The Khmu people in Western Nghe An make green rice to celebrate the new rice season.
Dinh Tuan•DNUM_CJZAJZCACE 15:36
In addition to popular festivals such as Lunar New Year and Independence Day, the Khmu community in Western Nghe An also has their own holidays. One of the important rituals in the life and culture of the Khmu is the "New Rice Celebration" ceremony.
Around September - October of the solar calendar every year, when the rice plants in the fields turn yellow, the Khmu people will choose an auspicious day to go and select ripe, heavy sticky rice flowers to bring home to make green rice flakes to prepare for the new rice festival. Photo: Dinh TuanThe rice flowers chosen to make green rice flakes are the ripe, heavy-bodied, largest-grained sticky rice flowers, with slightly blue-yellow skin and unripe grains. If they are fully ripe, the green rice flakes will not be fragrant. Photo: Dinh TuanTo make a batch of delicious, green green rice flakes, the rice flake maker must go through many manual steps, each step requiring diligence and meticulousness from the rice flake maker. After harvesting the rice, it will be put in a pot to boil until the aroma of young sticky rice is smelled, and the husk has begun to peel off, then it will be put on the stove to dry. Photo: Dinh TuanMs. Lu Thi Lan, a Khmu ethnic person in Xop Pu village, Yen Na commune, Tuong Duong district, said: “The new rice celebration of the Khmu ethnic group is held with the meaning of thanking grandparents, ancestors and gods for protecting and protecting crops from pests, birds, squirrels and wild animals, for a bountiful harvest, a prosperous, full and happy life. Sticky rice made from new sticky rice is indispensable in the offering tray, so every year my family makes new sticky rice to worship our grandparents and ancestors”. In the photo: Ms. Lan is drying the rice after it has been boiled on the kitchen rack. Photo: Dinh TuanAfter drying, the rice will be pounded in a mortar until the husk is removed. Ms. Lu Thi Hien, in Xop Pu village, Yen Na commune, said: "When pounding, do not pound too hard, otherwise the rice will be crushed. To get smooth, green rice grains, when pounding, you must constantly stir the rice from top to bottom so that it is even." Photo: Dinh TuanAccording to the locals, all the steps of making green rice flakes are done by hand. If the green rice flakes are put into a milling machine, they will lose their green color. Photo: Dinh TuanTo have satisfactory green rice grains, Kho Mu ethnic women have to spend a lot of time and effort. Photo: Dinh TuanThe Khmu people make green rice to celebrate the new rice season. Video: Dinh Tuan
