Women are primary buyers and sellers of smaller goods in nearby markets. Men will usually take care of the buying and selling of cattle, pigs and machines. The main religion of Laos is Buddhism. Religion plays a big role in their culture. Usually most villages have three or four monks.
Every village has a Buddhist temple, typically called a wat.
Because a village's wat is typically the only structure large enough to hold the entire village, town meetings are held in them as well. Wats are typically the center of action in villages. Religious festivals, bouns, are held in them as well. Lao Loum also believe in spirits called phi. They celebrate yearly for the phi ban, a village deity.