I arrived in Phonsavanh in the midst of the Hmong New Year’s celebration - to my great surprise! This event seems to be widely unknown amongst Western visitors. After a rough 12 kilometer drive, I reached what seemed to be a fair-ground, with various games going on, like throwing darts. Needless to say that serious karaoke singers were trying to out-do each other, a must at every social gathering in Laos. Again, no lack of food stalls serving cheap and delicious local food.
The reason for this celebration is to allow a large gathering of Hmong people. Hill Tribes like the Hmong usually live in very remote and lonely areas, making it difficult for singles, both men and women, to find “the perfect match” and get married. To make things worse, Hmong people cannot marry a Hmong of the same tribe, like a Black Hmong is not be allowed to marry a Black Hmong, but only a White or Blue Hmong. Their traditional clothing can easily identify the various groups of Hmong. Black Hmong wear traditional black dresses, White Hmong white ones, and Blue Hmong - take a guess…
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