Deep Structures of Culture: Family

Hi everyone, and welcome back to the jungle!! Today will be the first of several discussions about the deep structures of culture. These are institutions found across all cultures, regardless of location or time. The deep structures are family, community, and worldview. While all are important, family is arguably the most foundational. Family provides our first experiences interacting with other humans and, for a time, is our whole community. As we get older, our worlds expand, placing community in the forefront of our minds. During this shift from exclusively interacting with family to being a part of the community, worldviews begin to develop. Worldviews and communities will be defined and discussed in depth in future posts. Today, let’s delve into the deep structure of family in the Lao people!

Family Structure

Laotians are usually able to choose their marriage partners, although parental approval is highly valued. To get this approval, they usually marry within their own ethnic group and make it a point to introduce potential partners to their parents. The Lao are matrilocal, meaning the newlyweds become part of the bride’s family. In more familiar terms, this would be like a couple taking the bride’s last name instead of the groom’s. Family groups tend to live together, with up to three generations living in the same household. Urbanization has changed this, with families in cities tending to only include immediate members (Cultural Atlas).  

Children

Large families are normal in Laos, especially in rural areas. Laos is highly agricultural, so having many children means more workers. Once the children are older, they are expected to honor their parents, often through visiting frequently or, for urban families, sending money home. Children, particularly the oldest daughter, are responsible for caring for their parents as they age (Cultural Atlas).

Socialization

Socialization largely occurs at home, since most Lao children don’t receive much education. Just over 80% of Lao children go to primary school. That number drops dramatically to about 15% who advance to secondary school. In rural areas, school attendance may be lower, especially if the children need to help the family with income. Boys are more likely to advance than girls in rural schools, since girls are expected to be caretakers at home. It isn’t uncommon for girls to be married and begin having children before they’re 18. As with family structure, urbanization has changed the way girls are viewed, so they are more likely to seek higher education than their rural peers.   

 

Gender roles

In legal terms, men and women have the same rights. Otherwise, they have clearly defined roles. In rural areas, women usually take care of the home, including childcare, going to the market, and managing finances. They may also run small shops or make things to sell. Men are responsible for the physical labor. In urban areas, these roles are less defined. There isn’t much of a pay gap, although women tend to be promoted slower than men. Men also hold more political power than women, although that has been changing (Cultural Atlas).

Views on the Elderly

Honor is of utmost importance in Lao culture. Treatment of elders is one of many ways this value is expressed. They are highly respected for their wisdom, as this proverb reflects. “Elders have eaten more spoonfulls of rice and therefore know more.” I touched on how older generations are cared for under the section about children. In a rural setting, frequent visits are expected. If the younger generation lives in the city, they often send money home to provide for their elders.

The Lao are a very collectivistic culture. Everything is done for the good of the group, which is usually the family, but can extend to include the community. This differs from the U.S. in several ways. We’re used to parents caring for their kids for the first few years of their life, and then sending them to school. Socialization, gender norms, and family structure are mostly communicated through public school and other community organizations, such as clubs and churches. In Lao culture, all of those things are largely handled by the family. Since their families are often larger and are more closely connected, I wouldn’t say Lao children are deprived of anything. It’s their way of life and what they’re used to. In both Laos and the U.S., culture is still transmitted between generations and family is still foundational. I hope you were able to learn something new about Laotian families!