The beauty of folk beliefs through the autumn sacrifice ceremony.

(GLO) - From the 7th to the 8th lunar month each year, many communities in Gia Lai province organize the autumn worship ceremony at the village communal house, demonstrating the harmonious relationship between humans and nature, with deities and ancestors, according to the tradition of the spring and autumn festivals.

That is when nature enters the transitional period between summer and autumn, and the main harvest season has passed.

The autumn festival at Huu Thanh village communal house featured traditional rituals. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

The autumn sacrifice is also a religious ritual with community value, expressing the aspiration for a peaceful life. Dr. Vo Minh Hai (Quy Nhon University) said: “The spring sacrifice means praying for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest; while the autumn sacrifice is an occasion for villagers to express their gratitude to the deities, guardian spirits, and ancestors who have blessed them with a prosperous year.”

In the sacred space of the village communal house, offerings are arranged solemnly, gongs and drums resound in harmony with the lively ceremonial music, and the fragrant incense permeates the air, creating an atmosphere that is both sacred and intimate. After the ceremony, everyone sits together to partake in the offerings, chat cheerfully, contributing to community bonding and preserving traditional cultural values.

Xương Lý village communal house holds its traditional autumn sacrifice ceremony on the 9th day of the 7th lunar month every year. Photo: Kim Chức

Mr. Nguyen Kim Chuc, secretary of Xuong Ly village communal house (Quy Nhon Dong ward), said: "According to tradition, on the 9th day of the 7th lunar month every year, the villagers hold a harvest festival at Xuong Ly village communal house. In addition to worshipping the deities, there is also a ceremony to pray for the souls of the heroic martyrs. The villagers also invite a traditional opera troupe to perform to make the festival more lively."

Some places in the Gia Lai highlands still maintain the autumn sacrifice ceremony as a traditional cultural practice. Mr. Tran Thanh Luan, Head of the Ritual Committee of Cuu An communal house (Cuu An commune), shared: “Every year on the 17th and 18th of August in the lunar calendar, people gather at Cuu An communal house to hold the autumn sacrifice ceremony. While the spring sacrifice includes prayers for the opening of the mountain and national peace and prosperity, the autumn sacrifice includes prayers to ward off bad luck, praying for favorable weather and continued peace and prosperity in the coming months.”

The ritual of inaugurating the harvest at Huu Thanh village communal house. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan.

Some village communal houses still preserve royal decrees from the Nguyen dynasty, such as Huu Thanh communal house (Tuy Phuoc Dong commune), which holds a harvest festival on the 16th day of the 8th lunar month every year, and also has a ceremony to unveil the decrees.

Mr. Nguy Hong Thanh, the chief priest of Huu Thanh village temple, said: "The autumn sacrifice ceremony is not only a spiritual ritual, but also an opportunity to strengthen community bonds, continue the tradition of 'drinking water, remembering the source,' and for villagers to work together to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values ​​left by our ancestors."

The villagers of Cuu An held an autumn festival at the village communal house, preserving their traditional cultural heritage. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

The beauty of folk beliefs, preserved through the harvest festival, contributes to enriching the identity of Gia Lai, a land where the cultures of the highlands, plains, and coastal regions blend.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/net-dep-tin-nguong-dan-gian-qua-le-te-thu-post568978.html