Plumeria Pens Are Mightier than Swords: Intersecting Colonialism, Literature, History, and the Last Known Book of French-Language Traditionalist Poetry Ever Published in Laos

During the era of imperialism, official direct-rule policies throughout the French Empire deemed existing peoples, cultures, and religions as inferior when compared to France. However, colonial officials in French-Laos governed differently. France’s administrators there actively promoted Lao values by encouraging local writers to (re)imagine themselves and their ancient culture through the production of literature. This distinctive style of colonialism by way of literary works was implemented as a defence strategy to protect and unify Laos against any threats to France’s colonial hegemony in Southeast Asia. Paradoxically, that same French-sponsored policy with respect to promoting Lao sociocultural mores through the publication of literature also contributed to the rise of nationalism and independence. During the post-colonial era, Lao authors nonetheless continued to write literary works in that same colonialist manner. Poems, books, and stories highlighting the virtues of conservative Lao culture were now published to protect a politically divided country whose stability and survival were being undermined by a growing communist insurgency. That method of traditionalist writing was especially emphasised by Lao-Francophone poet Somchine Nginn in his book Dok Champa, which is the last known collection of original French poetry ever published in Laos. This paper historically examines pre-and post-colonial Laos by deliberating on how literature and Nginn’s Dok Champa were used to (re)form, preserve, and protect Lao values against political and cultural menaces during the tumultuous eras prior to the country’s transition to Marxism.