The event attracted a large number of local people to attend and interact with gong and chieng cultural clubs, according to VNA.
Every year, around the third lunar month, the S'tieng people organize a rain praying festival with careful preparation. The offering tray imbued with the soul of the mountains and forests includes a pig's head, boiled chickens, and dozens of jars of can wine and sticky rice wine that have been incubated for a long time.
Traditional dishes such as bamboo rice, "canh thut", grilled skewers, stir-fried "nhíp" leaves and sticky rice are also fully prepared. In a solemn space, next to the Neu pole erected in the middle of the yard and golden straw at the beginning of the season, people prepare betel and areca, sticky rice to offer as offerings.
Traditional costumes and jewelry are prepared synchronously. Men wear Kho, women wear bright dresses, combined with scarves or headbands. Silver and bronze necklaces and bracelets along with five-colored beaded necklaces are used, contributing to creating a unique festival atmosphere. All stages are carried out according to the assignment of the head of the ceremony, ensuring that the ritual takes place fully.
When the Neu tree is erected in the middle of the yard and the offerings are arranged, the head of the ceremony (village elder) proceeds with the prayer ritual. In the solidarity circle of the villagers, the prayer for favorable weather is solemnly raised.
After the prayer part, an elderly woman holds a water scalpel, walking and splashing water on the Neu tree, facing the sky and pouring it on everyone as a blessing ritual. The sound of gongs and chiengs resonates, villagers hold hands in a circle, moving in rhythm. The village elder performs the ritual of smearing chicken blood on the Neu tree trunk, then drinks the first sips of rice wine, opening the festival part.
The festival atmosphere becomes vibrant when people gather to enjoy bamboo rice, drink can wine and participate in singing and dancing in the bustling sound of gongs and chiengs. Activities take place continuously, creating a cultural space imbued with identity.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Doi, Vice Chairman of Tan Khai Commune People's Committee, said that the rain praying festival in Soc Ta Cuong (village 3) is maintained annually and raised to an organizational level to preserve and promote the cultural values of the S'tieng ethnic group. Through the festival, the locality wishes to both preserve tradition and promote the image of the homeland, contributing to economic development and improving the spiritual and cultural life of the people.
Mr. Dieu Nhem, a reputable person in Soc Ta Cuong, shared that the rain praying festival is a traditional beauty passed down through many generations, with the meaning of praying for favorable weather, fresh green trees and fruits, and prosperous villages. He expressed his joy that this year's festival is organized on a large scale, and emphasized that this is an opportunity for the young generation to continue and preserve national cultural identity.
