This is not only an opportunity for the Tay and Nung communities to connect with their roots, but also a testament to the enduring vitality of their heritage on this red basalt land.
According to the folk beliefs of the Tay and Nung people, in heaven there is Mother Moon and 12 fairies who are her daughters (called the Hai Maidens) who are responsible for the lives and harvests of the people on earth. The Hai Maiden Festival consists of two parts: the ceremony and the festivities. The ceremony part has three sections: the welcoming ceremony for the Hai Maidens, the prayer ceremony for the Hai Maidens, and the farewell ceremony for the Hai Maidens. The Hai Maiden Festival is a journey to heaven to welcome Mother Moon and the fairies down to earth to celebrate, help the people with farming, and pray for a bountiful harvest and happiness for all families.
To begin the ceremony, the shaman, dressed in a black robe with red trim and red patterns, and wearing a red hat, recites prayers in the Tay language. Behind the shaman are 14 young, beautiful girls chosen by the villagers, each holding a paper fan. Among them, two young girls play the roles of Nang Guong (wearing red robes) and Nang So (wearing a yellow robe), symbolizing Nang Hai (daughter of Mother Moon). The remaining 12 girls wear dark indigo robes and coarse cloth shoes, with red or yellow cloth tied around their heads, neatly arranged in two rows immediately following behind.
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| The shaman performed a ritual to imbue the moon spirit into the two girls playing the roles of Lady Guong and Lady So. |
After the shaman recites the prayers, Lady Guong and Lady So, holding fans to cover their faces, will be possessed by the "moon spirit" to represent Lady Hai in the festivities and help the villagers. During the rituals, Lady Guong and Lady So will dance and sing with their fans to pray for a bountiful harvest and full livestock.
"Ea Phê commune is home to 23 ethnic groups; the Tay and Nung ethnic groups are the most numerous. In 2017, the Nang Hai Festival was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, the local authorities are organizing the restoration of the Nang Hai Festival not only to create a traditional cultural festival space and entertainment for the people but also as a cultural bridge connecting the ethnic groups in the area, enriching the spiritual life of the people," said Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Ea Phê commune . |
Ms. Ngoc Thi Tam (village 7D) excitedly said: “Having left my hometown of Cao Bang to live and work in Dak Lak since I was born, 40 years ago, this is the first time I have attended the Nang Hai Festival. This cultural festival carries spiritual values and strong traditions of our ethnic group. The feeling is indescribable to be able to transform into one of the 14 girls to perform the rituals, something I have only heard about from the elders in the village for so many years. I hope that the Nang Hai Festival will be maintained and organized regularly so that those who have left their homeland and future generations of Tay and Nung people will always remember their roots and the culture of their ethnic group.”
Having endured years of hardship and struggle to build a life in this new land, the Nàng Hai Festival, recreated in Ea Phê commune today, not only reminds the Tay and Nung communities of their origins and the preservation of their ethnic culture, but it is also a unique festival that combines various forms of folk art and culture, possessing profound cultural and historical value that urgently needs to be preserved and maintained.
Mr. Hoang Ngoc Song, who performed the ritual, shared: “The Tay and Nung people from the northern provinces came to Ea Phe commune to live and work from the 1980s. Over the years, despite the many difficulties and hardships, everyone has always kept their roots in their hearts. Families still preserve their customs and traditions, from clothing and rituals to culture and cuisine ... This year, with the local government organizing the reenactment of the Nang Hai Festival, the Tay and Nung people are very happy and excited.”
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| The Taoist priest performs the ritual to send Hai off. |
The Nang Hai Festival is a unique folk performance festival, unlike any other. Besides its significance as a harvest festival, it also reflects the Mother Goddess worship tradition of the Tay and Nung people; this is a distinctive cultural feature that needs to be preserved and promoted to contribute to building an advanced culture rich in the ethnic identities of Dak Lak province.
Thuy Hong
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/van-hoa/202605/le-hoi-nang-hai-บน-vung-dat-ea-phe-aaa7fe6/
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