Kitchen fire in the life of the Ma people

In the middle of the vast southern Central Highlands, there still exists a traditional long house of the Ma people, in Bao Lam area, Lam Dong province. The owner, Mrs. Ka Dit, has nearly 70 farming seasons but still cannot remember when the house was built.

The long house is a typical architectural form of the indigenous people in the vast southern Central Highlands. A model suitable for the living environment of the community-style settlements according to each bon (village), clan, and hidden inside that simple architecture are traditional cultural values. "Keeping the long house to feed the sacred fire, keeping the family warm," said Mrs. Ka Dit. The long house of the Ma people is the residence of many small families with blood relations. Each small family has its own kitchen, arranged in a row in the middle along the length of the house. In the main room, there is a kitchen on the right for the homeowner and also a place to receive guests. For the Ma people, the kitchen is not only a place to cook or warm, but also the "soul" of the long house, a cultural space that nurtures spiritual life, connects the community and creates the identity of this ethnic group.

According to tradition, every time the Ma people finish building a new house, the first thing the homeowner does is perform a ritual to worship the fire god and ask for permission to light the fire. The person who lights the fire is usually the most prestigious person in the clan. The first fire must be kept burning continuously day and night, then the charcoal in the stove is kept under ash so that the fire is always strong and never goes out. The Ma people take very seriously the selection of land for the new stove, the stove mold and three stones for the stove must be made from soil taken from high mounds. Village elder K'Diep said that the Ma stove is rectangular or square, surrounded by wooden bars, the hearth is made of soil to prevent the fire from burning to the floor. In the middle of the stove are three baked clay stones to form a tripod for cooking. Above, more than 1 meter from the floor, is a bamboo stove for food and food that needs to be dried such as buffalo skin, stream fish, etc. On top is a smoke rack with dried gourds, plant varieties or woven items that need to be shiny black and more durable. The Ma people's kitchen serves both as a cooking area and a special storage and preservation space.

In the old days, the fire in the kitchen of the Central Highlands people never went out. The kitchen fed the fire. Fire brought civilization to each family and community. Fire was a legendary light in the deep night of the forest. Fire helped make sticky rice, bitter eggplant with buffalo skin, grilled meat, and fragrant grilled fish. That fire, in addition to its function of warming, was also a god who witnessed the teachings of the clan and community. On a new day, fire followed people to the fields. When the village had a festival, the fire was lit in the center so that everyone could see and bring offerings to join the community. Fire followed people to the Po Thi ceremony in the west of the Yang forest. For the Ma people, after evening family meals, everyone gathered around the fire, sharing stories of life; women wove brocade, sang folk songs; men played musical instruments, taught gongs and everyone listened to the village elders tell stories about the gods, the mountains, forests, fields, and customary laws...

According to village elder K'Diep, the main kitchen area is reserved for guests, and is also where important rituals in the clan take place, such as naming children, wedding ceremonies, housewarming ceremonies, or having distinguished guests... On these occasions, clan members gather around the main kitchen and the fire is fanned; the gongs and cymbals also resound loudly; everyone bends the fragrant wine and begins to sing, stirring around the red fire. In that life, fire not only dispels the cold, but also nurtures family ties and connects the community.

Not only in the long house space, the Ma people also have a fire god worship ceremony with community significance. During the festival night, the village elder performs the ceremony, using sacred fire to divide into each kitchen in the village, as a witness of the gods, bringing prosperity and peace. Nowadays, according to the development process, the Ma people's life has changed, the long houses have gradually receded into memory, replaced by solidly built houses and the traditional "fire-feeding" kitchen space has gradually decreased, leading to the disappearance of many ancient customs and rituals. However, the belief in the sacred fire and traditional kitchen fire is always red in the memory and consciousness of the Ma community.

Article and photos: BAO VAN

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/bep-lua-trong-doi-song-nguoi-ma-394279.html