Weaving Cloth-Weaving Nagas

The naga is the most outstanding and dominant motif in Lao woven textiles. artistically created with imagination and respect. it has been so inseparably bound to the livelihood of the lao people that whenever weavers speak of their work the term " Naga" is spontaneously mentioned first, as in the phrase " weaving cloth- weaving Nagas".
the Nagas have different names after the patterns created from imagination and from both Buddhist and animist beliefs. for instance, in the 'NAK HONG THIEN" ( candle house naga), the motif reflects the form of a Naga decorated with the candle used on " ork phansa“ the day of the boat racing festival to give thanks to the river and ask for its blessing. an example of Animist beliefs is the Ngeuk Laeng" (Drought Naga).which is believed to have the supernatural powers to cause storms, rain and drought. there is a poem narrating the supernatural powers of the Ngeuk Laeng saying:

Help me to make water run uphill;
Help me to bring the boat through the rapids;
Help me to take the Ngeuk Laeng to crush the mountain.


Lao people show their respect to the Naga is different ways, and many ethnic groups will not hurt snakes and nagas. people usually avoid wearing red clothes and red headscarves when crossing a river and neither does a wowan wear a sinh (Lao skirt) with a red waistband. it is considered that red is the colour of the Naga's crest, and whenever a naga sees people wearing red crossing the river he will assume they do not respect him and will hurt them.

In Tai Daeng custom, there are no marriages during the first month of the Luna calendar ,with the reason that the weather is so cold and the belief that during that period the ancestors' spirits who look after the house and family are on a journey to heaven to celebrate the Phii thaen festival ( Phii thaen are spirits who take care of the people of the house and are also responsible for punishments or deciding who should live or die). people in the family must postpone any ceremonies including weddings,since if there is any ceremony during that time, the ancestor's spirits have to leave the Phii thaen festival to join the family event at home, and they will then get angry with the family and cause problems, it is very interesting that when elder people teach the young about tradition they do not say much of the dangers of Phii thaen, but instead mention about the power of the Naga, as in part of a teachinf poem that a brother gives to his younger sister which says"

Nobody cuts a big tree to build a house
and the elders will not sew clothes for their daughter's wedding.
Do not make a thick blanket, nor a gift!
if you go for your wedding by the river, the Naga will sink your boat, and the red, yellow waves will claim everything.
so, sister, whatever happens don't get married! if you will go, i will ask you to stay;
wait and listen to my teaching
Poem!

By: Viengkham Nanthavongdouangsy