According to the beliefs of the Gia Rai people, the hearth god (Yang tơpur) is a deity who embodies good fortune and blesses people with a warm and happy life. Therefore, the hearth holds an important place in the spiritual life of the Gia Rai people.
The first kitchen, visible from the outside door, is located on the right side of the house, facing east, which the Gia Rai people call "the upper side" (Gah ngo).According to custom, whenever the Gia Rai people finish building a new house or give their children their own place to live, the first thing the homeowner does is slaughter a pig or chicken and offer it to the kitchen god with a jar of wine before the family members move in, live, and cook. After the ceremony, the village elder or shaman hands the fire to the head of the household, usually the oldest woman, such as the grandmother or mother. Once the sacred fire has been lit in the kitchen, the family must keep the fire burning continuously day and night, without letting it go out. The next day, if they are not cooking, they must keep the embers under a layer of ash, so that they can be lit when needed, thus ensuring the fire in the kitchen is kept burning continuously and always provides warmth.
In a typical Gia Rai longhouse, there are usually two kitchens located in different positions, each with very strict rules and taboos. The first kitchen, viewed from the outside, is located on the right side of the house, facing east (the Gia Rai call it "the upper side" - Gah ngo). This kitchen, called "Topur gah ok" by the Gia Rai, is used for cooking and serving the family's daily needs. The second kitchen is located further inside, also slightly to the east, and is called "Topur gah mang". This is where the homeowner entertains guests or where religious ceremonies and cultural activities take place. Guests are respectfully invited to sit around the fire and converse. The first kitchen is very important because the Gia Rai believe that the kitchen god and fire god reside there. Therefore, cooking must be done cleanly, and no mess should be made in the kitchen that would disturb the gods' dwelling place.
The kitchen, used daily by the Gia Rai people, is enclosed in a rectangular or square shape with arbitrary length and width. The inside is tightly packed with earth to create a barrier between the kitchen and the floor, preventing fire from spreading to the floor. In the center are three stones (nowadays, a tripod is used) for cooking. Parallel to the kitchen frame, about 80 cm above the floor, is the "kitchen loft" (called Pra tơpur by the Gia Rai) made of bamboo or forest wood, used to store food, seeds such as corn, rice, soybeans, meat, and household items. For the Gia Rai, the kitchen is not simply a place for cooking and heating, but also a living space for family members. In the evenings, after family meals, everyone often gathers around this fire to warm themselves, chat, share joys and sorrows, or listen to the elders tell stories about the mountains, fields, and villages of their people.
It can be said that the hearth of the Gia Rai people is always close and inseparable from their lives. It is a unique cultural feature deeply rooted in the daily lives of the people living in the wild mountains and forests. Modern life has changed many things; some families have learned to use gas or electric stoves for cooking, but these unique cultural traditions have existed for generations and are being preserved by the Gia Rai people.
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/bep-lua-trong-doi-song-cua-nguoi-gia-rai-235404.html
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