Katu People of Southern Laos

The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre's new exhibit is entitled, "Carving a Community: The Katu People". The exhibit is the first in Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos, to highlight the distinct cultural traits and crafts of this ethnic minority group residing in southern Laos and the central highlands of Vietnam.

Intricate weavings and basketry and bold woodcarving created by the Katu people are highlights of the exhibit. Of special interest is the carved decoration of the Katu communal meetinghouse. Traditionally, the meetinghouse was the focal point of the village, where members of the community gather to carry out important rites, including buffalo sacrifice. Videos of this annual ritual and daily activities allow visitors to witness the folkways of the Katu.

The Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre collaborated with the Institute of Sociological Research of the Lao PDR, the University of Gothenburg-Sweden, and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to conduct research and present this exhibit on the culture and lifestyle of this little known group.

The exhibition will run until September 2014.

About the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre The Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre is a museum dedicated to the preservation of cultural diversity in Laos. It is located in, Luang Prabang, Laos.