to bless and back, on top of the Laoltion world.
This may be a reasonably short script despite the remarkable experience.
I was taken by Kumsook to his village that I was told would be about a 4 hour round trip. It took just that to get there, and a little more. We headed up the mountain on his old motorbike and had to stop at least 5 times to allow the bike to cool as it was over heating badly. Didn’t think Iwe were going to make it, but just really wanted to get there by the 4th hour. It was kind of good though to have the chance to stop and take in all the things that you would expect to see high on a mountain in Indochina.
We made it eventually to Kumsook’s village and were greeted warmly by his mother and uncle. His dad was still working hard in the rice field and joined us shortly after, with, to my humble surprise all the elders and important people of the village. You see, this was in fact a big deal, everyone had come here to perfrom a Baci ceremony on me. Very lucky fella that I am, a Baci is perculiar Lao ritual in which guardian spirits are bound to the guest of honour ( me ) by white strings tied to the wrist. The ‘calling of the soul’ to restore equillibrium for oneself. Great stuff, a real priviledge indeed, all the villagers had come to spend some time just with me.
I had spent some money at ‘Pussy Market’ with Kumsook on the way to buy vegetables and some pork for the feast that followed. Pussy Market was an intersting stop within itself.
The ceremony took a little over an hour, and I felt special throughout my whole time there. Not so on the journey to get there, but it’s not just about the destination, it’s the travel involved to get there also.
Lucky for Kumsook translating everything that was said by his dad and all the uncles who addressed me during this amazing ritual. Earlier, they had sacrificed a chicken for us to eat, the other food stuffs were being prepared by the women of the village. The chicken, I hate to say was some of the toughest stuff I have ever eaten. Overcooked, the feet and the head pointing in my direction on the huge round plate that had the flowers and candles pride of place in the middle. I really didn’t want the chicken but it was part of the ceremony, just not the feet or the head please! I forced as much of it down with sticky rice, and thanks to the Laos brewmatser I could wash it down with my new favourite Beer Lao. Yup, go figure, even a tradtional ceremony will include the nations best drop, Beer Lao!
Through lots of spoken words by his father and all the uncles, I had the strings waved over then tied to my wrists, Kumosok too. He was being blessed for he lives in Luang Prabang, far enough away from the village for the family to be worried about him. He is there for school, and that it’s my next post.
On the plate were some chicken hearts, part of the process. I thought I was going to get away without eating anything that would make me puke, but I wasn’t going to disappoint my new found family, and so down it went, a chicken heart. Man, up it came straight away, and into the toilet paper that was used as a napkin. That was bad, but everyone seemed to get a larf, and I was happy that I didn’t insult the cereomy masters sitting crossed legged on the mats in the open house.
Done, the ceremony over it was time to feast. Out came all the vegetables and again, really tough and overcooked pork that I had brought as part of the offerings. We all sat there and had a spoon each and dug into a delicious soup with all the ingredients. More Beer Lao wash it down.
On the sacred flower arrangement in the middle, there was some money that I and the other villagers had placed for the ceremony. To mark the end of it all, they handed it to me and told me I couldn’t spend it. It is tucked away with my passport and other important travel docs, hoping that there is nothing that Australian customs will bitch about. I will keep it forever more.
You see, there is like most under developed countris electricity, sometimes, but no running water. The children will play with the simplest of toys, rubber bands, bamboo sticks with wooden wheels, just making me appreciate how lucky we have it back home. Another real eye opener for me on my global persuit of cultures and all other things.
With all things done and dusted, literally, I jumped on the bike again just on dark and we headed back down the mountain to Luang Prabang. Bummer, I wish I had the limo coming to fetch me, but only a couple of hours this time as it was all down hill. With this in mind and Kumsook’s therory of saving gas, we coasted down the mountain at about 80kms/hr with no lights and the engine off to conserve fuel. I was hanging on and waiting patiently for us to get back.
I have been on the back of motor bikes before, even Mick Doohan’s as a kid growing up, so I was determined to survive this one. It was a painful non stop 90 minutes with my body cramping up, but we got there and rewarded myself with, yes you guessed it, a cold Beer Lao. What a great experience that I will take with me on my own personal journey, letting it soak in with all their positive intentions swelling inside my soul. Blessed.