This past Sunday the SAIL group went to view a small dramatic performance of the Lao classical epic Sang Sinxay. The kids who acted out this one scene were not the best performers of the school as the stars were in Japan for a show there. They didn’t all know their lines enough, so they had to read them. But, this was not to say it wasn’t something special.

Before I went I wasn’t aware that the lady in charge of this drama school was none other than Dara Viravong Kanlaya, the daughter of the late Maha Sila Viravong – one of the great scholars of Laos. It was amazing for me to meet her and to be able to share in her work, even only as an audience member.

But the epic Sang Sinxay is not alone. In fact, according to the imminent James Chamberlin Laos has one of the richest literary heritages, per capita, in the world. It is maddening to see the condition today then, of people who see their language as worth less than English or Thai. Apparently in Lao language studies at the National University there were so few students that in order to encourage enrollment the German government had to offer scholarships.

This is not just English language imperialism, because Lao surveyed read Thai and Vietnamese more than their own language. It goes far deeper than that. Its a sad fact that if no one reads Sang Sinxay, or Nang Phom Hom, or Thao Huang, Thao Cheuang then these masterpieces will be lost. It may be something that goes right along with the death of minority languages in the world, but its difficult to see it happening right before your eyes.

Not to leave off on this gloomy note, I am excited to be visiting the village this weekend and to finally get out of Vientiane. It seems like a very unusual place compared to the rest of Laos. But, I guess I’ll find out!