Preserving traditional rituals
Every year, around April or May, when the first rains of the season appear, the K'ho people hold the First Harvest Ceremony. This is an occasion for the villagers to thank their ancestors and deities (Yang) for blessing their lives with peace, and to pray for a bountiful harvest, good health, and prosperity. Elder Brong Xen Brong Tham, from Hamlet 1, La Da Commune, said that according to the K'ho people's beliefs, humans always live in harmony with nature, the mountains, and the spirits. Therefore, before starting a new production season, the villagers always hold a ceremony to pray for Yang's continued protection, ensuring fertile land and preventing natural disasters and diseases. In the days leading up to the ceremony, the atmosphere in the village becomes lively.
In Dong Giang commune, the harvest festival is also regularly maintained by the villagers through many generations. In the days leading up to the festival, the atmosphere in the village becomes lively as people prepare offerings, build stilt houses, and clean the area where the ceremony will be held. This is not only a religious activity but also an opportunity for the community to meet, bond, and pass on customs to the younger generation.
Young people in the village go into the forest together to cut bamboo and build a large stilt house on high ground a few kilometers from the village. This is considered a place where the spirits and ancestors reside during the ceremony. Each family contributes labor and effort to prepare offerings such as sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, stewed soup, chicken, duck, goat, and rice wine… Everything is meticulously prepared, showing the reverence and faith of the villagers towards the spirits and ancestors. On the day of the ceremony, the villagers wear their most beautiful traditional costumes to participate in the ritual. Amidst the mountain forest, the sounds of trumpets, gongs, and drums create a sacred atmosphere, rich in ethnic cultural identity.
Strengthening solidarity
According to Nguyen Minh Phuong, Secretary of the Party Committee of La Da commune, the harvest festival not only holds folk religious value but also represents a unique traditional cultural beauty of the K'ho people in the area. The K'ho harvest festival has its own distinct characteristics compared to many other ethnic communities. While many places hold festivals after the harvest to give thanks for a bountiful year, the K'ho perform the ritual right before planting, expressing their aspiration for a successful year of production from the very beginning of the planting season.
Maintaining these rituals contributes to raising awareness of preserving ethnic identity, strengthening solidarity within the community, and helping the younger generation better understand the customs and traditions of their ancestors. For the K'ho people, the harvest festival is of great importance, as it is considered a ritual that determines the success of the entire year's labor and production. Therefore, everyone participates with sincerity and deep belief.
After the ceremony, the villagers gathered around a pot of rice wine, enjoyed traditional dishes, sang and danced, and shared production experiences. The dances and songs, deeply rooted in K'ho culture, continue to be passed down through generations. The harvest festival not only contributes to preserving the ethnic group's cultural identity but also serves as a bond connecting the community, enriching the diverse cultural landscape of the province.
Source: https://baolamdong.vn/le-cung-dau-mua-cua-dong-bao-k-ho-444036.html
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