Special features of the New Rice Celebration of the K'Ho people

On December 15, the People's Committee of Di Linh District ( Lam Dong ) organized a re-enactment of the New Rice Celebration ceremony at the traditional village of the K'Ho ethnic group (Klong Trao 1 village, Gung Re commune) with hundreds of participants, including 60 artisans and village elders who are indigenous people in the locality.

The Nho lir bong (New Rice Celebration) ceremony was restored by the People's Committee of Di Linh district at the traditional village of the K'Ho ethnic group.

The program to re-enact the New Rice Celebration is part of a series of activities organized by the People's Committee of Di Linh District, responding to the 10th Da Lat Flower Festival in 2024. The New Rice Celebration is a long-standing custom of the ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, especially the K'Ho S'Re people in Di Linh District.

Village elders perform the necessary rituals to open the New Rice Celebration ceremony.

This is a ritual imbued with animistic beliefs, a unique cultural identity. The meaning of the festival is that following the rice cultivation cycle, after the harvest, the people of the Central Highlands often hold a new rice celebration ceremony, both to thank Giang (Yang - god) for giving them a good crop and a prosperous life; at the same time, it is also an occasion for villagers to rejoice together, enjoy the fruits of their labor, and pray for a bountiful harvest in the following year's crop.

The artisans performed a gong ensemble after the opening ceremony by the village elder.

The New Rice Celebration includes a ritual and a festival. The ritual is directly performed by prestigious village elders in the community. At the central pole, the village elder will pray to Yang (the gods) to express their respect and ask for the "village" to come together to celebrate a bountiful harvest.

After the rituals of praying to Yang, performing sacrifices, and buffalo stabbing (currently only performing simulations), the khai choe procedure is the part of inviting wine to the gods and guests and performing gong music with the songs Gung Me, Gung Ma ( Welcoming guests ) and Nhu To Nom ( Drinking wine ).

Xoang dance performance by K'Ho mountain women after the traditional ceremony

After the ceremony, the village really gets into the festival with gong performances, folk singing, and xoang dances by K'Ho boys and girls around the pole. This is also the time when guests can interact, immerse themselves in the sounds, passionate dances, and the intoxicating aroma of the Central Highlands' rice wine.

K'Ho mountain women gracefully dance in the rain

A joyful performance by K'Ho boys and girls at the New Rice Celebration

K'Ho mountain women perform a traditional xoang dance to pray for favorable weather, good harvests

The dances captivated people

A unique performance at the ceremony

The performance ended the New Rice Celebration ceremony by K'Ho boys and girls

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dac-sac-le-mung-lua-moi-cua-nguoi-kho-185241215164834279.htm