ASEAN youth taste the sights and sounds of Luang Prabang

Panyasith Thammavongsa

The cultural heartland of Laos, the ancient royal city of Luang Prabang witnessed an unlikely first-ever event in its long history last week. It was the scene of a huge gathering of the region's youth who converged on the city to learn about its culture and build cooperation and friendship for a future Association of South East Asian Nations. Here is what they had to say:
Brunei
Ms Shazwani, 18 : "When I arrived in Luang Prabang I was enchanted by the art and beauty that surrounded people's lives and also by their Buddhist faith. I was also very interested in the Phralak Phralam (Ramayana dance) performance and the dances of the ethnic minority groups. I like the fresh vegetables and fruit here very much, but I cannot eat the pork because I am Muslim and I must follow my religion. I like Luang Prabang more than Vientiane because it has traditional products at the night markets and the weather is nice and cool. In my country it is too hot."
Cambodia
Ms Nuon Pisey, 22: "I like dancing the Dok Champa, Lamvong and Saravan dances very much and now I can sing Yen Sabai Sao Na. These dances and this song have become very special to me because they say a lot about Laos and I have never learnt these before. In Luang Prabang the people are very beautiful and there are many temples, which are great places to visit if you want to learn about Lao culture."
Indonesia
Ms Emma Elizabeth, 25: "I have been a dancer for about 9 years and this is a good opportunity for me to learn new dance techniques which I can mix with my old dances. I like dancing the Dok Champa because it is a very famous dance in Laos and I will take this dance home to teach my friends. But the song is very difficult to learn because it is hard to remember. Luang Prabang has many interesting things to see and I am very impressed by the old temples, many cultures, and smiles of the local people who like to help visitors. Before I visited Laos, I only knew a little bit about Lao culture so when I saw the real situation here it was a great boost to my understanding."
Malaysia
Mr Goh Chin Kuan, 22: "I am a youth artist in my country. I will paint the lifestyles, work and culture of the local people here and I may also paint some of the natural landscape. Lao culture is still very traditional and people still respect their culture and conserve it. They are deeply Buddhist here in Luang Prabang and you can see this in the temples where many people go to pray and make offerings. Even though Lao people may think that their culture is similar to cultures in other countries I think it is unique and impressive. In Laos they have handmade products whereas in other countries everything is made with machines. I like Lao food because it is spicy just like the food in my country."
Myanmar
Mr Khaing Ton, 26: "Luang Prabang is a very peaceful place and the history and tradition here is very similar to that in my country. I like the Lamvong dance and now I can sing Yen Sabai Sao Na. I hope to take this new knowledge back to my country so I can promote Lao culture. I really like Lao food because it is very similar to the food in my country. A lot of the food in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia is the same as in my country. Lao people are very honest and hospitable. I love their culture and lifestyle. This is the third time I have participated in the ASEAN Youth Camp because I like to learn new things about the cultures and societies of our region."
Singapore
Mr Christiaan Ramesh Haridas, 19: "I study art management. I want to learn about Lao culture, food, dances and songs and I think it is easy for me to learn about them because they are quite similar to the things found in my country. Here in Laos, people are very friendly and when I look at them they always smile. I like sticky rice and salad and I also like riding in tuk tuks because there are no windows and I can feel the wind in my hair. You just can't do that in my country. In Luang Prabang I like shopping at the night market and I have bought traditional products such as scarves and bags for my friends back home."
Thailand
Ms Pennapar Kosakul, 17: "I can dance the Lao dances such as Dok Champa and sometimes I teach my friends in a group how to dance because I am a professional dancer. I think the time provided for this programme is so short time. But this is because I am having so much fun living and learning and playing with all my new friends from around the region. I like sticky rice, fried fish and chicken soup very much. The weather in Luang Prabang is very good and the traditional products are very beautiful so I have bought a few to take home with me. Lao culture is very similar to Thai culture so it is not hard for me to understand, but playing the Khean is very hard for me to do. Next year I want to join this programme again."
Vietnam
Mr Tran Hoang Nam, 25: "I am a magazine reporter. Before I came to Laos, I learned a lot of information about the country, especially about the Lao dance, the Lamvong. I will write about Phralak Phralam and Lamvong because they are very interesting and very different to the dances in my country. Luang Prabang is a tourist destination, just like Hanoi in my country but I like it better because it does not have lots of tall buildings and big hotels. I am very happy to see that its nature and culture have been preserved in such good condition for so long. I love the Lao people I have met and I will miss the friends I have made at this youth camp when I go back home."
The Philippines
Mr Herbert Alvarez, 25: "Lao culture is very rich and it should be opened up to the world so people can learn something new about a unique part of the world. This is also a beautiful place to visit. I like the temples. Before I came here I though the Lao temples would be the same as those in Thailand but they really do have their own style. I think Lao culture needs much more promotion. The local people here are very nice. When I arrived in Luang Prabang they smiled at me. The Lao dances are very difficult for me to learn because you have to move your hands and your legs at the same time. In the future I hope to visit Laos again so I can learn more about this place."
Japan
Mr Hukuoka Masaaki, 27: "Lao people are very polite and there are a lot of different cultures here, even thought Laos is a small country. I liked the ethnic minority dances because they show just how rich and complex the cultures in this country are. In Luang Prabang I have seen people selling traditional products along the roads, which is very impressive. I like Lao food, especially the seaweed, noodle soup and sticky rice. In my country we also have sticky rice so I have tried it before. I think many Japanese people would like Lao food if they had the chance to try it."
Laos
Ms Boua Ngeon Phisayphan, 18: "I have spent this time asking my new friends about their cultures and I have also tried to teach them a little bit about Lao culture. I think they are really interested in Lao culture. Teaching singing and dancing is not easy for me but I have tried to find the best way to teach them and now I think they can sing and dance very well for having studied for such a short time. I want them to spend more time in Laos so I can practice speaking English with them."

Source: http://www.vientianetimes.org.la