Preserving the traditional wedding customs of the Dao Tuyen people.

In Phuc Khanh commune, Lao Cai province, the wedding rituals of the Dao Tuyen ethnic group are still practiced according to traditional customs, reflecting the rich cultural identity of the ethnic group in contemporary life.

The wedding of the Tuyển Dao people is celebrated with full rituals, from inviting guests and preparing the feast to the bridal procession and spiritual ceremonies, with the participation and assistance of relatives and villagers.

Bridesmaids at a wedding. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

Traditionally, a wedding involves several steps, including age matching, preliminary engagement, betrothal, and the wedding ceremony. According to folklore researchers, the wedding ceremony includes traditional rituals such as stopping at a station, passing through a village checkpoint, exchanging wedding gifts, offering betel nuts and leaves, exchanging birth certificates, passing through the parents' checkpoint, and the consummation ceremony.

The shaman performs the ritual. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

The wedding procession is a unique feature of the Tuyen Dao people's weddings in Lao Cai . The wedding procession must be held at an auspicious time and on a lucky day, according to the guidance of the shaman. On the wedding day, the bride and groom wear their finest and newest clothes; all attendees wear traditional attire.

In the wedding of the Tuyển Dao people, the weighing scale is an important item, brought by the groom's family to the bride's family. (Photo: Đặng Vũ Linh)

In the wedding procession, the call-and-response singing style creates a highlight with traditional folk melodies and improvised lyrics adapted to each situation.

The ritual of call-and-response singing in a wedding ceremony of the Dao Tuyen people. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

To perform the rituals, the groom's family enlists the help of a matchmaker who is knowledgeable about wedding customs, knows many songs, and possesses improvisational and tactful skills. The matchmaker, on behalf of the groom's family, discusses and sings in response to the shaman or the bride's family representative. When the groom's party successfully overcomes the challenges with their love songs, the wedding continues with the consummation ceremony.

The groom's and bride's families sing love songs together. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

The lyrics in wedding ceremonies reflect issues related to the marriage of the couple. The songs are usually pre-written, revolving around themes of marriage, love, and family... however, during the exchange, the matchmaker can be creative to suit each specific ceremony and circumstance.

The bride and groom perform a ceremony to inform their ancestors. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

The system of wedding folk songs, composed and passed down through many generations, not only contributes to preserving the beautiful values ​​in wedding ceremonies but also enriches the traditional folk song treasury of the Dao Tuyen people.

The groom's procession circles the bride's house to perform the ceremony. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

During the ritual of exchanging birth certificates, the representative of the bride's family hands the groom's family a birth certificate bearing the girl's name and age, officially recognizing the marriage of the couple. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

A flurry of blessings and good wishes for the young couple. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

The wedding procession arrives at the groom's house. (Photo: Dang Vu Linh)

According to Nhan Dan newspaper

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/giu-gin-phong-tuc-cuoi-truyen-thong-cua-nguoi-dao-tuyen-a470380.html