The Tay people's hearth

In the cold winter, it's delightful to sit by the fire, warm yourself, drink tea, and roast corn... During the last days of winter, we had the opportunity to visit a village in the highlands of Lao Cai, listening to the elders tell stories of the past, about the unique and rich cultural features in the "sacred land" of the traditional stilt houses of the Tay ethnic group.

For the Tay people, the hearth is considered the soul of the stilt house; therefore, it is placed prominently in the central room. Not only is it the family's daily living space, but the hearth is also where guests are received and where generations of the family gather together. Above the Tay hearth, there are also racks for drying seeds for the next crop, yeast balls for brewing rice wine, and dried bananas for making cakes during Tet (Lunar New Year) and other festivals.

By the fireplace in their stilt houses, the Tay people pass on their culture to the younger generation.

The children of the Tay ethnic group, who grew up by the hearth of their stilt houses, still remember, even far away, the image of their grandmothers and mothers steaming sticky rice in wooden pots over that fire, making bamboo tubes of rice to dry over the fire, and grilling stream fish... During late autumn and early winter, like around this time, the Tay people's hearths fill with the aroma of freshly cooked rice and young rice grains, mingled with the smoke, creating a very special, cozy atmosphere. Only those who have visited a Tay village and experienced that simple, tranquil space can truly appreciate it.

The Tay people believe that the hearth is governed by a "fire god," so during the Lunar New Year, along with ancestor worship, the homeowner often holds a hearth worship ceremony to inform the "fire god" that the new year has arrived. The Tay consider the hearth a sacred place in their stilt houses, so they avoid sitting by the fire and tapping the stove, avoid speaking loudly or arguing near the fire, and when lighting a fire, they always put the wood in first…

Because the hearth is considered a "sacred space" in the cultural space of the Tay people, it is not simply a stove for cooking and warming... the Tay people always value the significance of the hearth.

As someone who frequently performs housewarming ceremonies for many families in the village, Mr. Nguyen Van Soan, a Tay ethnic minority from Muong Kem village, Nghia Do commune, told us: "After building a stilt house and moving into a new home, the Tay people perform a ritual of bringing fire into the kitchen, keeping the fire burning continuously for 3 days and 3 nights after the fire-bringing ceremony."

When choosing an auspicious day for moving into a new house, the homeowner usually invites a respected elder from the village, the head of the clan, to carry a torch to welcome the "fire god" into the kitchen; and to pour a bottle of filtered water onto the house's pillars. The master of ceremonies will lead the way, carrying the torch around the house to create smoke and warm the entire space before bringing the fire into the kitchen. Another person follows, carrying kitchen utensils (steamer, kettle, etc.). Only after the fire has been lit can other items be brought into the house.

"In particular, the Tay people in Nghia Do also believe that people of the same clan will not perform rituals for families within their own clan. For example, if my clan is Nguyen, I only perform rituals for other clans, such as the Ma, Hoang, and Luong clans… Conversely, when Nguyen families perform rituals for a new house, welcoming the 'fire god' into the house, they must invite people from other clans to perform the ritual for their family," Mr. Soan further shared.

Nowadays, many Tay families build stilt houses with an added kitchen, so the practice of maintaining a fireplace in the middle of the main room of the stilt house has changed. However, on the day of the ceremony to welcome the "fire god" into the house, the Tay people still burn a pot of charcoal in the middle room - the exact spot where the Tay traditionally placed the fireplace - to perform the ritual…

The hearth of the Tay people is also where the host welcomes honored guests to their home.

In Lao Cai , the villages of the Tay ethnic group have largely preserved their traditional culture with stilt house architecture. Nowadays, the materials used to build stilt houses may be replaced, but the architecture itself is still preserved, especially the indispensable warm hearth inside the house.

Ms. La Thanh Tiep, a Tay woman from Duong Quy commune, shared: “Almost all Tay families living in stilt houses have a fireplace inside, located in the middle room near the kitchen, by the stairs leading up to the stilt house. After returning from working in the fields, all family activities take place around the fireplace… Many families still have the habit of sitting around the fireplace to drink tea or eat meals, especially during the cold winter months.”

After working in the fields, all the daily activities of a Tay family in Lao Cai revolve around the fireplace.

For the Tay people in Lam Thuong and Ban Lien communes, the hearth is no longer simply a "sacred space" within the traditional family home, but has also become a cultural space for tourists to experience the Tay ethnic identity. What could be more moving than sitting with friends and family by a warm fire, watching the Tay people process the ancient Shan Tuyet tea leaves they just picked that afternoon, while enjoying a hot cup of fragrant tea? Each season brings its own delights; visitors to Lam Thuong or Ban Lien will experience the simple yet vibrant cultural colors of the Tay people around the hearth.

Vang A Binh, the owner of a homestay in Ban Lien, shared: "For the Tay people of Ban Lien, the hearth is likened to the head of the family. From the 27th of the 12th lunar month to the 30th of Tet (Lunar New Year), the hearth is always lit to welcome ancestors back for a reunion during Tet. On Tet day, water should not be poured into the hearth. According to custom, when moving into a new house, the woman carries a bundle of rice stalks to the stilt house to light the first fire. Especially, when lighting the fire in a new house, on the first night, everyone must stay awake to watch the fire, not sleep, and keep the fire burning continuously for 5 days and nights."

In the past, the Tay people maintained a hearth fire year-round. When it went out, they would keep the fire burning in the embers, and then rekindle it when cooking. Nowadays, maintaining a continuous fire is only done on housewarming days, Tet (Lunar New Year), and other festivals. However, for the Tay people, the hearth remains a sacred place in their traditional stilt houses. The hearth is still the "thread" connecting time from the past – tradition – to the present, linking cultural activities in the lives of the Tay people.

The simple life of the Tay people unfolds daily around the hearth and in their stilt houses.

After a year of many changes and upheavals, the hearths of the Tay ethnic village in Lao Cai remain warm this Spring of the Year of the Horse, the fragrant smoke of freshly cooked rice still rising in the cold winter afternoon. The Tay people are hastily completing the final stages of building their new stilt houses, awaiting the day they will light the hearths. The Tay village is dotted with sturdy stilt houses; soon, when the peach blossoms on the mountainside burst into bloom, and swallows soar and flutter, heralding the arrival of spring under the eaves, the Tay people will perform the traditional ritual of lighting the new hearths, and will welcome a warm Tet holiday with peaceful sleep.

And then, with the flickering firelight of the kitchen, the rhythmic sound of the tẩu instrument, the Then melody will resound again… amidst the spring air mingled with the fragrant aroma of sticky rice cakes and glutinous rice in the Tay village!

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/bep-lua-cua-nguoi-tay-post893804.html