The custom of drinking wine of the Khmu people

(Baonghean) - Drinking Ruou Can is an indispensable custom in the life of the Khmu people. On holidays, or on the spiritual activities of a family or the whole community, there must be a jar of Ruou Can. And on different occasions, the way of drinking Ruou Can is also different...

The Khmu people in Keng Du, especially women, almost all know how to brew and drink ruou can. During the off-season, every household brews dozens of jars of wine for use when needed. The yeast used to brew ruou can is mainly made from the traditional yeast of the local people. That is why Keng Du ruou can is sweet, strong and spicy but does not give the drinker a headache.

In the village, each person has their own way of brewing wine. Some families only need to brew it for half a month before it can be drunk. Some families leave it for 1 or 2 months. Some families store it for up to half a year before drinking it on a certain occasion. The longer the wine is kept, the stronger and tastier it becomes. However, if you don't know how to preserve it, if you leave it for too long, it will be bitter and hard to drink. There are 3 types of ingredients used to brew wine. They are sticky rice, cassava and corn. Each ingredient gives the wine its own flavor. Sticky rice wine gives a strong, intoxicating taste and can be used for a long time, corn wine gives a sweet taste, is easy to drink, and is suitable for women; cassava wine gives a strong, aromatic taste.

On the day of Tet “gơ rô” (New Year), after the worshiping ceremony and ritual to drive away bad things in the old year and pray for good luck by smearing chicken blood on the knees, praying for good luck for each family member, the jar of wine is opened. The oldest people in the family are invited to drink first. Before screwing the jar of wine to drink, the celebrant invites the ghosts of the house to drink wine, celebrate Tet with the family, and wish for good luck for the family in the new year. After the drinking party of the elders, the younger people and women are allowed to drink. The drinking party can last until almost midnight, the family members stay to celebrate Tet until New Year's Eve, into the new year.

The Khmu people in Keng Du enjoy drinking wine together.

In a housewarming party, after the homeowner has completed the procedures for moving into a new house, the jar of rice wine is opened for everyone to enjoy. The celebration usually lasts for 2 consecutive days, from the afternoon of the previous day until the evening of the following day. After 7 days, another party is held to pay back those who helped build the new house. In a wedding, after the lucky ritual with chicken blood is held for the in-laws and the bride and groom, the jar of rice wine is opened. There is something quite special, in the wine parties on happy occasions such as Tet or housewarming, it usually only takes place in the kitchen. The jar of rice wine is placed next to a stake built next to the kitchen or next to a house pillar, the foot of the bed, as long as there is a place to "lean" on the jar of rice wine.

In the wedding ceremony, for the bride's family with a family altar, the groom's family cannot lack a jar of wine to offer to the bride's ancestors to inform the bride's ancestors about the host's request to marry the girl. That night, the bride's family also has a jar of wine from the host to offer to the ancestors and the groom's family. Two jars of wine are placed parallel in front of the ancestral altar. After the offering to inform the ancestors about the family's work, the host opens the wine to invite guests and family members to drink wine to celebrate the young couple.

In addition, in the funeral of the Khmu people, can wine is also used to worship the dead on the 3rd and 9th days after burial. Can wine here is used to make a farewell to the deceased for the last time, along with worshiping the house ghost in the funeral. This is an indispensable sacred ritual of the people.

Having the opportunity to attend a traditional wedding ceremony, or attend a housewarming ceremony... observing and participating in the cultural night of drinking wine of our people, we can fully appreciate the unique and special values ​​in the wine culture of the Khmu people. It is like a bond that connects the community, tightening solidarity and mutual attachment between people in the same village...

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