Sabaydii,

 

Here is the continuation of a series ‘Coming home’ entitled ‘Bailan[1] – our face to the past’

 

Hakphaang,

 

While waiting for Euay Dara

At her Bailan preservation office

I talked to a not-so-old man

Obviously in love with what he was doing

 

With a Bailan

Caringly laid down in front

He translated what the writing

TuaTham or the old language said

 

 

As I listened to his translation

I was struck

How civilized our ancestors once were

How wise their words rang in my ears

What had happened to us lately

How could we descend so low

I just couldn’t imagine

 

 

Remember

At Wat Phakeo

Just witnessing the TuaTham stele

I felt awed

At whom we once were

Only this great of people like ours

Could achieve that high

 

Must be

We have been sleeping

A century or so

We are but a standstill

In a whirlpool of lightning change

 

It is said

Wherever TuaTham[2] is used

Lao civilization and legitimacy are there

No one else but

We Quon Lao used TuaTham

 

To as far as Khorat[3]

And the whole of Isan itself

The Lao were once undisputedly the king

Only that we take to our heart

We would never be lost again

 

As a voice from the past

Bailan spoke to me

Through me

Loud and clear

What a fool I am

What a fool we become

How dare we forget ourselves

 

Is there any tongue

Sweeter than our own language?

Is there any land

Greater than the land of our ancestors?

 

With my hand on Bailan

I felt the hand that made it

I felt what it was to be

A proud Lao towering the sky

 

And through his touch

Our great ancestors’ touch

I saw my face reflected in the texture

Strong proud

And I liked it

 

9.26.03