Since early morning, the stilt house of Mr. Lu Van Dung, a Khmu ethnic in Yen Son village, Yen Na commune, has been crowded with people, filled with laughter and chatter. Today, everyone came to join Mr. Son's family in preparing to celebrate the new rice. In the large yard, some women in the village prepared offerings together. Some used new sticky rice to make sticky rice, others grilled stream fish, arranged rice wine, boiled chicken, wild vegetables... Products from the mountains and forests and the results of the local people's labor.

When everything was ready, at the auspicious time, Mr. Lu Van Dung, in traditional costume, solemnly performed the "Ma Ma Hum Me" (new rice offering) ceremony. The homeowner respectfully prayed to the ancestors, heaven and earth and the gods to witness and bless the family and villagers with good health, a bountiful harvest next season, and unity and happiness for the descendants.

The Khmu ethnic people directly take sticky rice from the most beautiful rice fields to make sticky rice to display on the offering tray.

When home, the sticky rice flowers are boiled to produce delicious new rice grains.

Also coming to share the joy of the new rice with the family were representatives of local leaders, prestigious people, and villagers. Mr. Oc Van Toan, the village elder, explained: “There are many traditional specialties of the Khmu people that are only prepared when worshiping ancestors, forest gods, field gods, or when receiving distinguished guests. The offering tray for the new rice celebration cannot lack rice, new sticky rice, chicken, and fish, symbolizing abundance and harmony between heaven, earth, and humans.”

After the ceremony is the festival, when the jar of wine is opened for everyone to enjoy with the typical dishes of the ethnic people. According to the people in the village, the new rice celebration is a unique cultural activity, not only expressing gratitude to heaven and earth, gods and ancestors but also reflecting the spirit of solidarity and sharing of the community. Each dish, each ritual is closely linked to the life of production and labor, reflecting the harmonious relationship between people and nature. Mr. Lu Van Dung said that maintaining the new rice celebration has become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the ethnic people. "Today, although life has changed a lot, families and people still maintain cultural beauty to teach their children and grandchildren to appreciate the fruits of labor and be grateful to their roots," Mr. Dung shared.

Offering tray in the new rice celebration with many typical dishes of the people.

Local officials and people drank rice wine to share joy with the host.

Mr. Vi Tien Dung, Head of the Department of Culture and Society of Yen Na commune, said: "The local government always encourages households to maintain and organize the new rice celebration to contribute to preserving the unique cultural values ​​of their nation. Thereby, arousing national pride, strengthening the great national unity, promoting the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life" and the new rural construction program of the commune".

Thanks to the attention of the government and the people's awareness of preserving culture, the new rice celebration in Yen Na commune is increasingly organized systematically, bringing many spiritual values. The local government hopes that in the near future, the new rice celebration will be organized in combination with cultural exchange activities, culinary performances, introduction of traditional crafts... to attract tourists to experience.

HIEU AN

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/nghe-an-le-mung-lua-moi-cua-dong-bao-dan-toc-kho-mu-o-xa-vung-cao-882626