Pheuksa Garden hosts Hmong New Year event

Pheuksa Garden hosted an event last week to celebrate the Hmong’s New Year and provide an attraction as part of the Lao Visit Laos (Lao Thiao Lao) tourism promotion campaign.
The event took place over three days from December 11-13 at Pheuksa Garden in Danxy village, Naxaithong district, Vientiane.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the President of Pheuksa Garden Phouvong Phamisith said “Over 50 percent of our staff are Hmong so this event is

intended to celebrate their New Year as well as support the government’s Lao Thiao Lao tourism campaign.”
Minister to the Prime Minster Office Mr Chaleun Yearpaoher officially opened the ceremony to celebrate the New Year and he said that Laos has 50 ethnic group with 8 languages family and Hmong-Mien celebrate their new year this month. Ethnic people in Laos have harmonised and enjoyed political stability.
Over hundred people attended the ceremony, including Deputy Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Ounthuang Kaophanh and Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Mr Chanseng Phimmavong.
“There are booths displaying products made by Hmong people as well as local businesses, along with items produced under the One District, One Product scheme in Naxaithong district.
This event is an opportunity for them to make some money after losing sales and suffering financial hardship during the Covid-19 pandemic this year,” he added.
The programme featured a Miss Hmong Contest and activities such as the Hmong ball-tossing game Pov Pob, commonly practised by young people to help them choose a partner.
Visitors to the event generated much-needed income for local vendors by buying traditional snacks such as khao Lam (sticky rice mixed with coconut milk and sugar and grilled in bamboo tubes), grilled chicken and other foods.
Hmong New Year takes place in the first month of the Lao calendar, in early December, after the crops have been harvested.
The celebrations begin in the early morning and last for a few days. It is a joyful time when people dance and sing and play games, with the girls dressed in elaborate traditional costumes.

By Souksamai Boulom
(Latest Update December 15, 2020)