Festivals of Laos

by Martin Stuart-Fox

Text by Martin Stuart-Fox and Somsanouk Mixay / Photographs by Steve Northup

Color photographs throughout

Laos is a land of festivals. Every village, every temple, and every ethnic minority not only holds its own special festivals but also joins the wider Lao community in celebrating the national ones as well. This book explores the most important festivals of Laos and offers a rare and fascinating glimpse into the spiritual and communal life of the Lao people. Written and photographed by experts in Lao history, society, and culture, Festivals of Laos is a wonderful combination of insightful narrative and stunning photography.

Highlights

covers all major cultural and religious festivals of Laos
written and photographed by experts in Lao history, society, and culture
provides fascinating mythological background and historical information

What the critics are saying

“Having lived in and traveled to most parts of Laos over the past thirty years, I find this publication truly representative of the beautiful landscapes, peoples, and festivals of Laos. The photographs and commentary in this book offer us an intriguing insight into the cultural tapestry of Laos. Never before have I seen Lao festivals depicted so comprehensively. Laos is a country with fascinating cultures, religions, and peoples, all of which are well represented in the chapters of this book.” — Dr. Michael Mann, Ambassador of the Order of Malta to Thailand and Cambodia, and previously Australian Ambassador to Laos and Vietnam

“There is no better way to enjoy the culture of a country than through the eye of a true artist and the mind of a real expert. Northup and Stuart-Fox are to Laos what Stanley and Livingston were to Africa. These two produce my favorite insights into the Mekong region, full of compassion and perception.” — Colin Cotterill, author of the Dr. Siri Paiboun series

About the Authors and Photographer

Martin Stuart-Fox is Emeritus Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Queensland and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. A correspondent for United Press International in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, he is the author of six books and many articles on the history, politics, and culture of Laos.

Somsanouk Mixay was born in Vientiane, Laos. He worked as editor of the Vientiane News and deputy director-general of Lao National Radio and Television. He started the Vientiane Times and the French weekly Le Renovateur, as well as English and French news programs on Lao national television. He has written many books, articles, and features on Lao culture.

Steve Northup has spent almost half a century as a photographer. He and Prof. Stuart-Fox first worked together as a reporter/photographer team covering the war in Vietnam in 1965 and 1966 for United Press International. He later served as staff photographer for the Washington Post and Time magazine, and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. This is his second book with Prof. Stuart-Fox.