The village taboo ceremony, the ritual of worshiping the sacred forest has existed for many generations in Loi village, Muong Nha commune, Dien Bien province. For the people of Loi village, the mountains and forests are also a protective god, bestowing on the village a year of peace and prosperity.
This year, the festival is organized by the people from the 2nd to the 6th day of Binh Ngo Tet, on the holiday, each household in Loi village will personally prepare 5 simple vegetarian offering trays. Offerings to the forest gods and mountain gods are sown and cared for by the people such as vegetables, tubers, fruits, sticky rice...
The sacred forest worshiping ceremony is considered one of the most important rituals of the year.
Ms. Lo Thi Keo (Loi village, Muong Nha commune) said that the offering trays, although rustic and simple, encapsulate sincerity, gratitude and even a sacred wish for a new year of favorable weather and abundant harvests.
Depending on the situation each year, the village taboo ceremony usually starts right from the 1st or 2nd day of Tet and lasts for about 3 days" - Ms. Keo said.
After the ceremony, people jointly perform taboos such as: not killing, not drinking alcohol, not leaving the village, outsiders also not entering the village (except for the commune Party Committee, government and armed forces working in the area being allowed to interact and celebrate with people).
Leaders of Muong Nha commune said that the days of abstaining from villages have become a sacred and warm time. People gather in the common space of the village, play folk games together, dance the solidarity xoe dance, and send each other good wishes at the beginning of spring.
Here, the joyful laughter harmonized with the solidarity Xoe dance, the vitality of the village flared up in the first days of the new year.
The village taboo festival in Loi village is not only a beautiful traditional cultural feature but also a vivid proof of community awareness, solidarity and respect for nature of the people here," said the leader of Muong Nha commune.
