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Unique New Year's thunder welcoming ceremony of the O Du ethnic group

Dinh Tuan • March 15, 2025 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.

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

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

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. 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 two trays of food, one tray to worship the thunder god and ancestors, one tray to organize the village's festival, and tie a string around their wrists." Photo: Dinh Tuan

The offering tray for the thunder god and ancestors includes: pig's head, fish meatballs, mouse meatballs, grilled fish, sticky rice, wine... and indispensable rice wine. Mr. Dinh Tuan

The offerings for the ceremony include: boiled chicken, sticky rice, mooc... Photo: Dinh Tuan

After the ceremonies are over, the elders will enjoy the offerings first, followed by their children and grandchildren. Photo: Dinh Tuan

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

After the ceremony, there will be a festival with exciting collective 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

The festival of welcoming the first thunder of the year is also an occasion 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 of welcoming 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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