"The Red Thread" Connects Communities in the Highlands of Quang Nam

Like a "red thread" connecting the members of the village, the traditional festivals of the highland people not only clearly showcase their unique cultural space, but also strengthen the communal relationships within the community...

The Co Tu community in Pho and Bhlô Bền villages (Song Kon commune, Dong Giang district) joyfully dances with drums and gongs during their traditional wedding ceremony. Photo: DANG NGOC

A traditional wedding ceremony of the Co Tu people was held, with the villagers of Pho and Bhlô Bền (Song Kon commune, Dong Giang district) joining in the lively atmosphere of drums and gongs, dancing to the tan tung da da dance.

According to Mr. Alang Be, an elder in Bhlo Ben village, the Co Tu people believe that, in addition to the bond between the two individuals (bride and groom), the wedding ceremony also connects two clans and the village community. Therefore, Co Tu weddings are usually held very solemnly and are deeply rooted in traditional rituals.

“All the rituals in the traditional Co Tu wedding ceremony, from offering sacrifices to the spirits and exchanging gifts to the ‘buffalo sacrifice’ ritual, are witnessed by the entire village community. The wedding is seen as both an opportunity to strengthen the bond between the two families and to further solidify the solidarity and close ties between the two villages. This long-standing culture holds many traditional values ​​that the Co Tu people cannot abandon,” Mr. Alang Be shared.

Elder Y Kông, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Đông Giang District, believes that besides traditional wedding ceremonies, the Cơ Tu people living in the mountainous districts of Đông Giang, Tây Giang, and Nam Giang still preserve many rituals that strengthen community cohesion. Typical examples include the Cha haroo tame (eating the new rice), Pơr'ngoóch gương yên (taking an oath of brotherhood), and Bhuôih kakoong (worshiping the gods and giving thanks to the forest)... with the village culture as the dominant theme.

The community ritual was reenacted, marking the bond of solidarity among the Co Tu people in Tay Giang district. Photo: DANG NGOC

“In all their traditional rituals, the Co Tu people emphasize the spirit of unity, viewing it as the strength for survival and overcoming all enemies. In the past, besides individual roles, the Co Tu people valued the collective spirit. From funerals and weddings to farming, they always received support from the entire community. Because everyone saw their responsibility in it, they couldn't be separated,” shared elder Y Kong.

The spirit of community cohesion is not unique to the Co Tu people; it is observed in many other highland ethnic groups living at the foot of the eastern Truong Son mountain range. Typical examples include the new rice offering ceremony (Tơl Ba Riang) to thank the rice god of the Ta Rieng people in Nam Giang; the water trough offering ceremony of the Ca Dong and Xe Dang people in Nam Tra My; and the harvest festival of the Bhnoong people in Phuoc Son…

The common thread among these festivals is that, through traditional rituals, the people give thanks to the gods, strengthen solidarity, especially among the clans living together in the same land, amidst the Truong Son mountain range. How beautiful is the image of the Co Tu, Bhnoong, and Ta Rieng people holding hands, dancing around the fire, singing songs of unity amidst the vast mountains…

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/soi-chi-do-ket-noi-cong-dong-vung-cao-quang-nam-3156866.html