Tradition merged with the modern world in more ways than one during a celebration of the Lao New Year last weekend at the Elgin YWCA.
During the two-hour celebration, which included a baci or su-kwan ceremony (su means ”to invite” and kwan ”the soul”), wayward ”mobile souls” were called to return, best wishes for health and happiness granted and traditional appeals for forgiveness were made amid the modern whir of videorecorders and the flashing of cameras. Pepsi and Orange Crush replaced the traditional rice wine, and youngsters dressed in ceremonial garb mingled with those in blue jeans.
But according to Thavisouk Vongsaga, Elgin YWCA youth refugee project coordinator, that`s what the event was all about: maintaining tradition and culture in a modern world.
”We encourage the younger people to learn about the Lao culture,” he said. ”And it`s a good chance for the young and elders to share this moment.”
In keeping with Lao custom, the senior member of the community, 74-year-old Pone Mounivong, led in prayer about 150 seated around a tower of flowers. That prayer, roughly translated by Seng Kham Pratham, an adjustment counselor with the program, was a request ”to have good things to come to our ceremony and the bad things go away.”
White yarn tied with a knot around the wrist symbolized the return of absent souls, and traditional Lao music, song and dance exemplified the ongoing theme: Happy New Year!
The Elgin YWCA Refugee Youth Program provides services ranging from cultural events and recreation to job placement and adjustment counseling to over 100 refugee youth in the Elgin area, which is home to the greatest number of Laotians in Illinois.
