Chau Cuong Commune, Quy Hop District currently has two ethnic groups living together, harmoniously attached to each other: Kinh and Thai (including 2 groups: Tay Muong and Tay Thanh). Chairman of Chau Cuong Commune People's Committee - Sam Phuc Thao said: Many beautiful cultural features are still maintained by the Thai people and included in the village and hamlet conventions. For example, in the past, the marriage of Thai children was arranged by their parents and there was a custom of giving gifts as a token (called "hong lanh"). Once there was a "hong lanh", the son immediately brought them home to give to his parents and set a wedding date. For the young couple to become husband and wife, a representative of the groom's family went to the bride's family to present the token and inform the family. If the bride's family agreed to let them become in-laws, the ceremony was considered successful. After asking and receiving the girl's family's consent, the groom's family had to visit the bride's family every few months (the day of the visit must be the same day as the engagement). This custom aims to strengthen and connect the two families. At the same time, the son is forced to live with the bride's family (from 10 to 15 days) until the wedding day. "This is the most challenging time, because the son cannot sit and eat with his parents-in-law, sister-in-law and sisters-in-law, and must sleep separately. On the wedding day, the groom's family usually picks up the bride at midnight" - Mr. Thao added.
Nowadays, there is still the custom of giving gifts as a token of trust (waiting), but some places have eliminated some cumbersome rituals such as staying with the groom's family or picking up the bride at midnight... and the village and hamlet conventions also clearly state the encouragement of organizing wedding ceremonies according to the new lifestyle.
Or the custom of wife stealing originated from the fact that there were couples who did not receive the consent of their parents so they had to steal their wives. Before stealing, the young man often left something on the altar of the girl's house to signal to the girl's family that he had taken the girl. The next day, the groom's family brought gifts to confess their sins and ask for her hand in marriage. This custom later changed and became a bad custom, the Thai people called it the custom of "wife kidnapping". Later, the custom of wife kidnapping was modified and included in the prohibition in the village covenant to suit contemporary life.
“In addition to the will and common unity of the community, the village covenants and conventions are adjusted to meet the requirements of Resolution 5 of the Central Committee, Session III of the Party Central Committee on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people, meeting the requirements of sustainable development of the country and Resolution 05-NQ/TU, dated December 14, 2016 of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on building cultural people and cultural families of Nghe An to meet the requirements of integration and development” – Chairman of the People's Committee of Chau Cuong commune emphasized.
According to Mr. Thai Tam, a researcher on the Thai ethnic group in Quy Hop district, the customs and practices of the Thai people in areas such as Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Que Phong... or Con Cuong Tuong Duong, Ky Son mostly retain the quintessence from thousands of years ago. It is deeply rooted through the ages. Currently, many customs have been improved and supplemented in the conventions and village covenants, but the main customs are still maintained in the lives of the Thai people. For example, in Ky Son and Tuong Duong districts, in weddings in many families and clans, although the custom of living with the son-in-law and demanding a dowry is still maintained, it is not as strict as before. The dowry is only of spiritual significance, not as material as before. For funerals, in the past, when a relative in the family passed away, the body was put into a coffin by the sons-in-law, after the body had been kept at home for 3 days and nights, the family would invite a shaman. On the third day, at the right time when the buffaloes in the forest come out to graze in the fields, streams, and creeks (around 2-3pm), the body is buried. Currently, according to the new village convention, there is almost no longer a situation of leaving the dead for 3 days before burying them.
“In the past, some villages and clans of the Thai people even had the custom of choosing a bride and groom to do good deeds, called the “Liệp quai” ceremony in the funeral (depending on the position of the deceased, the number of brides and grooms was chosen). There were funerals where up to 10 bride and groom couples were chosen to perform this ritual. These bride and groom couples would go around the buffalo, and at any funeral, the family had to kill one buffalo to perform the funeral ceremony. When this ceremony ended, the buffalo was butchered, only the buffalo head was left behind and the next day it was taken to the grave to be offered to the deceased right on the grave. However, according to the new regulations that were added and amended in the conventions and village covenants, many places have omitted these cumbersome rituals,” said Mr. Thai Tam.
Thai people from ancient times to the present have been very conscious of creating and preserving their national identity. In many places, the issue of preserving and maintaining traditional crafts (brocade weaving, embroidery, etc.) is recorded in village and hamlet conventions and has been developed and passed down through many generations by Thai women, both creating goods for exchange, increasing income and closely associated with preserving traditional costumes.
In addition, the Thai ethnic people are also very interested in preserving and maintaining a unique and rich cultural and artistic treasure such as the monumental epic Lai Khun Chuong, the long poems "Lai Long Muong", "Lai Noc Yeng", "Lai et Khay", folk songs such as nhuon, suoi, lam, xap... and musical instruments such as: khen, flute, gong, drum... Currently, in the conventions and village rules of many Thai villages, the responsibilities of each person and each family in preserving the cultural values of the ethnic group are clearly stipulated. For example, in Muong Ham village, Chau Cuong commune, Quy Hop district, there are 123 Thai households and 3 Kinh households living there. The village rules are built on the basis of preserving and promoting the traditions and customs of the homeland, upholding the good standards and practices of the ethnic group, eliminating backward customs, and developing healthy forms of cultural activities. The village's convention also clearly states the establishment of an amateur art troupe to participate in the annual Muong Ham traditional cultural festival. Accordingly, the Thai ethnic folk song club here was established very early (in 2002) and now has 80 members of all ages, chaired by Folk Artist Luong Thi Phien. In addition to participating in festivals and cultural activities, the club focuses on teaching Thai folk songs and traditional musical instruments to children in and outside the village, especially during the summer holidays.
