Weaving a Naga design, Laos. (Photo: laotiantimes.com) Vientiane (VNA) – TheUnited Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recently inscribed Lao traditional Naga motif weaving as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Women across Laos weaveNaga designs onto their traditional skirts for protection and strength. Thesnake-like mythical beings Naga in Lao folklore are generally benevolent and believed to protect humans from illness, hunger, and spirits, but whenangered, they unleash floods, storms, and disasters.
Lao textiles intricately weave the stories of the people throughsymbols and motifs, serving as visual narratives. These designs, ranging frommythical creatures to elements inspired by nature, not only tell richcultural tales but also reveal information about a person’s marital status,ethnic identity, and origin.
The UNESCO recognition of the Naga motif weaving marks thefifth acknowledgment of Lao cultural heritage after three sites became UNESCOWorld Heritage sites—Luang Prabang Town, Plains of Jars in Xieng Khouang, andVat Phou in Champasak—and one was inscribed on the Intangible Heritage list—Lao panpipe music./.
