Laos Part Deux
As we strolled through the village, I was introduced to many of Hai O's friends and family. I tried not to be to intrusive with my picture taking. As we wandered around, one thing I noticed was that all the women were very busy sewing. I asked Hai O about it and he told me that they were making clothing for the New Year. The Lao New Year is December 12 and the women were definitely working hard to finish. We also saw a Chinese man who had driven up from Luang Prabang to sell clothing to the Hmong. The men were involved with a different type of preparation. They were cutting wood and making rat traps.
One of the most important things going on in Laos is the attempt to wean people away from the growing of opium poppies. Since the Vietnam War, there has been a concerted attempt on the part of the Pathet Lao government as well as various world agencies to help villagers learn to grow other crops. This area grows onions, pineapples, watercress and various other vegetables now. I have a suspicion that there still a few holdouts with well hidden crops somewhere deep in the mountains in Laos. The old guy smoking may or may not have been smoking opium, but he looked pretty happy. I was inside a few homes and each one had a certificate from the government that stated that the family had agreed not to grow opium anymore. I believe that the vast majority of the families in the villages I visited were indeed NOT growing opium. I hope so anyway.
One of the most important things going on in Laos is the attempt to wean people away from the growing of opium poppies. Since the Vietnam War, there has been a concerted attempt on the part of the Pathet Lao government as well as various world agencies to help villagers learn to grow other crops. This area grows onions, pineapples, watercress and various other vegetables now. I have a suspicion that there still a few holdouts with well hidden crops somewhere deep in the mountains in Laos. The old guy smoking may or may not have been smoking opium, but he looked pretty happy. I was inside a few homes and each one had a certificate from the government that stated that the family had agreed not to grow opium anymore. I believe that the vast majority of the families in the villages I visited were indeed NOT growing opium. I hope so anyway.