Unique Then Tay Chieng Ken ritual

In the land of Chieng Ken, the Tay people still preserve a unique spiritual culture: the Then ritual passed down through the lineage. While in some other localities, the Then ritual of the Tay people can be passed down orally or learned from books, the Then ritual of the Tay people of Chieng Ken is only passed down from generation to generation with people of the same bloodline, within the clan or through the strict selection of the previous generation of Then masters who are "fated" to their Then students.

The Then of the Tay people in Chieng Ken is a ritual of inheritance, sincerity and a journey of destiny and fate. Therefore, according to the concept of the Tay people in Chieng Ken, not everyone can become a Then master. The person who is "inherited" must be a person with destiny, chosen by the gods and taught by the Then master. The Then teaching here is not simply learning for the sake of knowledge but a journey of lifelong attachment to beliefs, a continuation of the long-standing cultural source.

Having been a Then master in Chieng Ken for 12 years, Then master Vi Van Ha shared: “Being Then is not something that everyone can do if they want to. You have to have the right foundation, the right destiny, and most importantly, the heart to be kind and pray for the villagers. Since I became a Then master, I have considered this my life mission - both a responsibility and a sacred belief.”

Then rituals in Chieng Ken are very rich, with their own unique identity. Many people say that if the Dao Then has the Cap Sac ritual - marking the maturity in belief, then the Tay Then in Chieng Ken also has Then Khoan rituals - also known as Then tang phuc, tang menh - with the meaning of changing fate, increasing luck and expanding the path of life for people.

In the religious life of the Tay Chieng Ken people, Then is not only a bridge between humans and gods but also a spiritual refuge in each stage of life.

When a child is born, the Tay people often hold a Then “mụ” ceremony - a ritual to pray for the child to grow up quickly, be healthy and safe. When a family encounters a disaster, the Then ceremony is performed to dispel bad luck and pray for peace.

During the planting season, Then is an indispensable ritual to pray for favorable weather, good plants, and a bountiful harvest.

Every rice harvest season, people perform Then Pang - Pang Khau Mau, the new rice celebration, offering the gods the first grains of rice of the season as a thank you to heaven and earth.

Then, for the elderly, the Then longevity celebration ceremony is held as an occasion for the whole community to show their respect and wish them a long and healthy life.

What is special in the Then ritual of the Tay Chieng Ken people is the presence of two indispensable characters: Then Master and Huong Lady.

Then master is the one who presides over and practices rituals, and is the bridge between humans and the spiritual world .

Nang Huong is an assistant, playing a supporting role in performing the ritual, contributing to creating solemnity and sacredness for each Then session.

Huong is not only a ritual maid but also the embodiment of softness, flexibility and dexterity in every dance and song.

When the Then master begins to pray, Nang Huong joins in the rhythm of the flute, drums, bells and singing, bringing the participants to a profound and mystical spiritual world.

According to the Then religion of the Tay people, the seventh lunar month of each year is the time for the Then Festival - the most important ceremony of the year. On this occasion, throughout the Chieng Ken village, the sound of the flute and the Then singing echo throughout the mountains and forests, like a connection between humans and gods, between the present and the past.

The Then Festival is not only a sacred moment but also an opportunity for the Tay community to gather and unite. This is also an opportunity for the young generation to understand and appreciate more traditional cultural values, to continue and preserve their identity.

In the flow of modern life, when many cultural values are gradually fading away, the Tay Chieng Ken people still persistently preserve the Then ritual as a "flesh and blood" part of their spiritual life.

Then ritual, a cultural feature of the Tay people in Chieng Ken, is still being preserved and spread, like a red thread connecting the past - present - future, so that each Tay person here always remembers their ethnic roots.

Ms. Phung Hoang Oanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Culture and Society of Chieng Ken commune, said: “Then ritual is not only a priceless spiritual asset of the Tay people in Chieng Ken. We are making efforts to preserve this ritual by recording, digitizing, organizing teaching for the younger generation, and at the same time linking the ritual with the development of community cultural tourism.”

The Then ritual of the Tay Chieng Ken people is not only a folk belief ritual but also a profound cultural symbol, crystallized from the history, beliefs, art and philosophy of life of the community.

In a world that is constantly moving, when indigenous cultural identity is easily dissolved, preserving the Then ritual is to preserve the "soul" of national culture, to keep the sounds of instruments, dances, and songs forever resounding in the peaceful countryside, to keep generations of Tay Chieng Ken people nourished by faith and roots. Because, when people still turn to their ancestors, perform rituals with respect, and still recite Then words in purity - then that culture, that person, will forever exist for Then to be passed down - a spiritual cultural heritage, a precious asset that contributes to the unique cultural identity of this sacred land.

Presented by: Bich Hue

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/doc-dao-nghi-le-then-tay-chieng-ken-post878658.html