While travelling in Laos, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Basi (also spelt Baci or Barsi) ceremony. Basi is a Laotian ceremony celebrating a special event such as a marriage, a homecoming or a birth. The ceremony that I attended was the celebration of a new birth, a boy now 4 months old. The ceremony lasts throughout the day.
Basi means “calling of the soul”. We can see on the left hand side of the picture, a
pha kwan (something like an altar), which is set up in the middle of the room. Laotians would touch the tray of the pha kwan, which invoke the return of
kwan (souls) to the human body, thus restoring equilibrium. Food is offered to the
pha kwan. The ceremony lasts throughout the day.
The ceremony would last throughout the day. Relatives and guests would take turn tying a white cotton thread on the wrist of the baby and the parents, which was a form of blessing. In turn, others would also tie the white thread round the wrists of the guests.
Some guests would also insert currency notes together with the cotton thread. You could see from the photo that a currency note was tied to the baby's right wrist.
Outside the house, a sumptous meal was served, buffet style. Compared to the food in other Indochina countries, Laotian food is not spicy, but it could be on a slightly salty side.
Not forgeting Beerlao, Laos National Beer..
Beerlao is very smooth on the throat, and is suitable for both men and women. It would give Tiger Beer a run for the money if it is well marketed.
A band was engaged to entertain the guests. Later, guests started dancing to traditional Laotian dance.
A good travel experience.
For more pages on Laos:
Laos Travels
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