Worship Ceremony by Tay Ethnic people

• Every year on 2nd, January (Lunar calendar), The Worship Ceremony is organized by the Tay villagers in Khe Vap village (Bac Lang commune, Dinh Lap district of Lang Son province) for a very productive crop with favourable weather, good health, community consolidarity, as well as to train the young learning customary law in forest conservation and management. The Worship is happened at Sacred Forest of the community. Each family has sent one to two members to the Worship. The villagers contribute sacrifice to the worship such as rice, meat, wine, etc that are available in the village.The Worship is organized in a solemn manner by a local sorcerer who is prestiged by the villagers.
  
  When the sacrifice is ready, the Sorcerer officially makes an invitation to “Natural Spirit” for the acknowledgement of the belief by the villagers. Then, the Sorcerer reports to the “Spirit” for the present of each family and clan are living in the community. The Worship is praying for a good weather, a good health and a productive crop for their happy life! The Worship is also for a growing and safe livestock raising in the community, avoiding epidemic diseases. It is telling that long time ago, the Worship was for stoping dangerous animals for eating their pigs, chickens, etc…
  
  After the Worship, every one sits in a circle and have a talk friendly and happily for the community activities and development, focusing on local concerns for their sustainable livelihood, traditional values in natural resources management and happy relations! No one is allowed to talk loudly as quarrels or arguments as it is believed that the Worship is to make the “Natural Spirit” happy and if not, the villagers’ prays will not be supported and protected by the “Spirit” ! meaning that it will be very difficult for the villagers in a year to have a good farming and good life!
  
  The Ceremony is getting excited when the participants start playing a traditional game. One people traditionally use a tree leave to make an artificial fish and put something in the middle of the Fish and let’s it rotating around until the Fish’s head stops at one, he/she has to drink a cup of wine. The same, this game plays until the wine, meat finished, and the participants are happy and satisfied with the drink, meaning that the villagers will be happy with their productive farming year. The Ceremony is also over.
  
  The Worship Ceremony is one of the traditional cultures of Tay ethnic minority people. Not only Tay people, The Dzao, San Chi, San Diu people are also living in Bac Lang, and each has their own traditional culture for generations to learn and to follow for their own development.
  
  CIRUM