Water trough festival

Just a few dozen minutes after people arrived at the waterfall at the foot of Ong Doan mountain (village 1, Tra Vinh commune, Nam Tra My) to perform the water trough worship ceremony, the first stream of water mixed with pig's blood flowed into the village.

In the continuing joy, Xe Dang women in traditional costumes, holding bamboo tubes, took turns catching each stream of cool, clear water, then took the opportunity to bring it home and store it carefully.

That water is used to cook the first meal of the new year. Because the Xe Dang people believe that it is the purest source bestowed by the gods, bringing luck in life.

Therefore, after bringing the water pipes home, each household continues to hold a ceremony at home, meaning to thank the gods, pray for a peaceful new year, a bountiful harvest, and a prosperous life...

Ms. Ho Thi Huong, a resident of Ong Doan hamlet, said that according to the Xe Dang people's concept, the water trough worship ceremony (also known as the water trough festival) has the meaning of praying for luck and blessings for the villagers.

Therefore, almost every year the local community organizes a village festival to worship the water trough, seeing it as an occasion to welcome the new year and pray for all good things. This is a traditional ceremony for many generations, usually taking place at the time of transition between the old year and the new year.

“The water trough festival is not only a traditional festival, but also an occasion for the Xe Dang community to gather with their families during the changing of seasons. Preserving the traditional festival for many generations, through this unique water trough worship ritual, the Xe Dang people believe in the blessing and protection of the gods, especially the water god. Therefore, unless there is a force majeure reason, no one is absent from the communal festival that is full of meaning to unite the community to welcome the new year” - Ms. Huong shared.

Along with the ritual of worshipping the gods, the water trough festival takes place with many typical cultural activities of the Xe Dang people such as erecting a pole to welcome the New Year, drum performances, traditional folk games... attracting the participation of the entire village community.

In addition to the Xe Dang people, celebrating the Lunar New Year, many Ca Dong communities in Nam Tra My also organize traditional village festivals, through the water trough worship ceremony to pray for luck and blessings.

Desire to connect

At dawn on the first day of Tet, after three drum beats, the K'thu village square (A Xan commune, Tay Giang) was soon packed with people. After the village elder's worship ceremony, the gongs and drums sounded, and the Co Tu people's dances of "tung tung" and "da da" were rhythmically performed to accompany the traditional village festival.

Mr. Zơrâm Cheo - Head of K'noonh village said that the festival takes place after the local people finish harvesting the rice crop. To organize the village festival to celebrate Tet, with the common spirit of the community, all members of the village respond.

Some people contribute labor and money, a traditional village festival with full rituals is recreated and maintained every year, creating a joyful Tet space for the Co Tu community in the remote border area bordering Laos.

Taking place regularly for many years, the traditional village festival of the Co Tu people in K'noonh village is considered a space to connect and honor the community after a long year of hardship. This is also an opportunity for the community to thank the gods for protecting and giving the villagers good crops, a prosperous life and to pray for a new year of favorable weather, bountiful crops and good health for the villagers.

“The Co Tu believe that all things have a spirit. Therefore, this festival, in addition to welcoming the new year, is also an opportunity to thank the gods for their support and blessings throughout the year so that people have enough health to do business and build a progressive and civilized life.

In addition, the festival is also a gathering space for the community to summarize the old year, further strengthen the spirit of solidarity and determination to build a new life of increasing development and prosperity" - Mr. Zơrâm Cheo said.

After the ceremony of worshiping the gods in front of the pole, groups of people went into the houses of the villagers. They beat drums and gongs, danced the tang tung and da da dances, and painted on their faces the image of a ca'bhây (evil mask) with the hope of driving away evil spirits and bad luck from the old year; at the same time, they wished the homeowner a new year of good luck and prosperity. That was also the message of solidarity that the Co Tu people aspired to during the first days of the Thanh Minh festival...