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The last day of the year is a day of physical and
moral purification. It is the day when the spirit of the world ascends to the sky to
report on all of mankind's acts during the past year. Therefore, the faithful must try to
have their sins pardoned by accomplishing commendable acts. Therefore, at sunrise everyone
goes to the market where live animals are sold. Thirties, fish, birds ... will be
liberated on the same day by the buyers to make amends for their sins against living
beings during the past year. At the end of the morning, Buddha statues from every vat are
transferred, exhibited and sprinkled with holy water. In the afternoon, sand stupas are
traditionally erected at Done Xay Moungkhoune. These stupas symbolize the great holy
mountains of India - each grain of sand expiates a sin. On the intercalary day, mu nao, a
procession of the faithful of Vat Vixun, Vat Aham, Vat May, Vat That and Vat Chomsi visit
the Vat Xieng Thong to sprinkle the Buddha statues. Pou Gneu Gna Gneu,
the tutelary spirits of the city, and Sing Keo Sing Kham, the little lion, dance at Vat
Xieng Thong. The masked dancers wearing costumes of vegetable fibers personify Pou Gneu
and Gna Gneu. According to the local legend of creation, these mythical persons made the
earth appear by stamping on the immense ocean that covered the world. These mystical
persons planted gourd seeds wherefrom man appeared. Thanks to the little lion that they
had captured in the Himalayas and tamed, they eliminated a beast that terrorized the
region of Luang Prabang. As compensation for all their deeds before their deaths, they
requested that the inhabitants make effigies of themselves and the small lion. Every New
Year, as protection against the country's destruction, they should dance at both ends of
the town. |
