In the Laotian myth “The Great Gourd from Heaven,” the storyteller explains the beginning of the world. The story opens with the world covered in dense jungle and a single massive vine stretched from the earth to the heavens. A great gourd was suspended from this vine and it blocked out the sun, so that all was dark and murky in the forests of the world. The gods decided to populate this world, so they sent down Khoun Bulom and his two wives, Yommala and Akkai. The earth was uninhabited at the time, with the exception of a few spirits and gods, and it was dismal and unpleasant because the sun could not shine through the gourd. Because the earth was in deep shadow, Khoun Bulom cried out to the gods to remove the great gourd in the sky. The gods responded by hacking down the vine and casting the gourd to earth. The vine was easily removed, and with the gourd cast down, the earth basked in the radiance of the sun, beautiful and resplendent. The gourd itself was tough and hard to break, however, so the gods had to try a couple of strategies to put holes in it.
First, the gods attempted to pierce the sides of the gourd with red-hot pokers, which made small, charred, and blackened openings. Through these openings crawled the first people, and because they had to squeeze through tiny holes, their skins took on the color of the scorched gourd through which they passed. When the gods realized this, they took an ax to the gourd and hacked away larger openings so that the people who came through later weren’t forced to rub their flesh against the walls of the gourd. These people had lighter skin as a result. The first group that had squeezed through the burned poker holes became known as the big brothers and sisters, and the second group that had come through the ax holes came to be called the little brothers and sisters. They had different appearances because of their methods of exiting the gourd, but they all came from the same place and they were all kin. These two groups of people were the forebears of everyone who walks on the earth today. Thus, we are all related, no matter how different we may look from one another. After the last of the people had departed the gourd, the gods cut one more hole. It was from this opening that all the animals of the world came, as well as all the precious stones and metals with which the people came to adorn themselves.
In this Laotian creation story, brought to the United States with Laotian immigrants, we learn that all human beings came from the same source and are brothers and sisters, regardless of complexion or physical features. Laotian culture is heavily imbued with aspects of Buddhism and to a certain extent by those of animism (especially as a result of Hmong influence). The designation “Laotian” generally refers to people whose families come from the country of Laos and/or who traditionally speak the Laotian language. While a majority of Laotian Americans come from a Buddhist background, there are substantial numbers of Christians among this population. There are also a number of ethnic groups with roots within the borders of Laos, including Hmong, Lolo, Man, Thai-Lao, Yao, Akha, and a number of regional variations among those who claim to be Lao.
In this context, the universal brotherhood asserted by “The Great Gourd of Heaven” takes on added significance, especially in the melting pot of contemporary America. It is thus of special significance that this story is known by all Laotians, and that it is especially well known in the Laotian community in the United States.
C. Fee
See also Myths; Storytelling; Tibetan American Folklore and Folktales
Further Reading
Boyle, Roisin O., Thavisack Phanmathanh, and Sompavanh Vilayseng. 1992. The Great Gourd of Heaven: A Selection of the Folk-Tales and Stories of Laos. Vientiane: Vannasin Magazine.
Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. 1994. Encircled Kingdom: Legends and Folktales of Laos. Thousand Oaks, CA: Burn, Hart.
Lee, Jonathan H. X., et al., eds. 2015. Asian American Religious Cultures. 2 Volumes. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Tossa, Wajuppa. 2015. “Lao Folk Literature.” Lao Literature website. http://laoliterature.tumblr.com/post/37972094616/lao-folk-literature#. Accessed November 3, 2015.