Lao Voices

Chinese New Year is one of the holidays that I celebrate, and yes, I am Chinese. My grandfather was Chinese, immigrated to Laos in the early 1900s, and settled in Muang Khao area; as many Chinese people immigrated to Laos and settled in Pakse because it is one of the big cities in Laos. I left there at a very young age that I will not be able to recognize any place if I were to go back to visit, but one place that I would like to visit is San Jao Sop Se, a place for worship for the Sino-Lao.

As for the Chinese, Chinese New Year is a time for feasting, family reunions, and fun. Every year, Asians throughout the world spend weeks preparing for the 15-day celebration that is officially called the Spring Festival. The official day to recognize the year of the Rat is on Chinese New Year’s day and this year falls on February 7, 2008, the year of the Rat according to the Chinese lunar calendar. There is a lot of confusion as to when this (will) starts for the Laotians as some seems to think that it started on January 1^st, and others think that it will start in April, when the Songkran Festival marks the Lao New Year.

The Rat is the first sign of the zodiac, as Rat people are creative problem solver, imaginative, hyperactive worker respected for its resourcefulness; intuitive with ability in acquiring and holding on to things it values. Sounds like someone we all know, I think we have at least one Rat in the house, can you guess whom?

People born in late January or early February may be confused about their birth year Chinese astrology animal signs. This is because it is a common misconception that the astrology animal signs begin on the Chinese New Year day. Actually, Astrology animal signs are base on the Start of Spring, the first day of astrology year. For example, if a baby was born on Feb-05 2008 before the Chinese New Year Day, then its animal sign is the Rat because the birthday is after the Start of Spring. If you are still confused about your animal sign, there is an Animal Sign page for people to verify their Chinese birth year animal signs. Read more here.

To prepare for Chinese New Year, I still have lots to do, making sure that the house is cleaned and dusted is important to ensure that old stagnant chi is cleared away making way for new chi; the whole house must be cleaned before New Year’s Day. This year, the celebration will be at my dad’s house, and we’ll have a feast on NYE, and to those that celebrate Chinese New Year, Gung Hay Fat Choy to you and your family.

SEE WHAT YOUR BIRTH ANIMAL BRINGS IN 2008