In the life of the O Du community (one of the ethnic groups with the smallest population in Vietnam, mainly residing in Lang Mon village, Nga My commune, Nghe An province), the wrist stitching ritual has profound spiritual meaning, connecting the community and expressing the concept of humans in the universe.
When the first thunder echoes on the top of Pu Pa mountain, the O Du people enter the ceremony to welcome the first thunder of the year - the most important ritual in their life cycle. Among them, the wrist stitching ritual is a sacred highlight, a place to send faith and hope of the whole community.
According to VNA, Mr. Lo Van Cuong - village elder, shaman of Vang Mon village - said that everyone has a "spirit". When the "spirit" is weak or "lost", people are prone to illness and risks. From that belief, the wrist stitching ritual was born. The black thread is braided firmly, symbolizing sustainability, meaning keeping the "spirit" and protecting people from bad things.
The ritual is not personal but takes place in a community space. The performers are shamans, village elders or reputable people. Each knot is associated with wishes for health, peace, and favorable conditions in labor and life. The thread is kept intact for a year, showing respect for gods and a strong belief in life.
The wrist stitching ceremony is part of the series of rituals of the thunder welcoming ceremony. Before that, people perform the purification ceremony at the stream, washing away bad luck. After that, families prepare offerings together, arranging 2 offering trays including a tray for worshiping the thunder god and a tray for worshiping the spirit with offerings such as boiled chicken, pig head, sticky rice, fish moọc, wine, stream moss.
The shaman, on behalf of the community, prays for peace, favorable harvests, and health for the villagers. After the worshiping part, each person is bound with wrist strings in a solemn space. For young children, the ritual is also associated with the clan entering ceremony, naming, marking the presence in the lineage and community.
At the end of the ceremony, the atmosphere becomes joyful. People drink can wine together, enjoy cuisine, sing, dance, share joy and expectations for the new year.
Over hundreds of years, despite life changing, the O Du people still maintain this ritual. According to Mr. Lo Thanh Binh and Mr. Lo Van Hung, the wrist thread is considered a "magic charm", helping people feel secure when working and going to the forest.
Currently, Lang Mon village has more than 100 households, more than 340 people. Nga My commune authorities said that besides developing infrastructure and livelihoods, the locality focuses on preserving traditional cultural values, including the thunder welcoming ceremony and the wrist binding ritual. This is also the foundation for developing community tourism.
In fact, this ritual is not only meaningful to the O Du people but also attracts the attention of researchers and tourists. From a small thread, the O Du people send their worldview, belief in harmony between humans and nature, and gods.
The New Year's thunder welcoming ceremony of the O Du people in Nga My commune has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage from June 2025, belonging to social customs and beliefs.
