Wedding customs of Thai people in Nghe An

(Baonghean) -Like many other ethnic groups, getting married is a very important matter for the Thai people. When the girl agrees, the young man will tell his parents, uncles, and relatives to prepare gifts and go to the girl's house to perform the rituals.

Engagement ceremony:

Normally, the groom's family sends 4 or 6 (even number) women, one of whom is an unmarried daughter, the rest must have a complete family and many children. When arriving at the bride's house, the groom's family must prepare gifts including areca nuts, wine, green tea, and banh chung. During the conversation, if they agree to let the groom become their son-in-law, the bride's family will happily accept the gifts. On the contrary, if they do not agree, the bride's family will refuse or find a way for their daughter to return the gifts to the groom's family. In case the bride's family agrees, both families will offer betel nuts, wine, and wine to each other, chat happily, and learn about each other's circumstances. After the conversation, the groom's family will suggest finding a good day and month to hold the month-visiting ceremony.

Monthly visit ceremony

The members of the groom's family who conduct the monthly visit ceremony are usually 6 couples, including the matchmaker and matchmaker. The first monthly visit ceremony includes 2 boxes of betel, 2 bottles of good wine, 30 Chung cakes. In the second month, depending on the family's conditions, the members can change but must be an even number (in pairs). The ceremony includes 4 boxes of betel, 4 bottles of wine and 50 Chung cakes. Like that, every month the groom's family comes to the bride's family to conduct the monthly visit ceremony once until the end of the 4th month. At this time, if the groom's family wants to have a small wedding ceremony, they bring 2 more boxes of betel and 2 bottles of wine for the two families to introduce and officially accept the bride and groom.

Wedding feast of Thai people in Western Nghe An.

Engagement Ceremony During the engagement ceremony, the groom's family must prepare gifts including 8 bottles of wine, 100 banh chung, 1 pig, and 2 chickens. The bride's family also slaughters a pig in return and contributes food with the groom's family. The gifts are placed on the altar, the matchmaker performs a ceremony to ask the bride's ancestors to bless the couple. After that, the groom takes his shirt, places it on the altar, lights incense, and bows to the bride's ancestors to be certified as the son-in-law of the family, and prays for blessings from the ancestors. After the ceremony, the bride's family begins to ask for a dowry. Usually, the Thai people ask for a dowry in silver. When the dowry ceremony is completed and both sides agree, the bride's family has an intimate meal to entertain and congratulate the in-laws. After the meal, the groom's family places a tray of betel and a bottle of wine on a tray to ask the bride's family for permission to welcome the future bride to visit their home. When the bride arrives at the groom's house, the future mother-in-law gives her a brocade dress and two rolls of silk thread to express the wish that her future daughter-in-law will be a capable and resourceful person. At the same time, the groom's brothers, aunts, uncles, and relatives also give some money to congratulate the new bride and consider her a true member of the family. About a month later, the groom's family organizes another monthly visit. The purpose of this monthly visit is for the two sides to agree on a wedding date. When leaving, the groom's family brings along a silver ingot wedding challenge and 20 Chung cakes. Usually, the Thai people in Western Nghe An choose the wedding time in the 2nd, 6th, 11th, and 12th lunar months. Because those are the times when the crops have been harvested, and food and provisions are already available in the house.

Wedding ceremony

On the wedding day, the bride's family has a meal of bean soup, which means the matchmaker gathers relatives and friends to assign the task of picking up the bride. The group of people sent to pick up the bride is usually from 20 to 24 people, including the matchmaker, aunts, uncles, and young men and women. The groom's family must bring a pig to "take the spirit" (hiếc khoan) for the bride's parents. At the same time, they bring 6 chickens and 3 pigs as gifts. The chickens brought by the groom's family are slaughtered for the ceremony, except for one that is kept in a cage. This chicken is called "cay xon xuaa", which means it is indispensable during the entire wedding ceremony for both families. It is also the animal used for the "cutting of household registration" ceremony at the bride's house and the "entering the family" ceremony at the groom's house. And when picking up the bride, the groom's family is not allowed to forget this chicken. The groom's family slaughters a pig to "take the spirit" and worship the ghosts of the bride's family. In addition to the pig's head and butt, the groom's family's offering tray also includes a silver bracelet called "poóc khen khanh me" (bracelet for mother). After the ceremony, the matchmaker invites the bride's parents and everyone to sit at the table to perform the "tom tranh" (enjoying blessings together) ceremony. While everyone is eating, the groom takes the bracelet placed on the offering tray and puts it on the mother-in-law's hand to express gratitude for her birth. After the "tom tranh" ceremony, the bride's family invites the groom's family to a warm and happy meal to wish the newlyweds a hundred years of happiness. After the meal, the groom's family places a tray of betel and a bottle of wine on the altar to ask for a dowry (chương kha). The bride's family responds by displaying the following items: 2-4 mattresses, 2 blankets, 4-6 pillows, 1 umbrella, 1 mosquito net and 1 rattan chair. After completing the procedure, the groom invites the bride's relatives to drink and give betel, and the groom's family asks for permission to take the bride home.

Thai people usually organize the wedding procession at night, around 1-2 am (considered a good time according to traditional beliefs). The bride's family sends 12 people to take the bride, including uncles, aunts and two close friends of the bride (parents are not allowed to see their daughter to her husband's house). When the couple reaches the stairs, everyone makes way for the foot washing ceremony (xuoi tin). In the middle of the first step, there is a basin of water, in the basin is a silver bracelet, the matchmaker scoops water to wash the feet of both husband and wife with the meaning of washing away dust, bad luck and giving them blessings so that they can live together forever, forever, pure and strong like silver bars, gold bars. The mother-in-law waits at the door to lead the daughter-in-law into the newlywed couple's room.

At this time, the matchmaker performs the red string ceremony (pan khau phuc panh). The offering tray includes 1 boiled chicken, 2 eggs, 1 tray of sticky rice and 1 jar of rice wine. After the matchmaker finishes the ceremony, everyone wishes the couple a hundred years of happiness and a long life.

After the red silk ceremony, the groom's family prepares a wedding ceremony. The offerings include 2 pigs (1 to return the in-laws' love, 1 to be used as a blessing for the bride) and 3 chickens (1 to be used as a blessing for the older brother or sister if the younger brother gets married first, 1 to be used as a blessing for the matchmaker, 1 to be used as an offering to the groom's ancestors). After that, the groom's family and relatives bring money, silver, and clothes to celebrate the new bride (chom po mo).

After the ceremonies, the groom's family had an intimate meal to invite and thank the bride's family for sending the bride to her husband's house enthusiastically and happily. Along with the murmuring chatter and the happy congratulations, there was the sound of gongs and drums. The women took turns raising their voices and voices to congratulate the couple on being together for a lifetime, of happiness and prosperity. When the fun and the wedding ceremony ended, the matchmaker chose a "giên mù" (good hand) or a woman with many children to go into the room to hang mosquito nets and spread mats for the young couple.

On the third day, the groom's family goes to the bride's family to perform a re-engagement ceremony. The purpose of this ceremony is for the bride and groom to thank the matchmakers and report to the bride's ancestors that they have officially become husband and wife.

Cong Kien