A sweet chilly 3 nighter in Soppong (or PangMapha) at the Soppong River Inn to check out Lahu (& Lisu New Year.)
The masterplan was to rock up a day early & pick up on the early morning Lahu spirit ceremonies that I had never seen.
Be here at first light - sunrise I was told by the villagers!
Sunrise - first light was about 6-6.15AM I reckoned & would be damn cold with temps around 8-10 celsius. So, yeah yeah I thought, I know how you guys operate, probably more like 7am something might happen. I could lay in bed a bit longer maybe.
I was in bed early, full clothed to be ready to go at first light. You have to get up otherwise you're defeating the purpose of the early arrival so I convinced myself.
AND it was cold! 8 Celsius.
The first light at the Pang Mapha viewpoint
I cruised on down into Lahu Luk Khao Larm, half expecting the place to be still asleep, but nope the village was a hive of activity.
Dam Hua was the ceremony & each household has to pay respect to other household elders.
Villagers were rushing around everywhere, from house to house.
And indeed it was a bit of a non stop frenzy going on....People were coming out of every nook & cranny I thought.....
For some it was easier to do the rounds by motorbike
More to come
The masterplan was to rock up a day early & pick up on the early morning Lahu spirit ceremonies that I had never seen.
Be here at first light - sunrise I was told by the villagers!
Sunrise - first light was about 6-6.15AM I reckoned & would be damn cold with temps around 8-10 celsius. So, yeah yeah I thought, I know how you guys operate, probably more like 7am something might happen. I could lay in bed a bit longer maybe.
I was in bed early, full clothed to be ready to go at first light. You have to get up otherwise you're defeating the purpose of the early arrival so I convinced myself.
AND it was cold! 8 Celsius.
The first light at the Pang Mapha viewpoint
I cruised on down into Lahu Luk Khao Larm, half expecting the place to be still asleep, but nope the village was a hive of activity.
Dam Hua was the ceremony & each household has to pay respect to other household elders.
Villagers were rushing around everywhere, from house to house.
And indeed it was a bit of a non stop frenzy going on....People were coming out of every nook & cranny I thought.....
For some it was easier to do the rounds by motorbike
More to come
Last edited: