Lao in Kalo village heat up Bunpimay festival with love from Hue

Mr. Tran Cong Phu, Director of Department of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of Provincial Union of Friendship Organisations (5th from the right) presenting the gifts to the Kalo people

The delegation, including leaders of provincial Border Guard Command, Department of Foreign Affairs, Border Affair Steering Committee, Union of Friendship Organizations, Red Cross, Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, A Luoi district and other charity groups together donated about 100 gift packages, including rice, clothes and food, to the local households, with a hope to bring more joys to their most important holiday of the year.

Lao people welcome their new year in the well-known Bunpimay festival, which usually falls on April 14 to 16. Some ritual ceremonies and prayers are practiced for a coming year with favorable weather, bumper crops and general prosperity. Thread tying around the wrist and water-splashing are amongst the most noted features of the festival.     

Kalo people gathering at the local school to welcome the delegation

Kalo is one of the most disadvantaged villages of Sekong province, one of the three Lao localities which borders Thua Thien Hue to the west, and about 9 km from the A Dot border gate. It has about 95 households with about 450 inhabitants in total. The entire population is living mainly on agriculture and forestry.

This year, since their income is down, the Kalo people are not going to celebrate the Bunpimay festival as big as they used to, said the head of Kalo village. Therefore, the gifts from Thua Thien Hue people may somewhat help to heat up the holiday’s atmosphere.

Story and photos: The Vinh