The arts

The basis of Laotian culture is religion and tradition. Art, literature, music, and drama draw mainly from these sources. Towns along the Mekong are exposed to Western culture through Thai mass media.

Theravada Buddhism entered the country in the 14th century. This religion and Hinduism have been major influences on cultural and intellectual life in Laos. The story of the Buddha and Hindu myths are the subjects of the carvings and sculptures found in all religious places. In the south, Khmer influences on the peoples of Laos are strong; in the north, Myanmar and Thai influences are readily apparent. As elsewhere in Southeast Asia, religious symbols, stories, and themes have been modified and localized. The snake, for example, representations of which adorn religious and royal buildings, symbolizes the benevolent spirit of the water and the protector of the king.

The Laotians have a variety of folk arts, including weaving, basketmaking, wood and ivory carving, and silverwork and goldwork. There are a number of Laotian musical instruments, of which the khene, a bamboo wind instrument, is most widely known. Music is not written down but is played from memory.

Dancing is a profession rather than a form of recreation; the professional dance troupes travel throughout the country performing for religious celebrations or on important holidays. Their main themes are drawn from the Indian epics. All professional dancers are male, the female roles being performed by young men and boys.

Laotian literature is predominantly religious and linked to the Buddhist tradition. There is also a secular literary stream based on themes of the Hindu epic poems, which have been transmuted into popular language; an example of this is the Laotian epic the Sin Xay, written between the mid-16th and the late 17th century. The popular poems and songs are often satiric.

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