The Gia Rai people's harvest festival. (Photo: N. Thu)
The harvest festival not only expresses gratitude to heaven and earth and thanks to the gods, but also connects the community, serving as a vivid testament to the enduring vitality of Central Highlands culture in the flow of time.
The spiritual thread connects humans, nature, and deities.
The New Rice Festival, also known as the New Rice Feast, is a long-standing traditional ceremony of the Gia Rai people, held annually between October and December, after the rice harvest and the ripe golden rice stalks have been brought to fill the granaries.
According to the Gia Rai people's beliefs, the first ceremony is to give thanks, expressing gratitude to heaven and earth for granting them a bountiful rice harvest, and the second is a gathering and reunion of families, demonstrating the spirit of solidarity within the community.
The festival is held solemnly in the spacious area in front of the communal house, a sacred place considered the heart of the community. After the village elders and clans reach a consensus, the people gather from early morning to prepare. They erect a ceremonial pole in the middle of the courtyard and arrange traditional offerings such as sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, grilled meat, jars of rice wine, bundles of new rice... Wealthier families also offer pigs and chickens as sacrifices to the deities.
The most sacred moment is when the village elder offers the sacrifice, solemnly reciting the prayer: "Oh Yàng, today I bring a large pig and a large chicken here, respectfully inviting the Yàng to partake in the ceremony, please protect and grant peace to the villagers, pray for protection from misfortune, and prosperity in business..." This is the language of folk beliefs, the spiritual voice conveying faith and hope.
The traditional Vietnamese dance and the rhythmic sounds of gongs blend together at the festival. (Photo: N. Thu)
Elder Kpuih Ôh from Ghè village, Ia Dơk commune, Gia Lai province – who has been involved with traditional festivals for decades – shared: “Every time we hold a ceremony, I feel like I'm speaking on behalf of the villagers. It's not just about giving thanks; the festival is also about reunion, an indispensable day of joy for the community.”
After the main ceremony, the village elder reports to the spirits about village affairs and achievements in labor and production, while respectfully praying for a successful harvest in the following year.
Preserving traditional values amidst the modern flow.
More than just a simple thanksgiving ceremony, the New Rice Festival also bears the strong imprint of community bonding. Following the ceremony, there is a lively festival with the resounding sounds of gongs and drums, traditional dances, folk songs, and joyful laughter throughout the villages.
Ms. Rah Lan H'Tiết, a young Gia Rai woman from Ia Dơk commune, who participated fully in the new rice harvest festival for the first time, shared: “I am very happy to learn more about the unique cultural beauty of my people. Through the festival, I see people connecting and loving their ethnic roots even more.”
That atmosphere is a testament to a community that continues to preserve its cultural essence through generations.
Siu Diep, a villager, excitedly shared: “We are very proud to participate in the Xoang dance, to learn about and preserve the beautiful traditions passed down from our ancestors. We hope that this will be organized every year.”
The Gia Rai people's harvest festival demonstrates a very strong sense of community. (Photo: N. Thu)
However, as an inevitable consequence, traditional festivals are also being significantly impacted by modern life. In many places, the New Rice Festival is no longer celebrated in the same way as before. This is partly because young people have gone away to study or work, and partly due to changes in farming methods, from traditional upland rice cultivation to wet rice cultivation with 2 to 3 harvests per year, making seasonal rituals less common.
Mr. Ksor That (Ia Tul commune) shared: “In the past, almost every family that cultivated upland rice organized a harvest festival. From offerings in the fields, bringing the spirit of the rice back to the granary, opening the granary, to holding a celebratory feast, all were important rituals, showing reverence and community spirit. Nowadays, people mainly cultivate wet rice, so the traditional form of the ceremony is no longer common. But families that still cultivate upland rice (a six-month crop) still maintain this ritual.”
Although not as popular as it once was, the festival's meaning remains intact: it is a celebration of labor and a precious local cultural tradition that needs to be preserved.
Elder Siu Yon, a respected figure in Ó village, Ia Pia commune, stated: “The festival is a connecting thread for the community, where descendants learn the spirit of sharing and solidarity. It is an opportunity to pass on spiritual values, customs, agricultural production skills, and ways of life, so that life continues to be nurtured from its cultural foundation.”
Over the years, the Party committees and local authorities of Gia Lai province have made many efforts in preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the ethnic groups. The support of the government, the involvement of organizations, and the enthusiastic participation of the people are crucial factors in ensuring that vital cultural values such as the New Rice Festival continue to be preserved and promoted in the future.
SONG NGAN
Source: https://nhandan.vn/gin-giu-ban-sac-dan-toc-nguoi-gia-rai-post920233.html
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