Benefactor donates Buddha images
 


A generous visitor, Mr Keith Martin, 45, from New York last week donated 63 Buddha images of various sizes to the Lao National Museum , to stress the importance of heritage preservation for the Lao public.

The images are made of a mixture of materials including clay, cement, resin, aluminium and frangipani wood. Mr Martin collected them while visiting Huaphan province last year and handed them over to a representative of the Ministry of Information and Culture and Deputy Head of Office of the ministry, Mr Vayolinh Phrasavath, and the Acting Director of the Lao National Museum , Ms Phetmalayvanh Keobounma. The event was witnessed by Lao officials and foreign friends of the museum.

Sixty-two of the Buddha images were bought from a family in Xamneua district. A larger one, made of wood and in an unusual pose with both hands pointing downwards, was discovered in Thailand .

“I bought the 62 images for US$100 from a young man I met in the district. He had found them in a cave, but he wouldn't show me where as he said it wasn't safe,” Mr Martin said at the presentation ceremony.

He said he had found the larger image in 2004, while exploring a souvenir shop in Bangkok , Thailand , and had bought it for US$400 (about 4 million kip).

Mr Martin explained that the outstanding feature of this particular figure was an eye made of shell, which was an indication that it might have been made by the Leu ethnic group. He thought it could be 160-180 years old. He had not been able to track down the rightful owner, so he decided to present it to the museum.

“I decided to give these images to the museum because Laos has made such a strong impression on me. I felt I wanted do something for Laos and its culture and I wanted children to be able to see how special these Buddha images are,” he said.

Some of the images are damaged and are headless, but all of them have retained their beauty; the elaborate carving is still of great interest. The images are now on display in the museum for public viewing.

Ms Phetmalayvanh said she greatly appreciated Mr Martin's generosity and his willingness to give the images to the museum without expecting anything in return. He was a good example of those who wanted to raise awareness about the need to preserve Lao heritage, and this new addition to the museum's collection was precious.

“When people donate items to the museum, we first have to conduct a thorough investigation into their history. Some people just want to give us something in order to enhance their reputation. We discussed this particular donation with the ministry and we all agreed that the images should be displayed here as they belong to Laos ,” she said.

She said that the sale of Buddha images was a common problem nowadays as people did not appreciate their true value.

Some people sold them because they were in desperate need of money, often to neighbouring countries where they could get a higher price.

“We have a Conservation Law and we are trying to get the public to understand the importance of our national heritage so that these precious items will not leave the country,” Ms Phetmalayvanh said.

By Phonesavanh Sangsomboun
 Vientianetimes