Khamvone Boulyaphonh
Buddhism, Animalism and technology in
modern Laos
LuangPrabang, the beautiful ancient royal
capital of Laos, a city of legends and myths located in the north of Lao P.D.R.
and set between the rivers Mekong and Khan. Its population believe in Buddhism but mixed with other cults, which existed
before, such as the worship of Naga, Brahmanism, and different forms of
Animism.
One of photograph from the Buddhist Archive
of Photography (archive no. B4711R.EAP.Buddhist Archive) presents its image of six men that they took
at Phuphasat mountain where is opposite of Luang Prabang town on the occasion
of Buddhist celebration ceremony for new religious sites. When their photograph
was developed with addition of three unidentified persons, one sits behind them,
second sits in front of them and third just show his face on their left-sides. They
believed that three unknown persons maybe are the soul of guardians who protect
the mountain and appear their figures. Therefore, they could not keep this
photograph in their house as its owner, they offered it to a monk and asked him
to keep it in his monastery. This photograph was taken on November 28th,
1993.
This presents that the belief of people of
Luang Prabang on another cult, such as Animalism, even although their main
religion is Buddhism. But photographers those who think in different point of
view, they assumed that this image consists of two negatives in the same time
of develop processing.
Buddhism, Animalism and (technology in modern)^Technology in Modern Laos
ReplyDelete( LuangPrabang ) ^Luang Prabang, the beautiful ancient royal capital of Laos, ^is a city of legends and myths located in the north of Lao P.D.R. and set between the rivers Mekong and Khan. Its population ( believe ) ^believes in Buddhism ( but ) ^ , but a version of that religion mixed with other cults, which existed before, such as the worship of Naga, Brahmanism, and different forms of Animism.
One ( of ) photograph from the Buddhist Archive of Photography (archive no. B4711R.EAP.Buddhist Archive) presents ( its ) ^an image of six men ( that they took ) ^ . The photo was taken at Phuphasat ( mountain where ) ^ Mountain, which is opposite of Luang Prabang ( town ) ^ , on the occasion of ^ a Buddhist celebration ceremony for new religious sites. When ( their ) ^the photograph was developed ( with addition of ) ^ , three unidentified persons ( , one sits behind them, second sits in front of them and third just show his face on their left-sides. ) ^ could also be seen in the print. These three men are semi-transparent. The first can be seen sitting behind the six men who are the original subjects of the photo, the second is sitting beside them, and the the face of the third can be seen to the six men's left. ( They ) ^ The original owners of the photo believed that three unknown persons( maybe are the soul ) ^were perhaps the souls of guardians who protect the mountain ( and appear their figures ). Therefore, they could not keep this photograph in their house ( as its owner, they ) ^ .They offered it to a monk and asked him to keep it in his monastery. This photograph was taken on November 28th, 1993.
This ( presents that the ) ^ story evinces the persistent belief of ^ the people of Luang Prabang ( on ) ^in another cult, such as ( Animalism, even although ) ^ animism, in spite of the fact that their main religion is Buddhism. But photographers ( those who think in different point of view, they assumed that ) ^ and others who take a more restrained view presume that this ^ is an instance of double exposure: the image consists of two negatives ( in the same time of develop processing ) ^ developed simultaneously in one print.