How locals choose the person they like to be the first to enter their home

Taboos are a noticeable feature in many ethnic communities, including taboos during Tet. Some minority communities in Nghe An also have their own taboos. However, we can still find some mutual influences between the taboos of ethnic minorities and the Kinh people.

Nghe An ranks second in the number of Thai people in Vietnam, after Son La. For decades, the Thai people have celebrated the Lunar New Year like the Kinh people, perhaps that is why some of their taboos are somewhat similar.

A woman was "asked" to be the first visitor of the year in Nam Dinh village, Chi Khe commune, Con Cuong on the first day of the Lunar New Year 2018. Photo: Huu Vi

On the first morning of the Lunar New Year, Thai people in some areas of Nghe An do not visit other people’s houses. They are afraid that if their house is the first to enter the house, they will be successful, but if something bad happens, they will be blamed. Thai people also have the habit of choosing the right person to invite to “enter the house” early in the morning of the New Year.

Also during the New Year, Thai people usually do not ask for fire or water from other houses. Some people believe that if they have to ask for fire or water on New Year's Day, they will have to ask for it all year round. Also during New Year's Day, people usually live in tolerance and do not raise their voices at anyone to maintain harmony all year round.

People invited to be the first to enter a house in the new year have the habit of burning incense in front of the ancestral altar to pray for peace for the homeowner. Photo: Huu Vi

The Khmu and Mong communities in Nghe An have celebrated the Lunar New Year for nearly 30 years. Previously, these two communities celebrated the New Year according to the Lao calendar. Although they have “unified” in organizing the New Year celebration, the New Year’s customs are still preserved, with only a change in time.

The Khmu also have a taboo on the first day of the new year. After the wine party on New Year's Eve, in Huoi Phuon village, Keng Du commune, Ky Son district, guests often return to their homes. They rarely celebrate Tet past midnight, because at this time the new year has begun. People do not want to stay to "enter" other people's homes. Daughters who have married must also return home because they are considered outsiders.

In the Khmu kitchen. Photo: Cao Dong

The Khmu people in Huoi Phuon also choose a “suitable” person to enter their house first. Like the Thai community, in previous years, the Khmu people often chose the person to enter their house first based on the homeowner’s feelings. They did not care much about whether that person was of the right age or not. As long as they were “satisfied”, they would invite him to enter their house first. Recently, many people have paid more attention to choosing someone of the right age to enter their house early in the morning of the first day of Tet.