Laos and ethnic minority cultures

It is thought that Laos is home to 47 ethnic groups. The Lao, or Gelo, form half the country's population and predominant culture. Laos is also home to many mountain minorities who live with their own languages, beliefs and aesthetic traditions. A large number of these local cultures, some of them of great antiquity, have managed to survive in spite of the ups and downs of regional history. This cultural diversity is currently under threat - in particular the intangible heritage of the oral, gestural, musical and ritual kind that relies entirely on memory.