PEOPLE OF LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Laos's natives are comprised of several diverse groups namely Hmong, Khmu, Yao, A'kha, Ikoa, Lu and others. These diverse groups follow their respective ethnicity and dialects within the region.
Lao Lum, the lowlanders who reside along the Mekong River covering 56% of inhabitants.
Lao Theung, the uplanders cover 34% of the residents thriving.
Lao Soung, the hill tribes' covers 9% of the inhabitants settled in mountainous terrains.
Lao is the native dialect thriving here along with French, English, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. The Theravada Buddhism is the apparent religion practiced within the region. The religion of Christianity and Muslims seems to thrive within the region where large number of Christians is limited to the Vientiane locality while the Muslims flourish along the Myanmar border. Lao can be related to the Tai linguistic group that migrated southwards from the region of China.
ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC OF LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Art: Lao artisans are recognized for their wonderful creation based on sculptural formations. Bronze is commonly used along with gold and silver to create wonderful architectural images. Lao Buddhist sculptures can be rightly seen in the area of Pak Ou caves that attract innumerable visitors. Among the semi-precious stone sculpture one can mention the images of Phra Keo (The Emerald Buddha) and the Phra Phuttha Butsavarat that are worth visiting. Ceramic products are also quite popular within the region.
Culture:The traditional attire of a Lao woman is called as 'phaa sin' , which is a wrap around skirt woven out of silk or cotton. Visit the World Heritage sites named as Luang Prabang and Wat Phou that attract several travelers from round the world. Rice is the staple diet of the region. Participate in the local festivals and to name some are Vixakha Bouxa, Boun Bang Fay, Pi Mai Lao and Ok Phansa.
Music: Lao or Lao People's Democratic Republic music that has settled here can be classified into two parts namely the classical music and the folk music.
