The hearth fire in the communal house and the rhythm of the gongs herald the arrival of spring.
While the Kinh people are bustling with New Year's greetings and the Tay people eagerly anticipate the Long Tong festival, the Co Tu people in the upstream areas consider visiting each other the most sacred ritual of the first day of the year.
From the last days of the twelfth lunar month, the Tet atmosphere permeates every stilt house. Strong Co Tu men work together to renovate the gươl house - the heart of the village.
Skilled women work at their looms, weaving the most vibrant brocade fabrics to wear during the festival. The aroma of fragrant sticky rice and smoked meat, mingled with the lingering evening smoke, creates a unique and unmistakable flavor of Tet.
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, while the mist still hung over the mountaintops, the sounds of the forest awakened. The first destination for every family was not their private home, but the communal house (gươl).
Here, the village elder respectfully offers the finest offerings to Giàng and the deities: fragrant Tà-vạt wine, sticky rice, grilled meat... praying for a year of favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and no illness or disease among the villagers.
In that sacred space, the entire village gathered together to share a pot of wine and dance the Tung Tung Da Da dance. The eyes of the elders sparkled with joy, and the laughter of children echoed with the rhythm of the gongs. It was a moment of heightened community bonding, where all distances seemed to disappear.
"Bha luu" - A greeting that bridges the gap.
After the ceremony at the communal house, the custom of "visiting each other" truly begins. Groups of people, young and old, go from house to house in the village. Without formality or pretense, they bring with them sincere hearts and the familiar greeting "Bha lươu" (Hello/Greetings).
The beauty of the Co Tu people's custom of visiting each other lies in its simplicity and sincerity. When guests arrive, the host, whether rich or poor, always brings out the best dishes to treat them.
It could be fragrant sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, the flavorful Za-rá (grilled meat in bamboo tubes) seasoned with mountain spices, or simply a bowl of sweet Tà-vạt or Tr'đin wine.
The Co Tu people believe that having guests at home during Tet (Lunar New Year) brings good fortune. The more guests, the happier the host. Amidst the intoxicating aroma of rice wine, hosts and guests reminisce about the past and share their plans for the new year.
What's special is that any grudges or misunderstandings from the past year are all cast aside over a cup of spring wine. Only neighborly affection, tolerance, and sharing remain.
Visitors don't need expensive gifts. Sometimes, just a good piece of firewood to add warmth to the fire, a bunch of wild vegetables, or some homemade produce is enough.
The spirit of the mountain people lies in "sharing the fire," both literally and figuratively. They come to give each other warmth, reminding us that in this vast wilderness, people must rely on each other to survive.
The thread that anchors identity
Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, where many traditional values face the risk of fading away, the custom of visiting each other during Tet (Lunar New Year) among the Co Tu people remains as enduring as a never-ending stream.
These visits, traversing steep slopes and crossing streams, are not merely social interactions, but invisible bonds that strengthen ethnic solidarity. They remind the younger generation to cherish their roots and appreciate the values of family and community.
On a spring day, walking beneath the lush green forest canopy, listening to the resonant sound of gongs, encountering the gentle smiles and firm handshakes of the Co Tu people, one truly appreciates the beauty of their simplicity.
The Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration of the Co Tu people is not boisterous or ostentatious, but is imbued with human warmth – a poetic touch in the colorful cultural tapestry of the city by the Han River.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/tet-cua-nguoi-co-tu-tham-nhau-de-thuong-nhau-hon-3324811.html
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