Recreating the rice harvest ritual of the Jrai people.

Attending the reconstruction event were Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Thi Thu Huong; representatives of the Ia Grai commune leadership; and a large number of villagers.

Villagers of Dun De (Ia Grai commune) during the rice harvest ceremony on the morning of October 25th. **Photo: Lam Nguyen.**

The rice harvest ceremony is one of the important agricultural rituals of the Jrai people before sowing rice, aiming to pray for the blessings of the spirits for a bountiful harvest in the upcoming season, and to express their hopes for a prosperous and peaceful life.

To begin the ceremony, Mr. Rơ Châm Hyă, representing the village elders, beat the drum and called out to the villagers to gather. The offerings included a jar of wine, a roasted chicken, roasted pork, and freshly cooked rice.

You may also like

Reviewing the investment plan for the nearly 77,000 billion VND expressway through 3 Central Highlands provinces.The Western North-South Expressway project, specifically the Pleiku - Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia section, if invested in, will create momentum to boost socio-economic development in the localities and the Central Highlands region.

Beside the towering ceremonial pole, Mr. Hyă recited the prayer: “O Mountain God, Water God, Rice God. Today, our village is holding a rice harvest ceremony. We respectfully inform you to come here and share in the feast and drink.”

"We have made all the preparations and invited the gods to come here to eat pork and chicken and drink rice wine. We ask the gods to bless the villagers with abundant corn and rice; that everyone may be well-fed, healthy, and happy... We ask our ancestors to come here to eat, witness, and bless the villagers so that they may be as strong as buffaloes and as swift as squirrels; that everyone may be healthy and free from illness, and that every household may be peaceful."

After finishing the offering, Mr. Hyă took his first sip of the traditional rice wine from the earthenware jar, then passed the wine flask to the elders and then to the younger people in the village to drink together. Men and women, young and old, joined in the traditional dance, the rhythm of the gongs and drums, and the intoxicating aroma of the traditional rice wine in an atmosphere of unity and joy.

You may also like

Preserving traditional culture in schools.In the strong current of integration and digital transformation, the cultural identity of ethnic minorities is at risk of fading, especially among young people. By skillfully integrating it into lectures and extracurricular activities, many schools in the province have gradually brought traditional cultural education closer to students, helping the younger generation better understand and appreciate the cultural values of their ethnic groups, contributing to the preservation and conservation of traditional cultural identity in the school environment.

The restoration activities contribute to preserving and promoting the unique intangible cultural values of the Jrai people, while also promoting the image of Gia Lai's land and people to tourists and developing local tourism .

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/phuc-dung-le-cung-lua-mua-cua-dong-bao-jrai-post570253.html