This is the spirit house for our new house. Laotians believe that the spirits that live all around us need a house to live in. If you provide a house for them near your home or business they will protect you. Therefore, buying a spirit house was one of my first priorities after we moved into the new house, particularly after Vone, our housekeeper, said she didn't want to work at the new house unless there was a spirit house. I quickly learned that spirits need much more than a house though. Buying the house is just the first step, then you have to buy the accessories. Among other things the spirits need flowers, candles, incense, drinks, fruit, cigarettes, silver, and gold. I was advised to buy statues representing our ancestors with a horse and elephant for the ancestors to ride in case they need to go anywhere. When I asked the guard why the ancestors need a horse and elephant, he replied, "The ancestors are very old so they don't know how to drive a car or motorcycle but they know how to ride a horse or elephant because they did that in the old days." The next step is determining the location of the spirit house and finding a place that would make the spirits content and willing to live there. Normally you should hire a monk from the local temple to come to your house and determine the location of the spirit house. However, Vone, ever practical, pointed out that arranging for a monk to come to your house is kind of a hassle because you have to pay him, feed him, and provide transportation for him. Instead she suggested that her mother could do it, which was much simpler. Not to worry though, if the spirits feel slighted we are planning on having a housewarming ceremony (baci) when our neighbor and colleague arrives.
Our ancestors
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