Scores of traditional musical styles and some Lao weaving techniques are gradually disappearing from this landlocked country as the older generation dies out, a senior cultural researcher reported on Tuesday.
Deputy Head of the Institute for Cultural Research, Dr Bountheng Souksavatd, presented his final report on a survey of traditional songs, which he had been conducting since September in Savannakhet, Attapeu and Saravan provinces.
He gave the example of Khiengtanglae village in Laongam district of Saravan province, where the traditional Bao music of the Karieng ethnic group had all but disappeared.
He attributed this loss to the death of Laongam district's most popular Bao singer, Mr Pan, in 1961.
The Chief of Khiengtanglae village, Mr Bountang, said villagers only knew the names of the traditional songs, but no longer had any sense of their rhythm or lyrics.
Dr Bountheng said he was very concerned as a cultural researcher about the disappearance of traditional musical styles in the three provinces.
“The fact that so many villages no longer make traditional music should be considered a significant cultural loss, as the country's older generations seem to be dying without leaving any cultural legacies,” he said.
The institute has registered 21 traditional musical styles, including Saravan, Tangvai and Phouthay, in the three provinces, as a way of preserving them and helping villagers to understand the importance of their traditional culture.
Dr Bountheng said young people did not seem interested in their traditional musical heritage, and considered these songs to be out of date, preferring instead to listen to the radio or to CD recordings of modern music.
He said the country's development process had unfortunately taken its toll on many aspects of traditional culture.
Dr Bountheng also explained the threat of modernisation to traditional Lao silks, describing older weaving styles such as the sinh lom sai lai mat mee of the Xou ethnic group in Xuat village, Sanamxay district, in Attapeu province.
This style will soon be lost, as fewer women choose to wear it once their elders have died.
“It seems that we don't have sufficient knowledge and enough of a nationalist spirit to preserve our important traditions,” Dr Bountheng said.
“Only old people can sing the traditional songs or weave traditional silks. When I asked them why they didn't teach them to younger people, they all answered the same thing – that no one wanted to learn.”
A similar survey will be conducted next year in Luang Namtha, Oudomxay and Bokeo provinces.
Deputy Party Secretary of Laongam district, Mr Lieng Noraseng, said he thought it would be a good idea to register traditional musical styles and weaving techniques, as a way of reminding people of their heritage.
