Unique housewarming ceremony of the Hre people

(Baoquangngai.vn)- The housewarming ceremony is to thank the gods and ancestors for their protection and help in building a new house. This is one of the important traditional rituals of the Hre people in Ba To district.

On the afternoon of April 17, at 11/3 Square (Ba To), within the framework of the Breath of the Great Forest - Ba To Imprint Exhibition Space, delegates, people and tourists joined in the unique housewarming ceremony of the Hre people, vividly reenacted by artisan Pham Thi Het (63 years old), in Ba Vi commune and some local people.

The homeowner and the celebrant prepare offerings for the housewarming ceremony.

The housewarming ceremony, called “Hkia Toc Hniêm Niêu” in the Hre language, is a traditional ceremony held by the Hre people. According to the Hre people’s custom, when a new house is completed, the homeowner will hold a housewarming ceremony to pray to the gods for a cool, sturdy house, good health, and a prosperous business. The ceremony, large or small, depends on the family’s conditions and includes a pig or chicken. The Hre people prepare this custom very carefully with the thought of “settling down and starting a business”.

In her formal attire, shaman Pham Thi Het reported to the gods about the newly completed house, asking the gods and ancestors to protect the house. Everyone in the family is always healthy, peaceful and united, close together, living a prosperous life, having bountiful harvests.

Offerings for a new house include pigs or chickens, wine, rice,...

Artisan Pham Thi Het recreates the housewarming ceremony of the Hre people in Ba To district.

Offerings for a new house include: chicken, rice, rice wine, etc. The custom of offering a new house of the Hre people includes 3 rituals. The first is the ritual of offering in the yard to ask the sun god, the moon god, and the universe god to protect the house. Next is the ritual of asking the earth god to bless, bring luck, protect wealth, and flourish crops, and prevent insects from biting and destroying them. The harvest will be bountiful, and the whole year will be full and warm.

The most important worshiping ritual is the housewarming ceremony to thank the forest god for allowing the homeowner to complete the house. The ceremony is solemnly re-enacted by artisans to thank the gods and invite them to attend the worshiping ceremony with the family in the new house.

The ceremony is solemnly recreated by artisans to thank the gods and invite them to attend the offering with the family moving into the new house.

The Hre people prepare very carefully for the housewarming ceremony with the thought of "settling down and starting a career".

According to artisan Het, the housewarming ceremony of the Hre people is not only held within the village, but also has guests from neighboring villages, and people come here to sincerely congratulate the homeowner.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van, a tourist from Quang Ngai City, said that this was the first time she had witnessed the housewarming ceremony of the Hre people. This is a unique cultural belief with many meanings that needs to be preserved and introduced to domestic and foreign tourists to know and learn about.

Yeast powder and rice flour are indispensable offerings in housewarming ceremonies.

The Hre ethnic group is one of 54 ethnic groups, living mainly in mountainous districts of Quang Ngai province such as Ba To, Son Ha, Minh Long, with a rich, long-standing culture, imbued with the identity of the Truong Son - Tay Nguyen region. In Ba To district, the Hre people account for 84% of the population.

Head of the Department of Culture, Science and Information of Ba To district, Le Cao Dinh, said that throughout history, the Hre people have created a unique culture, clearly reflecting the spiritual life, living habits and creative thinking of the community.

The housewarming ceremony of the Hre people is not only held within the village, but also has guests from neighboring villages. People come here to sincerely congratulate the homeowner.

The celebrant and the homeowner drink rice wine together after the ceremony.

Festivals and beliefs of the Hre people include important festivals such as: New Rice Festival, Water Wharf Worshiping Festival, Buffalo Stabbing Festival, which demonstrate fertility beliefs, worship of gods and attachment to nature. The Hre people also maintain rituals related to the life cycle such as weddings, coming of age ceremonies, funerals, which deeply reflect the indigenous culture. In particular, the housewarming ceremony is one of the long-standing festivals in the life of the Hre people, preserved and promoted to this day.

Along with the activity of reenacting the Housewarming Ceremony of the Hre people, in the afternoon of the same day, at the Breath of the Great Forest - Ba To Imprint Exhibition Space within the framework of Quang Ngai Tourism Week 2025, delegates and visitors also watched the Workshop on painting brocade patterns on Ao Dai, contributing to promoting the heritage of Lang Teng brocade, Ba Thanh commune (Ba To).

Students in Ba To district learn how to draw brocade patterns on ao dai.

Locals and tourists have the opportunity to immerse themselves in cultural activities bearing the unique mark of the Hre people in the majestic Ba To mountain range.

Article and photos: K.NGAN - T.PHUONG

Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/tin-noi-bat/202504/doc-dao-le-cung-vao-nha-moi-cua-nguoi-hre-33e4c00/