Tren Mat Dat
Encyclopedia
The Tren Mat Dat festival is an important Lao
festival. It commemorates the Laos
' independence movement. It is held around the months of January or February or Bokeo, depending on the lunar cycles. In English, it literally translates to "On the ground". Celebrations include interpretive dances
, reenactments, parade
s, procession
s, deep meditation
, theatrical performances
, and throwing things on the ground to honor those who died in the movement.
independence movement, many fighters threw objects on the ground as an act of defiance toward their French
rulers, showing they were not part of the French system. These heroes are honored as many objects, such as pottery
, glasses
, and food
, are thrown to the ground to symbolize the unity of the Lao people
. Although children enjoy watching these events, only adults are allowed to thrown the objects on the ground. As this is during the hottest and driest season of the year, flammable objects are not thrown on the ground. Tourists travel long distances to witness this popular event.
believed that the Digital Short was a good way to raise awareness about the Laotian
festival.
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
festival. It commemorates the Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
' independence movement. It is held around the months of January or February or Bokeo, depending on the lunar cycles. In English, it literally translates to "On the ground". Celebrations include interpretive dances
Dance and theater of Laos
The Dance and theatre of Laos is the primary dramatic art form of Laos' majority ethnic group, the Lao people. It is shared with the ethnic Lao that inhabit the Isan region of Thailand as well. There are mainly two types of dances , the classical dances performed in the royal courts and the folk...
, reenactments, parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
s, procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
s, deep meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
, theatrical performances
Dance and theater of Laos
The Dance and theatre of Laos is the primary dramatic art form of Laos' majority ethnic group, the Lao people. It is shared with the ethnic Lao that inhabit the Isan region of Thailand as well. There are mainly two types of dances , the classical dances performed in the royal courts and the folk...
, and throwing things on the ground to honor those who died in the movement.
Dao Co Don
One part of the Tren Mat Dat festival is called Dao Co Don, or throwing things to the ground. During the LaosLaos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
independence movement, many fighters threw objects on the ground as an act of defiance toward their French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rulers, showing they were not part of the French system. These heroes are honored as many objects, such as pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, glasses
Glasses
Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...
, and food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
, are thrown to the ground to symbolize the unity of the Lao people
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
. Although children enjoy watching these events, only adults are allowed to thrown the objects on the ground. As this is during the hottest and driest season of the year, flammable objects are not thrown on the ground. Tourists travel long distances to witness this popular event.
In popular culture
The SNL Digital Short "On the Ground" is loosely based on the Tren Mat Dat Festival. Andy SambergAndy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
believed that the Digital Short was a good way to raise awareness about the Laotian
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
festival.