Major Buddhist Festivals
February
Boun Maka Bousa - This festival is held on the full moon to commemorate the speech given by the Lord Buddha to 1,250 enlightened monks that gathered spontaneously, without prior notice. In the evening, the faithful visit local temples and circumambulate the Vat three times with candles in a ceremony known as Vien Tian.
May
Boun Visakha Bousa - This festival celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Lord Buddha. It is held on the 15th day of the sixth lunar month. Beautiful candlelit processions take place in the evening.
July
Boun Kao Pansa - This festival, held on the full moon, marks the beginning of Buddhist lent, a three month period where monks are required to stay within their Vat (Temple) to meditate and focus on darma studies. Lao men are traditionally ordained as monks during this time.
August
Boun Khao Pa Dap Din - Special offerings are made to the deceased on the new moon of the 9th lunar month.
September
Boun Khao Salak - Offerings including daily necessities such as books, pens, sugar and coffee are made to specific monks based on a lottery system. Laypeople also give beautiful wax flower candles to the monks to gain merit.
October
Boun Ork Pansa - Held on the full moon which marks the end of the rainy season, monks who were ordained for the three months lent period leave the Vat and rejoin their families. During the evening of Van Ork Pansa, in a charming ceremony small banana-leaf boats called Heua Fai are launched on rivers with offerings of incence candles and small amount of money to bring luck and prosperity.
November
Boun That Xieng Teung - Muang Sing's most famous festival attracts large crowds of people from around the province as well as Tai Lue Buddhists from for away Myanmar, China and Thailand.
Local Festivals
January
Akha and Lahu New Year
Hmong New Year
Seda New Year
Lanten and Yao New Year
Panna and Tai Neua New year
"Spirit of the New Rice Festival" by Khmu and
Mon-khmer speaking ethnic groups.
February
That Phoum Pouk Festival in Namtha District
Chinese New Year
Tai Dam Festival
April
"Kao Ban Festival" by the Akha ethnic group
"Pii Mai Lao" Lao New Year
"Poi Festival" (means Rocket Festival) in
Muang Sing by Tai lue ethnic group
May
"Boun Bang Fai" or Rocket Festival in Luang Namtha
June
"Feeding the spirit of the City Pillar"
Lao Yuan ethnic group.
"Vor Salee Festival" by Lahu ethnic group
September
"Swidden RiceField Festival" by the
Lahu ethnic group before the harvest.
October
Boun Souang Heua (boat races in Namtha District)
December
That Luang Namtha Festival in Namtha Province |
