| New Year Festivals: Lisu Sport Day |
Thailand
2003 |
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Our visit to Soppong happened to coincide with a number of New Year Festivals in the area. Because most of the Hilltribes migrated through China at some point, some of the tribes share the same customs and calendar as the Chinese New Year. Different tribes celebrated in different ways, and while I was there the Lisu and Red Lahu villages held ceremonies full of dancing, music, and moonshine. |
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To kick off the week of the Lisu New Year Festival, a village up the road from Soppong hosted a Lisu Sport Day. Six villages came together to play soccer, volleyball, and a unique thai game involving a bamboo ball and a badminton net. |  |
| A Lisu boy plays Kickball, Thai style. | Lisa and I went to Nong Ba Cham to see what it was all about. I was taking video and talking with some of the headmen of villages in the area. | Davis, Lisa, and Sunny present tins of biscots to the headman. They were awarded as prizes to some of the teams. |
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At one point I turned around to see Lisa playing soccer with the Burmese Lisu team. I guess Sunny knew the coach and Lisa wanted to play. Lisa took the first half and I took the second, soccer in hiking boots is difficult. A week later I went to the Burmese Lisu village for their New Year celebration and they recognized me as the soccer playing foreigner. Lots of thumbs ups and pats on the back. |
| Davis and Lisa with some of the head honchos in the area. | The Burmese Lisu team are the guys standing in the rear, good soccer players. | |
| Lisa befriended a headman and head school teacher. In the photo above, the cola bottles in front of us contain Lisu whiskey, a clear, unforgiving liquid made in 55 gallon drums by local families. In the picture we were sweaty from the soccer game, not the whiskey. |
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| Due to work promises, plane tickets, and other various commitments, Lisa flew back to the states before the real festivities began. We had a relaxing few days together at the wonderful Soppong River Inn before she left.
Burt and Joy are friendly folks who have great bungalows, I highly suggest paying them a visit. |
Lisa relaxes on the Soppong River Inn's deck above the river. |
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For more photos, stories, and pig heads, come to New Years Festivals, Page 2.
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| A Second A Day Productions |
© Randall Davis Wakerlin 2004
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