Unique wedding ceremony of Thai people in Nghe An

Today, Mr. Vi Van Luu's family in Hoa Tay block, Thach Giam town (Tuong Duong) conducted the rituals of the "Xu van po mo" custom. The bride was picked up very early to complete the procedures for entering the family's ancestors. From early morning, the preparations were completed, with full offerings for the new bride.

According to custom, the offering tray for tying a thread around the wrist to welcome the new bride must include a jar of wine, two bamboo poles tied with hemp thread, two halved boiled eggs, the head and parts of the offering animal, and other dowry objects.

According to Mr. Luu, all the offerings were prepared by the parents and the matchmakers. When the bride was brought home, the husband's family tied a thread around her wrist, with the meaning of praying for the young couple to be happy, have children, and live together until their hair turned white and their beards grew long like threads.

Photos from left to right, top to bottom: The matchmaker gives the new bride a pair of earrings; The bride receives her new dress; The bride and groom tie a string around their wrists. Photo: May Huyen

Traditionally, marriage is a major event in a person's life and is highly valued by the community and families. When boys and girls grow up and want to get married, they are free to find a husband or wife without parental arrangement. When the love between the young couple is mature enough, the groom's family must take the initiative to ask for a matchmaker.

The matchmakers here are not matchmakers, but rather prestigious people who understand the wedding customs in the village and commune. They are asked by the groom's family to act as matchmakers and are considered as parents, on behalf of the groom's family to discuss and decide on the wedding procedures for the children. The "Xu Van Po Mo" procedures are also performed by the matchmakers and the shaman. After that, a good day and time must be chosen to carry out the ritual of praying for blessings and safety, and then tying a thread around the couple's wrists.

Mr. Kha Hong Dung - A prestigious person in Hoa Tay block, Thach Giam town (Tuong Duong) said: The "Xu Van Po Mo" tray is different from the usual tray, it must have a jar of wine, 2 pipes, a horn, 2 eggs, a pig and only 1 hemp thread. That thread is tied to the husband and the wife before being separated, so that the 2 threads are attached to each other. When offering this tray to the young couple, it must be reminded that when they were in heaven, they were husband and wife, after being born on earth, becoming a boy and a girl, they continued to love each other.

According to Mr. Dung, the family has wine and gifts to ask for the bride's side's procedures, then bring the bride home, perform the "Xu Van" ceremony. When setting the tray, the matchmaker takes 2 eggs and divides them in half for 2 people to eat, then ties a string around their wrists, their right hands cross each other, the man's hand is on top, the girl's hand is below, the same with the eggs, the man eats the piece facing up, the girl eats the piece facing down, then drinks the wine together, the 2 pipes must be crossed, the husband and wife must drink all 2 horns of wine, not letting it run out or let it run out.

According to Thai people's concept, men have 7 souls, women have 9 souls, when they come to live together, their souls are also called to the same house. Therefore, unlike the wrist-tying ceremony to keep the soul and pray for peace, the "Xu Van Po Mo" ceremony has the great meaning of praying for happiness. In particular, in the wrist-tying ceremony, brothers and relatives on the paternal side also have very meaningful gifts such as: dresses, shirts, scarves, belts, blankets, curtains, mattresses, pillows, muslin or those who have more conditions will give bracelets, bracelets, earrings, gold and silver rings, hairpins, and relics to the young couple as dowry, with the wish that the young couple will be forever happy and fulfilled.

The matchmaker divided the egg in half for the young couple. Photo: May Huyen

Mr. Vi Sat Son - Director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Center of Tuong Duong district said: "When the groom's family marries their daughter-in-law, they perform the custom of tying a thread around the wrist. This is a beautiful custom, with the meaning of wishing the couple to build a happy family for a hundred years and have many children. Tuong Duong district has a project to preserve and promote the national cultural identity, in which the wrist tying ceremony has been restored, creating a premise for the couple to see their responsibility to build a happy family and a good society."

With many good practices, many projects to preserve and maintain the traditional values ​​of ethnic minorities have been and are being deployed and implemented widely in the whole district by Tuong Duong district. Accordingly, implementing a new cultural lifestyle, many cumbersome and costly customs in weddings or other ceremonies have been shortened by families. However, with customs considered beautiful, carrying deep meanings that have been ingrained in the subconscious of the nation such as the custom of "Xu van po mo", tying wrist threads, drinking wine together or some activities in life, spirituality is still focused on by the people to preserve.