Highlanders hold festivals to worship the gods.

As an occasion to express gratitude to Mother Forest, during the first and second days of the lunar calendar, the ethnic minority communities in the western part of Da Nang city often organize rituals to worship the deities, expressing their devotion and praying for a prosperous new year with favorable weather.

A traditional festival of the Co Tu community after the Lunar New Year. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

The Co Tu people "open the forest"

During the spring days, the Co Tu people often organize the "opening of the forest" ritual, through a traditional ceremony to give thanks to the forest at the beginning of the year. This is considered an important spiritual and cultural activity, preserved by the Co Tu people, expressing the community's gratitude and appreciation to the river and mountain spirits.

Elder Briu Pố (in Arớh village, Tây Giang commune) said that in the Cơ Tu people's belief, the natural forest is "mother," the source of life that has nourished the community for generations. Therefore, before entering a new production season, the elder and the community organize rituals, offering sacrifices and praying to the spirits for favorable weather, a bountiful harvest, and peace and prosperity for the village.

According to Elder Briu Pố, the Cơ Tu people hold a thanksgiving ceremony to the forest to pray for good fortune at the beginning of the year, and at the same time express their gratitude to "Mother Forest," reminding their descendants to cherish and protect the great Mother Nature who has extended her arms to protect and shelter the community. "In the Cơ Tu villages, since ancient times, our ancestors have always believed that as long as the forest remains, the villagers have the conditions to develop; if the forest is lost, life will be affected. Therefore, preserving the forest is protecting our source of livelihood, ensuring its stability and longevity," Elder Briu Pố shared.

The Co Tu people reenact the ritual of throwing offerings onto the ceremonial pole, signifying gratitude to the mountain god. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

Following the traditional "opening of the forest" ritual of the Co Tu community, this year, Hung Son border commune is responsible for organizing the annual festival of gratitude to the forest on a commune-wide scale, scheduled to take place at the Pơmu Eco-tourism Village in early April. To prepare for this significant event, for many months, the Hung Son commune government has been surveying the terrain and assigning tasks to each village, ensuring the festival is held in accordance with the original traditional culture.

According to Zơrâm Buôn, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hùng Sơn commune, in addition to renovating the village's communal house, the 2026 New Year's Opening Ceremony - Thanksgiving to the Forest will recreate many unique traditional rituals, from erecting the ceremonial pole and setting up the ceremonial tent to offering gifts to the forest god. After the solemn ceremony, hundreds of Cơ Tu artisans, dressed in traditional colors, will perform the Tâng Tung Da Dá dance, vividly recreating the "thanksgiving to the forest" festival.

Through this festival, the local government and the Co Tu community of Hung Son commune hope to contribute to preserving their cultural identity and promote the development of unique tourism products in the near future.

Many traditional rituals are reenacted during village festivals and ceremonies honoring the gods. Photo: ALĂNG NGƯỚC

Thank the mountain god.

Following the tradition of the Co Tu people's "open forest" religious practices, many Ca Dong, Xe Dang, and Gie Trieng communities in mountainous communes gather to organize ceremonies to worship mountain gods, river gods, and water gods. Through years of preservation, these traditional rituals have become unique religious spaces, firmly binding the spiritual connection between people, deities, and the community.

After a period of preparation, several days ago, a ritual offering to the mountain god was held by the Ca Dong community in Hamlet 3 (Tra Doc Commune). This is the "buffalo feast" ritual, an important belief of the Ca Dong and Xe Dang ethnic groups in the former Nam Tra My and Bac Tra My districts. This ceremony aims to honor the mountain god, strengthen community bonds, and preserve unique cultural values.

According to Mr. Dinh Van Truong, the organizer of the festival, throughout the event, the village community gathers in a traditional setting, enjoying dances and songs accompanied by gong and drum music, and savoring characteristic mountain cuisine . The "buffalo feast" is usually held at significant times, such as after the harvest season or when the village has an important event, symbolizing abundance and prosperity; and conveying hopes for a prosperous new year.

"For the Ca Dong people, the 'buffalo feast' festival carries many layers of meaning, expressing their belief in deities, serving as an opportunity to unite the community, preserve traditional cultural values, and strive for a prosperous and happy life," Mr. Dinh Van Truong shared.

Ca Dong women use bamboo tubes to collect the first water from the water source after the village elder's ritual of worshipping the water trough. Photo: DANG NGUYEN

Embracing the spirit of the spring village festival, the Xê Đăng people also maintain the ritual of worshipping the water trough, viewing it as an opportunity to thank the stream and forest spirits for bestowing cool, clean water upon the community. The ceremony includes erecting a ceremonial pole, offering a pig at the water source, and bringing new water to the village, symbolizing sacred community connection and usually taking place at the beginning of the new year or after the harvest season.

Amidst the resounding drums and gongs, the village elders perform the rituals and prayers passed down from their ancestors; afterwards, they instruct their descendants and villagers to preserve the clean and pure water sources; to always be united, loving, and supportive of one another; to strive for a bountiful harvest. From there, the annual festivals continue to be preserved as a thread connecting the identity and vitality of the community through many generations.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/vung-cao-mo-hoi-cung-than-3329402.html