We were fortunate enough to be invited to a Hmong wedding by a work colleague, Mr Long. It is very rare to be invited to a Hmong Village and it was probably one of the most eye opening experiences I have had in Laos. I was so excited to be there and was also taken aback how by how much it meant to Mr Long to have his western friends share his celebration.
The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group from the mountain our regions of China Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Hmong groups began a gradual southward migration in the 18th century due to political unrest and to find more arable land.Small groups of Hmong people, many 2nd or 3rd generation descendants of from CIA soldiers remain internally displaced in remote parts of Laos, many living in fear of government reprisals.
Xaysimboun
Kate, Alex and I hired a car and a driver with a few friends to reach the village. We thought we had all the necessary permission to enter the area (and were a tad nervous about military presence) however we were assured that everything was arranged for our arrival. We found the only hotel in town and were warmly welcomed by the owner who explained to us his last western visitor was 10 years ago…and we were shown proof by a framed photo on the reception counter ha! He was very proud to have us and strangely seemed to follow us around most of the weekend (I am not sure if he was told to keep an eye on us but wherever we were he seemed to be driving past on his motorbike). Either way it was hard for 6 foreigners to not be noticed in town.
Kate, Alex and I hired a car and a driver with a few friends to reach the village. We thought we had all the necessary permission to enter the area (and were a tad nervous about military presence) however we were assured that everything was arranged for our arrival. We found the only hotel in town and were warmly welcomed by the owner who explained to us his last western visitor was 10 years ago…and we were shown proof by a framed photo on the reception counter ha! He was very proud to have us and strangely seemed to follow us around most of the weekend (I am not sure if he was told to keep an eye on us but wherever we were he seemed to be driving past on his motorbike). Either way it was hard for 6 foreigners to not be noticed in town.
We were a bit lost when we first arrived in Xaysomboun so stopped at the local market to get some directions and a bite of noodle soup. Not long after arriving we received a phone call from Mr Long saying he could see a white lady in a red dress (Maja) as he was also at the Market. We then saw him walking with his fiancé, in tracksuit pants getting a few veggies and things before the wedding (due to start in 30 minutes). It just seemed like it was a normal Saturday for the bride and groom (although start times don’t seem to mean too much in Laos).
The Wedding was so different from anything I had previously experienced. It was held at the same time as Kate and Rob’s (maybe 1 hour earlier) so despite being sad to miss sharing in their celebration, it was interesting having in my mind how different the two were.
By the time we reached the wedding location, Mr Long was in pants and a pink shirt (same as what he wore to work on the Thursday before ha) and the bride was in a traditional Hmong wedding dress). There was a great deal of people in attendance and we were invited to sit in the house where the actual ceremony took place. Many gathered outside the house, looking in through the house doors and windows.
By the time we reached the wedding location, Mr Long was in pants and a pink shirt (same as what he wore to work on the Thursday before ha) and the bride was in a traditional Hmong wedding dress). There was a great deal of people in attendance and we were invited to sit in the house where the actual ceremony took place. Many gathered outside the house, looking in through the house doors and windows.
We sat with the couple’s family on a table dressed with bottles of soft drink and chips, the parents on one side the wedding couple on the other. Traditionally the sister gives away the bride. I was moved by my the emotion in the room, especially form the bride’s family. Immediately after the wedding the bride travelled back to Vientiane to live with Mr Long and I believe its unlikely she will have many opportunities to go back and visit her family and village so the ceremony was a ‘real giving away’ occasion. It was about a 6 hour drive for us in 4WD however I think in a village van it would take much longer and be quiet expensive to make the trip and would require time off of work which is not that probable for Mr Long). The Bride’s mother/ (I’m not actually sure which one was her actual mother as her father has 2 wives) sobbed as the families exchanged gifts across the table. It was important to Mr Long that we know what was being said so many times the ceremony was stopped as he translated or told us to take more photos. It was a very strange feeling having so many people stare at us at once (despite 2 months in India).
The ceremony took about half an hour and was followed by a lunch of noodles, pork stew and beer Lao. Luck however turned a little against us and we were suddenly taken in for questing with the village police. We were asked to hand in our passports and informed we did not have the proper documents to visit the region. Despite the confronting interrogation we were allowed to finish the wedding celebrations as long as we left first thing the following morning.
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