The Baci BY J.CHANLA
The baci (bah-see) is arguably the most enchanting of all Lao traditional ceremonies.
Uniquely Lao,
The baci is a delightful and charming ceremony of prayers and good wishes. It is performed at almost every Lao festival and celebration and is a focal point of Lao culture. While usually performed by Buddhists, the baci is not a Buddhist religious ceremony. It is, though, a ceremony that dates back a long time, to well before the arrival of Buddhism in Laos.
The ceremony is normally conducted by a respected elder of the community, and the ceremony aims to restore a balance of goodwill and harmony within the community. The baci is a traditional and special way of expressing goodwill. It is a ceremony that blesses both welcomes and farewells, greeting the newborn, celebrating an outstanding achievement, or giving thanks for recovery from an illness. It has conveyed feelings of hospitality and joy to the Lao people for many centuries.
The baci firstly involves a large bouquet of flowers, arranged in elaborate fashion, sticking out of a cone made originally from banana leaves, but now commonly made out of green paper. This bouquet of flowers is called a phalcuan. Short strands of cotton dangle ftom the flowers. The base of these cones rest on a silver urn called a khan. Placed around this 'centrepiece' are bottles of rice wine, cakes, hard-boiled eggs and rice.
The mohpohn is almost always an elderly man who has spent some years as a monk. and thus respected for his devoutness. The mohpohn is the master of this ceremony, the baci. The mohpohn is often a common villager, an ordinary elder of the community.
When the mohpohn arrives for the commencement of the bad, he lights the candle, which has been placed amongst the flowers. People are seated around the phaJcuan. The person whom the baci is for is seated opposite to the mohpohn, To begin, the mohpohn clasps his hands together in prayer and addresses a quick, plaintive prayer to the gods in a mixture of PaIi and Lao.
Participants touch the rim of the khan as good wishes of health and happiness are chanted, If one has recently recovered from an illness, he can expect to receive wishes that he will be strong and full of health. In the event of a new-bom child, the mohpohn wishes for the baby to grow up strong and hea.Ithy, In a wedding. there are blessings that the marriage will be long-lasting and rich with love.
Participants then join their hands in prayer. When the mohpohn finishes chanting, the celebrant holds up his left hand to his cheek while extending his right hand to hold an egg, a bowl of chicken leg or a piece of cake. The mohpohn then ties twines of white string around the celebrant's wrists while he chants more blessings. To partake in this stage of the ceremony Other participants may reach out and touch the celebrant whom the mohpohn is addressing.
As the mohpohn says his wishes and rubs the knots of string into the celebrant's pulse to strengthen the blessing. Afterw everybody partakes mto the tying of the ,white strings around each others wrists while joyous prayers are whispered. Jiggers of spirits are then passed around.
After the formal ceremony is over, a feast is served, which is in turn followed by a lamvong, the national dance. A tradition that accompanies the baci itself: the lamvong is a slow revolving circle dance with men on the inside and women on the outside. The music is played either by a live band or a recorded song. Participants of the baci are welcome - and expected - to take part in this wonderful celebration.
The ceremony is normally conducted by a respected elder of the community, and the ceremony aims to restore a balance of goodwill and harmony within the community. The baci is a traditional and special way of expressing goodwill. It is a ceremony that blesses both welcomes and farewells, greeting the newborn, celebrating an outstanding achievement, or giving thanks for recovery from an illness. It has conveyed feelings of hospitality and joy to the Lao people for many centuries.
The baci firstly involves a large bouquet of flowers, arranged in elaborate fashion, sticking out of a cone made originally from banana leaves, but now commonly made out of green paper. This bouquet of flowers is called a phalcuan. Short strands of cotton dangle ftom the flowers. The base of these cones rest on a silver urn called a khan. Placed around this 'centrepiece' are bottles of rice wine, cakes, hard-boiled eggs and rice.
The mohpohn is almost always an elderly man who has spent some years as a monk. and thus respected for his devoutness. The mohpohn is the master of this ceremony, the baci. The mohpohn is often a common villager, an ordinary elder of the community.
When the mohpohn arrives for the commencement of the bad, he lights the candle, which has been placed amongst the flowers. People are seated around the phaJcuan. The person whom the baci is for is seated opposite to the mohpohn, To begin, the mohpohn clasps his hands together in prayer and addresses a quick, plaintive prayer to the gods in a mixture of PaIi and Lao.
Participants touch the rim of the khan as good wishes of health and happiness are chanted, If one has recently recovered from an illness, he can expect to receive wishes that he will be strong and full of health. In the event of a new-bom child, the mohpohn wishes for the baby to grow up strong and hea.Ithy, In a wedding. there are blessings that the marriage will be long-lasting and rich with love.
Participants then join their hands in prayer. When the mohpohn finishes chanting, the celebrant holds up his left hand to his cheek while extending his right hand to hold an egg, a bowl of chicken leg or a piece of cake. The mohpohn then ties twines of white string around the celebrant's wrists while he chants more blessings. To partake in this stage of the ceremony Other participants may reach out and touch the celebrant whom the mohpohn is addressing.
As the mohpohn says his wishes and rubs the knots of string into the celebrant's pulse to strengthen the blessing. Afterw everybody partakes mto the tying of the ,white strings around each others wrists while joyous prayers are whispered. Jiggers of spirits are then passed around.
After the formal ceremony is over, a feast is served, which is in turn followed by a lamvong, the national dance. A tradition that accompanies the baci itself: the lamvong is a slow revolving circle dance with men on the inside and women on the outside. The music is played either by a live band or a recorded song. Participants of the baci are welcome - and expected - to take part in this wonderful celebration.