tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post6868824506719070935..comments2024-03-26T03:24:09.287-07:00Comments on On The Other Side Of The Eye: Ghosts of Laos, or PhiBryan Thao Worrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14250802784254875765noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-81271844133764888702019-04-11T04:17:07.494-07:002019-04-11T04:17:07.494-07:00Could you do a list of them?Could you do a list of them?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03590757510354295798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-74730125198118908752018-07-26T15:01:50.065-07:002018-07-26T15:01:50.065-07:00I was just taking to a propagandist that said leaf...I was just taking to a propagandist that said leaflets were produced during the war that mentioned these spirits. He said they were called Pi. I assume after 50 years he forgot the spelling, or is it possible that there were also Pi spirits?<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10887928367745117486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-31850438310610897382016-12-14T06:58:42.852-08:002016-12-14T06:58:42.852-08:00Thanks so much for the follow up explanation. This...Thanks so much for the follow up explanation. This is just a quick follow up and I hope to write something more cogent. <br /><br />I agree in that insofar as probability of this variety being true to the description being currently given, is more than likely very small. We find many times, seeds, like people, travel. As such, it is difficult to pin down many archival materials because the nature of oral history. I have found many seed stories, are culturally relevant and critical - however they can also fabricated, exaggerated, or just repeated with small tweaks that end up years later as a completely mutated story. (much like the game kids play "telephone")<br /><br />At any rate, is it possible to re-publish your reply (with credit) as a part of our project tracing history of varieties. I have a few more comments but am rushing to get some crops out of the field with the coming freeze in our area.surf4grrlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05371157430140020869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-46080763719154028332016-12-10T10:48:16.594-08:002016-12-10T10:48:16.594-08:00Yes- 2008 is around when I had a friend talking ab...Yes- 2008 is around when I had a friend talking about them, as I recall. <br /><br />I'm taking a 'never say never' approach because it does seem to be the type of story Lao could and would tell in the old country, but existing research efforts have been fruitless, at least in English and French sources available. <br /><br />With 160 different ethnic groups in the region, our shared agriculture beliefs can be quite conflicting (similar to the variety of beliefs regarding the weretiger) I've had to do some inquiries among both Hmong and Lao farmers, but without running into anyone who claims familiarity with it. I've considered looking for viewpoints among Lue, Khmu, Tai Dam and Iu Mien who might be in a particular position to cultivate such a tomato. The Ta Oi are also another group from Southern Laos known to have distinctive beliefs in the spirits that seem likely candidates if any. <br /><br />Looking through my 2003 photos of Lao cuisine when I was traveling through Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Phonsavan, I don't see any whitish tomatoes among the crops offered for sale. The trip wasn't an exhaustive,survey by any means, but you'd think at least one table stand would have one for sale.<br /><br />Traveling among Hmong and Lao households across the US since ca. 1996, I never saw anyone setting something like them out on the table. The nature of refugees being what it is: If this was a popular vegetable, especially as a tomato, I would think someone would have smuggled it out and been planting it for a while until it showed up in the Asian grocery stores run by Hmong and Lao. Someone would be treating it like a big deal "Hey, come over, I've got some of these tomatoes from the old country..." for example.<br /><br />I've had Lao friends who've gone back many times and while it hasn't been their #1 priority of things to look for, certainly, no one seems mention having heard of them. And Lao enjoy anything to sparks a conversation on ghosts. <br /><br />I'd have to conclude it's definitely not common in the city markets. So the detective work would suggest this must have been found going up into the deep, remote hill and mountain tribes, who French engaged with enough to run into the tomato often enough to refer to it as a "Fantome du Laos." That all seems highly unusual.<br /><br />I'd certainly love for it to be a true story about the tomato that can detect the presence of phi,but presently, I'd have to conclude if this is the case, it's a hell of an underground story that's known by so few of us that it hardly seems something to call a part of our tradition, if that makes sense.Bryan Thao Worrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14250802784254875765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-78992007163362498812016-12-10T08:11:35.317-08:002016-12-10T08:11:35.317-08:00Yes, I know the know the botanical name - I am a h...Yes, I know the know the botanical name - I am a historian and also a farmer. <br /><br />I have looked up all kinds of archival material; I can't find any reference (unless its an oral history that hasn't been captured) of a tomato or a vegetable used to ward off spirits. I have catalog of 2,500 different tomato varieties alone and try to be very accurate about the history. However, this tomato was introduced in 2008 with a, what appears to be, a manufactured myth unless I hear otherwise. It's only seed savers/companies that have the story and are repeating it. I am just trying to find out from someone who may know first hand culturally. I have contacted a few academics but we will see what happens with verification. Thanks - please let me know if you find anything out. Much and sincerely appreciated.surf4grrlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05371157430140020869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-10643419409164553462016-12-10T00:22:03.195-08:002016-12-10T00:22:03.195-08:00The botanical name for that tomato tends to be lyc...The botanical name for that tomato tends to be lycopersicon lycopersicum 'fantome du laos' and the 'fantome du Laos' is a French term for the tomato. You can actually get some seeds from Baker Creek Seeds, and a few other vendors now in the US to try it for yourself, but the research is still ongoing as to the exact myths associated with these seeds. I'll try to follow up on that with you once I have more details.Bryan Thao Worrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14250802784254875765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-388012749717114262016-12-09T09:49:48.619-08:002016-12-09T09:49:48.619-08:00I'm trying to find the history of a tomato cal...I'm trying to find the history of a tomato called "fantome du laos" that is a white tomato said to have originated in Laos. The popular story goes that the tomato will glow when a ghost is near. I am not sure if there is a south asian tomato that fits this bill. Please let me know if this is familiar. Thanks.surf4grrlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05371157430140020869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-34650172677159094292016-04-16T09:57:45.692-07:002016-04-16T09:57:45.692-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07740698087893878751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-40182543415852557702016-04-16T09:45:46.501-07:002016-04-16T09:45:46.501-07:00ScaryScaryAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07740698087893878751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29524574.post-87639834166846729612015-06-09T09:50:45.895-07:002015-06-09T09:50:45.895-07:00Great blog post! I always enjoy learning about gho...Great blog post! I always enjoy learning about ghosts and entities of other cultures.Joel Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00017367804169880795noreply@blogger.com