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Unique ceremony to welcome the first thunder of the year of the O Du ethnic group

Dinh Tuan DNUM_BFZADZCACF 13:54

For the O Du community in Vang Mon village, Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district, the first thunder welcoming ceremony of the year is the oldest and most sacred custom. Although no one remembers when the thunder welcoming ceremony began, it has been preserved and passed down from generation to generation, becoming an indispensable ritual in the cultural life of the O Du ethnic community, one of the five smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam.

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According to the elders of the O Du people in Vang Mon village, Nga My (Tuong Duong), the first thunder of the year signals the arrival of a new year and the O Du people will hold a celebration. Before holding the ceremony, a tray of food must be prepared to inform and ask permission from the local god. In the photo: Ceremony to inform and ask permission from the local god. Photo: Dinh Tuan
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After the announcement and request from the local god, a thunder welcoming ceremony will be held. In the photo: People are carrying offerings to the thunder god and their ancestors. Photo: Dinh Tuan
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Shaman Lo Van Cuong, in Vang Mon village, Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district (the man wearing black clothes standing in the middle) said: "The O Du people live mainly by farming, hunting and raising animals. In the past, there was no calendar or clock. The people counted the time of the year starting from the day of the first thunder. Therefore, the ceremony to celebrate the first thunder of the year is an indispensable ritual for the O Du people. To perform the ritual, people must prepare 2 trays of food, 1 tray to worship the thunder god and ancestors, 1 tray to organize the village festival, and tie a string around their wrists." Photo: Dinh Tuan
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The offering tray for the god of thunder and ancestors includes: pig's head, fish meat, mouse meat, grilled fish, sticky rice, wine... and indispensable rice wine. Mr. Dinh Tuan
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The offerings for the ceremony include: boiled chicken, sticky rice, mooc... Photo: Dinh Tuan
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After the ceremonies are completed, the elders will receive the offerings first, followed by their children and grandchildren. Photo: Dinh Tuan
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One of the indispensable rituals in the thunder welcoming ceremony is the wrist-tying ritual to pray for everyone's health and peace in the new year. Photo: Dinh Tuan
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After the ceremony, the festival will be held with exciting group activities such as dancing, singing, and playing folk games. Mr. Lo Van Thai, Head of Vang Mon village, Nga My commune, said: "The thunder welcoming ceremony is an indispensable ritual of the O Du ethnic group. Every year, it is only held on a small scale in households, but every 3 years, the village will organize a larger scale with the participation of all the people in the village". Photo: Dinh Tuan
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The festival to celebrate the first thunder of the year is also an opportunity for the O Du people to send their wishes to their ancestors to bless their descendants with good health, solidarity and a new year of smooth business and bountiful harvests. The festival to welcome the thunder is a cultural beauty of the O Du community, which needs to be preserved and promoted to spread in the development of community tourism, contributing to sustainable poverty reduction for the ethnic group that only exists in Tuong Duong (Nghe An). Photo: Dinh Tuan

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Unique ceremony to welcome the first thunder of the year of the O Du ethnic group
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