On December 12th, in M'Liêng village, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province, in coordination with the People's Committee of Đắk Liêng commune, organized a reenactment of the traditional M'nông longevity celebration ceremony.
This is one of the heritages of Dak Lak province that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided to include in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2022.
According to the traditional customs of the M'nong people, a person's life will go through many health-celebrating ceremonies, with no age limit but rather a number of times they are held (Health-celebrating ceremony 1, 2, 3...).
However, the 7th health blessing ceremony is the most important, equivalent to a longevity celebration when grandparents or parents reach the age of 70.
This is a sacred ritual to express the gratitude of descendants for their parents' upbringing and nurturing. Through this ritual, descendants pray for health and peace and invite Yang (spirits) and ancestors to bless the family.
Traditionally, the birthday celebration for parents is usually organized by the eldest daughter. Nowadays, to show filial piety, all children can jointly organize a birthday celebration for their parents. The ceremony is usually held after the farming season has ended, when all agricultural work has been settled.
The offerings prepared for the ceremony include: rice wine, 3 or 5 jars of wine, a buffalo, cow, or pig (weighing approximately 70 kg or more), traditional dishes such as sticky rice, meat, and other items... The longevity celebration is conducted through three main rituals. The shaman will invite the Yang spirits of the village to attend the longevity celebration; then, offerings are made to the Yang spirits and ancestors. Finally, there is a ritual to wish good health and give gifts to the children and grandchildren in the family.
The M'nong people's longevity celebration is a traditional ceremony that honors the elderly, the elders of the village, and expresses the gratitude of children and grandchildren to their parents and grandparents.
The restoration of the ritual is not only a meaningful cultural activity, but also plays an important role in the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of the M'nong people, one of the oldest indigenous ethnic groups in the Dak Lak region.
According to Nguyen Trong Biet, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lieng commune, the restoration of the ritual is an activity that helps the locality preserve traditional values. This is an opportunity for the community to participate and continue to promote the beautiful cultural identity of their ethnic group.
Through this activity, the locality hopes to contribute to raising awareness among the younger generation about the value of traditional culture; create an environment for connection, exchange, and promotion of the unique cultural image of the ethnic groups in Dak Lieng commune and Dak Lak province, attracting the attention of tourists and cultural researchers.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dak-lak-tai-hien-nghi-le-quan-trong-cua-dong-bao-mnong-trong-doi-song-post1082740.vnp
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