Street Theatre or Spiritual Tradition?
Luang Prabang Tourists taking shots of Buddhist Monks in Luang Prabang Laotian culture is extremely connected to Buddhism. While the region is very ethnically diverse, Buddhism remains a point of national identity. As such, the tradition of collecting alms is an important and deeply spiritual process. Local residents wait outside their homes with food such as sticky rice, a staple of Laos cuisine, to place in the monks’ bowls. For a student traveller on a budget, if you are willing to wake up early in the morning, the ceremony is free to observe and gives great insight into Laos culture. However, the origin of the ceremony is religious and thus not originally intended for the tourist or traveller. Despite this, in Luang Prabang tourists have turned the procession of monks into a spectacle to observe. Talking to the New York Times, artist Nithakhong Somsanith described it as 'safari' or 'theatre' stating that tourists 'look at the monks the same a...