Cham culture in costumes and festivals Kate

Traditional costumes of the Cham people and the Kate Festival are closely related. Costumes are not only a part of the festival but also have profound cultural significance, expressing the identity and beliefs of the Cham people.

Cham costumes are not only clothing but also contain many cultural and religious elements and reflect social status. The outstanding features of Cham costumes are discreetness, sophistication and diversity in color and pattern. Cham costumes are mainly woven from cotton and silk with elaborate traditional weaving techniques. Cham men also wear sarongs (skirts) of many different types. They often wear short, buttoned blouses. During festivals, men also wear scarves and long-sleeved shirts in a neat and polite manner.

Kate Festival (also known as Mbang Kate) is the most sacred and important folk festival of the Cham people who follow Brahmanism, mainly in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. The festival is held in the 7th month of the Cham calendar (around the end of September or the beginning of October in the solar calendar). The Kate Festival is an occasion for the Cham people to commemorate the gods, ancestors, and deceased grandparents, to pray for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, the growth of people and all things, and harmony between couples, bringing luck and peace to the whole community. The festival is also an occasion for people to meet, exchange, strengthen solidarity and have fun after a year of hard work.