1. Origin of Muong village's praying for peace festival
There are many different legends about the origin of the present-day peace festival. But most of them have something in common: the Cau An ceremony is when people wish for a prosperous and happy life.
The festival is also an opportunity for all Thai people to commemorate the virtues of Lady Thien Hau, a "god" who governs rivers and streams. Therefore, people ask her to protect themselves and their families when they are in trouble or are not affected by storms or floods so that people can do business in peace.
At the same time, it also eliminates ghosts, demons and evil and evil people in the village.
2. What is the Muong Ban An An Festival?
The Northwestern mountainous region of our country is where many different ethnic minorities live together. Because of that, this place has created a very diverse and rich cultural life. There are many different customs and festivals, the most prominent of which is the Ban Muong Cau An festival.
Here, the majority are ethnic minorities, so people have very rustic and honest personalities. Because of the diversity of ethnic groups, diversity in culture has been created such as architecture, cuisine, and clothing diversity.
With a cool climate all year round, along with many scenic spots. Therefore, the Northwest is an attractive tourist destination, attracting more and more domestic and foreign tourists to explore and experience.
The ceremony to pray for peace in Muong village is a folk cultural activity closely linked to the unity of the ethnic minority community.
The Muong village's praying festival is also an opportunity for people between villages to meet and interact. At the same time, it is to express one's respect to the gods and ancestors, expressing the desire for a prosperous, happy, and peaceful life.
The Thai people's festival to pray for peace in Muong village not only expresses the desire for a peaceful life and the close relationship between gods and humans, but also expresses the desire for a bountiful harvest and the proliferation of livestock. develop.
Therefore, the Muong An Ban Festival is one of the extremely important traditional festivals of the Thai ethnic people in the Northwest highlands.
3. Festival season to pray for peace in Muong village
The ceremony to pray for peace in Muong village of Thai ethnic people is usually held in the spring, specifically from the end of January to the beginning of February of the lunar calendar every year.
According to the opinion of the Thai ethnic people, this festival is extremely meaningful and plays a very important role in the material and spiritual life of the entire Muong village.
It affects the crops, health and business of the community every year, so it is often held in the spring.
That's why the people organize it very solemnly. People in the village and outside the village, from the elderly to the young, all have obligations and rights to participate and contribute to the festival depending on their strength.
4. How is the Muong An An festival held?
According to tradition, to prepare for the main ceremony of the Muong village's praying for peace festival, from the afternoon of the previous day, the shaman (or shaman) and some people in the village prepare offerings to bring to the stream bank to perform the ceremony. Worship the forest ghosts and invite the gods, earth gong, earth god, forest ghosts, dragon kings, and kings of hell to receive the ceremony to declare the reason for the ceremony to pray for peace in Muong village.
Ceremony part
The offerings include: a tray with buffalo head and raw buffalo meat, a tray of cooked buffalo meat, a tray of cooked pork, 17 lychee offerings, 2 main chicken trays, and 12 additional chicken trays representing the lineage. There are also betel, areca nuts, wine, silver bars, and a jar of wine.
After preparing the offerings, the priest, along with 2 assistants and 10 young men. A drummer and a craftsman bang the gong for the shaman to perform offerings and rituals.
After the ritual of worshiping forest ghosts is completed, the main ceremony begins at dawn the next morning.
The worshiping ceremony of the Muong village's praying for peace festival is held at the village's cultural house by the priest and ritual assistants.
The drum and gong ceremonies were performed by representatives of the clans to express their respect to the forest god, earth god, and water god for creating good rain and wind so that the people of Muong village can have a prosperous life. Peaceful, healthy, good harvest.
Assembly part
After the ceremony ends, people in the villages and tourists also enjoy the festival together.
The festival took place very excitingly and attractively with activities and folk games filled with spring colors, Xoe dance in solidarity with 6 ancient Xoe dances of the Thai ethnic group, handicraft weaving competition between villages, and games. folk games such as tug of war, shuttlecock throwing, and national sports competitions
In addition, at the Muong An festival, there are also stalls of people introducing typical products of the villages in the commune. For people inside and outside the commune and tourists from all over to visit, shop and participate in games.
Above is information about the Muong village peace festival of the Thai ethnic people in the Northwest highlands, revolving around customs and beliefs. LV Travel hopes to help tourists discover new features in the diverse cultural life of regions in our country. Wishing you a very enjoyable experience.