Recreating traditional culture in wedding ceremony

For generations, weddings have not only been an important event in one's life, but also an opportunity for the community to preserve and pass on unique cultural values. Recently, students majoring in Hotel Management, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel and Restaurant Management, Can Tho University, organized two events recreating the traditional wedding ceremonies of the Kinh and Khmer ethnic groups in the South. The program not only met the requirements of the subject but also helped young people better understand traditional culture, the beauty and meaning of the wedding day.

Wedding ceremony according to Khmer ethnic rituals performed by students of class DH22QTS02.

Ms. Hoang Thi Anh Tuyet, lecturer of the subject “Event and Conference Management”, said: “At the end of the course, I asked each class to organize an event to practice the knowledge they had just learned; at the same time, honor the traditional culture of the nation. Therefore, 2 classes of the Hotel Management major, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel and Restaurant Management chose to organize a wedding ceremony of the Kinh and Khmer people in the South”.

“Fragrance and beauty of the wedding” is an event organized by Class DH22QTS01 at Hall E1 of Nam Can Tho University. Through the vivid reenactment of a Western wedding in the 1990s, young people honor the traditional cultural beauty of the Southern people and recall the nostalgia and memories of the past. From the flower gate made of coconut leaves, Ao Ba Ba, wedding dress, the bride's wedding bouquet of lilies, the ancestral altar, the rustic banquet table with hot pot... all were carefully prepared. The students played their roles in the scene quite naturally and vividly. The important rituals of the wedding day, the banquet, the art performance... were all fully performed. All brought the event attendees back to the bustling, warm atmosphere of a Southern wedding in the renovation period.

Student Phan Hai The, Class President of Class DH22QTS01, shared: “We have prepared for about 1.5 months for this event. From researching documents, coming up with ideas to implementing. Although there were some limitations, we are very happy that the program was successful and took place as planned. Through this event, we not only gained more lessons and experience in organizing and managing events, but also understood and loved our nation's culture more.”

Meanwhile, Class DH22QTS02 chose to organize a wedding ceremony of the Khmer ethnic group in the South. This was a big challenge, however, with investment and a serious working attitude, the students brought an emotional performance. From the set design, costumes, props to traditional rituals, everything was organized systematically, giving viewers more knowledge about sacred rituals, imbued with elements of belief, family and community. Typical examples include the parents' foot washing ceremony, the wrist-tying ceremony, the hair-cutting ceremony... The dances, pentatonic music and traditional costumes... further highlight the unique cultural identity of the Khmer ethnic group.

Student Vo Thi Minh Thu confided: “My friends and I encountered many difficulties when researching and organizing this event. Everyone tried their best and finally achieved quite good results.” For student Ha Khai Minh, who was in charge of organizing the event, the culture of the Khmer people has many interesting details, especially in the wedding ceremony, which helped them learn many interesting things and have more motivation to overcome difficulties and organize the event completely.

For the event participants, the two weddings were not only a journey back to memories and discovering new things, but also an opportunity to recognize, learn, honor and preserve the cultural beauty imbued with national identity.

Article and photos: LE THU

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tai-hien-net-van-hoa-truyen-thong-trong-le-cuoi-a186884.html