SEAMEOSPAFA's video: The Baci Ritual: A Centrepiece of Lao traditions

The Baci Ceremony is a specific ceremony in Lao, which has been practised for hundreds of years and has its origins in the ancient customs of past generations. Lao people believe that a human being is a union of 32 organs, each having a spirit or Khuan (Lao word for spirit) to protect them. The Baci or Sou khuan is a well-known traditional ritual and an important part of Lao culture. It has a profound significance for Lao people, and is popular with visitors to the country. It represents a mixture of Animism, Brahmanism, Buddhism and spirit worship. The tradition follows the belief that a human being’s main body parts are inhabited by 32, or even more, spirits. In some circumstances, these spirits may leave the body to wander around and may lose their way in the universe, thus causing a person to become weak and vulnerable to dangers. It is therefore important to call the missing spirits back; this ceremony is performed on important occasions such as births, weddings, farewells, visits, Lao New Year, etc. This presentation describes what the Baci ceremony is, and why and how it is performed. *This presentation was delivered by Dr Boonsri Phuthavong of Lao Academy of Social sciences at SEAMEO SPAFA's programme activity, "Animism in the Arts of Southeast Asia", which took place at Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand from 8-9 August 2019. For more details on this event, visit the SEAMEO SPAFA website at: http://www.seameo-spafa.org/animism-in-the-arts-of-southeast-asia/