Every year at the end of the year, when the rice grains are heavy and covered with golden color, spreading across the high hills, the Xe Dang people bustle and prepare to celebrate the new rice eating ceremony. This has been a traditional custom for many generations in the Xe Dang community, to summarize the harvest after a year of hard work. At the same time, wish for good health, lush fields, and abundant rice in next year's crops.
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| Villagers set up bamboo trees to prepare for the New Rice Eating Ceremony |
From early morning, Mr. A Nang's family in Dak Rowang village, Dak Pxi commune, Dak Ha district was busy preparing for the new rice eating ceremony. Pounding some golden ripe rice just harvested from the fields, he and his wife quickly cooked new rice and prepared some traditional dishes to welcome their brothers, relatives and distinguished guests to eat new rice with their family.
To celebrate the new rice eating ceremony, right from the beginning of October, before entering the field rice harvest season, Mr. Nang had to go to the forest to set traps for mice, birds, worms, etc., catch stream fish to hang on the kitchen floor. gradually dry. His wife picks wild vegetables and harvests gourds to store in the house for later use. Before that, his family also prepared a few jars of wine to invite guests to visit and brought them to the communal house to enjoy with relatives during the festival.
“Every time we eat new rice, according to the custom left by our ancestors, we must first have rice, vegetables, fruits, mouse meat, and fish to enjoy the holiday, no matter how little or how much. Every October, we have to hold a ceremony to eat new rice according to the customs of our people" - Mr. A Nang shared.
Like Mr. A Nang's family, Mr. A Băk and his wife also prepared food early in the morning. The hot tubes of bamboo rice and fragrant wild meat that his family prepared were ready to display to welcome his brothers and relatives to come and enjoy with the family. Along with the rice and wheat fields, this year, Mr. A Băk's family's coffee garden also began to harvest, and he and his wife welcomed the new rice feast with more excitement.
Mr. A Bak said: "We cannot give up every year, we must follow the custom of eating new rice. This year the family's economy did not earn much, but they did earn 10 bags of rice, and growing wheat also earned a little, and the children still went to school. The village chief and teachers also always encourage the family to try to do business to have food for their children to study and to help the family have more economic development."
According to traditional customs of the Xe Dang people in Dak Pxi commune, the new rice eating ceremony usually takes place for three days. On the first day, young men in the village had to go to the forest to cut bamboo trees to make bamboo sticks and weave some other items. On the second day, in the morning, each family will organize a new meal at home, participate in building a bamboo tree and hold a festival at the communal house from noon until the end of the night. And on the last day, the village's gong team will be sent to each household to ask for food reserves such as mouse meat, birds, dried fish, wild vegetables, etc. to bring back to the communal house for the villagers to prepare dishes. , drinking wine, wishing each other a good harvest.
Currently, to save time and ensure health, in addition to preserving the unique customs of the new rice eating ceremony, Xe Dang people have consciously shortened and organized the holiday from the beginning. Prepare until finished in about 1 - 2 days only.
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| The family welcomes the new fire and prays for a good harvest in the new year |
In the new rice eating ceremony of the Xe Dang people in Dak Pxi, the village fire is indispensable. Fire arrows are woven by Xe Dang men and young people from cut bamboo brought from the forest, used in the ceremony of welcoming new fire arrows. If the village's new rice eating ceremony must have a new rice tree, then each family must welcome the new fire tree into the house. This is an extremely important ritual in the spiritual life of the Xe Dang people, symbolizing the spirit of solidarity, strength, warmth and fullness of each household and the entire village. new crop has arrived.
The fire lit on the stilt is taken from the village leader's stove and it is the village elder who takes the lead to bring the new flaming sledge to each household. Whichever household the stilt is brought to, the head of the household will come out to receive it. enter the house. Then take some husks from your family's newly pounded rice grains and put them in the fire to pray for good things.
Past noon, each family has arranged a location for their family's wine jar, and food has also been arranged to invite villagers to enjoy. In the bustling atmosphere of the festival, everyone invites each other to drink a passionate cup of wine with wishes for each other's health, good harvests and a full life.
Mr. A Phuok - Head of Dak Lap Village, Dak Long Commune said: "According to the new custom of eating rice, we must always know and preserve the traditions our ancestors left behind, and know how to do business economically such as growing coffee. , rubber, rice, and wheat to have enough food for the family."
Along with the worries of daily life, the new rice eating ceremony at the end of the year becomes an indispensable spiritual dish of the Xe Dang people. This is the time people spend to enjoy the results they have earned after a year of hard work. At the same time, preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of our nation, creating trust and motivation in a more prosperous future./.