they were saying, but everyone was smiling. Thong told me he was too emotional, and he could not say his blessing out loud, he had to do it just in his head...very sweet. Thong and Miss Yeng cooked a wonderful dinner. They prepared steamed fish, rice, pasta in tomato sauce and chicken. They invited some family members...I think there was about ten of us, and there was a baci ceremony. It was a lovely evening. Marty, a new friend, had just arrived in Luang Prabang that day, so she was able to be at the baci as well. You can see the baci ceremony and the table, laden with food. Yeng absolutely loved cooking in the kitchen here at the house. Different prespectives..there is almost no counter space, and only one induction burner, so I think it is bare minimum..they were over the moon to be cooking inside, with running water. Humbling, indeed.

Thong and Yeng are busy getting ready for the wedding, which is on Sunday. There are several hundred people coming to the evening party, and they have to hand deliver all the invitations, which happens the week before the wedding, so yesterday and today they are out, delivering about 400 invitations....they will be exhausted before the weekend, no doubt.

They will not be able to go away for any kind of honeymoon..they are spending too much on the wedding. I offered to pay for a hotel for their wedding night, just for a special treat, but Miss Yeng refused..she said they have their house to themselves, and it is not necessary, and would be a needless expense. Practical woman. Thong keeps saying the wedding is costing him way, way more than planned, but he says he is only getting married once...



More later.

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Comments

[Andy Edwards]

Hello Little Sister
Hi Deb I a enjoying reading your blog -given what the weather has been like here it is hard to imagine ever wearing a short sleeve shirt again!. Stay safe - and enjoy your time away. Andy