Laos is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia. This is the Patuxai or Victory Gate in the capital city, Vientiane. It was built in honor of the warriors who fought for Laos’s independence from France, which owned Laos from 1893 to 1953.
Pha That Luang is also in Vientiane. This golden monument has been there since the 3rd century. Â It has been attacked and rebuilt many times, most recently after World War II.
Another special sight in Vientiane is the reclining Buddha.
Wat That Luang has even more golden statues.
“Wat” means “temple,” and every city has at least one. This is Wat Luang in Pakse.
Cities in Laos combine colonial architecture, traditional Lao architecture, and modern amenities.
There are also many very ancient buildings like this one in Champasak.
We enjoyed visiting the countryside, too. Laos is a beautiful country of mountains, forests, and rivers.
We were impressed by the waterfalls!
The lush flowers added to our pleasure in the visit.
Books about Laos
- Jai’s Lao Adventures is a very cute book for young students. The book explores holidays and special places, as well as sticky rice and lap (see our photos below). It’s a good introduction to some of the most common elements of Lao culture.
- Sticky Rice for Lunch is the story of a Lao-American student who is embarrassed to carry sticky rice to school for lunch. The way he overcomes this and develops pride in his heritage brings a good message for all students.
- Exploring Laos from A to Z presents lots of interesting facts about Laos.
Don’t miss our lesson plan on Trickster Tales of Laos!
And, while the book is set in Cambodia, The Last King of Angkor Wat is visually similar and gives a feeling of Southern Laos, which shares a border with Cambodia.
While you’re enjoying a virtual field trip to Laos consider a deeper dive into some other elements of Lao culture:
Rice
People in Laos eat rice at every meal. It’s usually sticky rice, a special type of rice which is soaked in water, steamed in a special rice basket, spread on a mat, and then placed in a basket like the one you see in the photos above and below. It can then be picked up like bread rather than eaten with a fork. It does not feel sticky to your hands — it just sticks together. If you want to try making it in your classroom, you can find Three Ladies Brand rice in your local Asian market, or click through the link to order it online. We make it the traditional way at our house, but at school you might choose the microwave method. If you have Lao people in your neighborhood or a Thai restaurant, ask about sticky rice and you may be able to get a sample.
This photo shows sticky rice at our table in the United States. Lao Americans usually eat sticky rice very frequently, too. The chicken with herbs in the bowl is lap, also sometimes spelled “larb” or “laap.” This is a popular dish in restaurants and homes. Raw vegetables are also an important part of every Lao meal.
Rice is grown in flooded rice fields.
We got the chance to try planting rice in the traditional way.
Rice is the world’s most popular food. Enjoy some books about rice:
Online resources:
- National Agriculutre in the Classroom has a lesson based on the book One Grain of Rice.
- Think Rice has classroom resources which will be particularly useful for students in the six rice-growing states (like our home state of Arkansas). Connect what you learn about Laos with the rice fields in your own state.
Weaving
Laos has a long history of beautiful arts, particularly decorative arts. One of the decorative arts seen in many homes in Laos is weaving. UNESCO has designated Lao weaving as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The loom above is in a shop in the south of Laos.
The video below shows the process of weaving a particular type of motif and also allows you to hear the Lao language.
Naga motifs are an important part of Lao culture, as seen in the snake sculptures often found around temples. Lao weaving produces many different kinds of designs, often original designs created by the particular weaver who made the piece.
One very beautiful book about weaving among the upland Lao is Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos. It is shown below on a length of silk woven by a family friend in Laos.
Lao weaving is a very special art. However, people weave all over the world. Your students can do it, too. One book we like for this is Weaving within Reach, which shows step-by-step instructions for weaving all kinds of projects with no loom, or a handmade loom, or a simple frame loom.
You can also go with kids’ weaving kits:
- the classic potholder weaving project
- a set of 15 simple baskets. Two sets will cover most classrooms.
- a real frame loom
Any of these options will let your students get the sense of what weaving is like.
We visited family in Laos, which made it a particularly special trip. Â We hope you enjoy your virtual visit with us!
Photos courtesy of Som Chandyshoth, William Haden Chomphosy, and Rebecca HadenÂ
