Laos: Iu-Mein Culture and Ceremonies :: Asia Asian

Laos Iu-Mein Culture and Ceremonies What is Iu-Mein? Not many people fill heard of the ethnicity Iu-Mein. It is a dialect from Laos. One of the traditions that Iu-Meins have atomic number 18 ceremonies. Ceremonies ar through with(p) with the sacrificing of a hair or chicken. Certain people whitethorn call it weird, and animal rights folks would call it animal cruelty, however in our glossiness, it is for healing and to pay our respects to our ancestors. The ceremonies are very sacred and are done by a shaman. A shaman in our culture is someone who can speak to spirits like a beguile doctor. A pig or chicken is sacrificed depending on whether the ceremony performed is large(p) or small. The shaman sets up the table with incense, paper made with curing imprints (money for the spirits), and a tea set filled with blessed water. After the pig or chicken is cleaned, it is set on the table and the shaman starts intonate or calling down the spirit. With a chi cken, the ceremony usually takes just about thirty minutes to an second with a pig, it can take an hour to an hour and a half. Ceremonies in the Iu-Mein culture are part of our lives. They are done as often as they are needed, but at least once a year. thither are different kinds of ceremonies done for healing when someone is sick, for good luck for the year, weddings, and for death. Iu-Meins believe in both good and bad spirits. Whenever someone is sick, we believe it is due to a supperless spirit. Our ceremony with the pig or chicken is meant to please the spirit by feeding them, paying them by burning paper money, and by talent them water. There are all kinds of spirits that can touch a person to make them sick, like parents, grandparents, or any relatives who have passed away. There is not much about Iu-Mein culture in our history books, but books have been written about the Iu-Mein people.