Dragon Boat Festival of the Thai ethnic group in Con Cuong
(Baonghean.vn) -The Tay Muong ethnic group of Thai people in Con Cuong (Nghe An) simply call the Dragon Boat Festival the "Fifth Day Festival" because it falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Every year, the villagers here live in a truly festive atmosphere on this day.
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| The villagers "go out" on the fifth day of Tet. |
A few days before, people from the village would visit each other's homes to invite them to celebrate the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. The invitation was usually: "Come to my house and have some bean porridge." One dish, and an indispensable one at the ancestral altar, is black bean porridge or green bean porridge cooked with molasses. In addition, the offering tray also includes sticky rice, chicken, etc., depending on the specific customs of each clan.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, villagers usually visit those who have been "benefiting" from their family. These often include the parents of a married man who lives separately, his wife's parents, matchmakers, and the person representing the family in the marriage proposal. Along the village lanes, people carry offerings to relatives' homes and to the ancestral temple. The atmosphere is quite bustling.
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| The shaman performs rituals at the family shrine. |
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| The offering tray on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year cannot be without mung bean porridge cooked with molasses. |
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| A young member of the family bows and invites the ancestors to partake in a meal. This is an important ritual to show respect for the ancestors. |
Similar to the full moon of the 6th and 7th lunar months, the fifth day of the Lunar New Year is celebrated by each clan. The main gathering place is usually the clan's ancestral temple. This festival is only celebrated for one day, after which everyone returns to their daily routines.
Even the oldest members of the community don't know when the Thai people here started celebrating the fifth day of the lunar month. But it's a truly joyful day for the villagers. According to our research, in Con Cuong, the Thai people in Yen Khe and Chi Khe communes have the custom of celebrating the fifth day of the lunar month. This year, the people of Yen Khe also had the added joy of a bountiful harvest.
Huu Vi
