On May 30th, the Dong Sua ceremony took place in Kha village, Sapp Vat commune, Yen Chau district, marking the beginning of the 6th Yen Chau Mango Festival in 2025.
The Dong Sua ritual is held in the sacred forest of Kha village, Sapp Vat commune, Yen Chau district.
The Dong Sua ritual embodies folk beliefs and the cultural beauty of the Thai ethnic people of Yen Chau district (worshiping the sacred forest), praying for favorable weather, abundant harvests, flourishing nature, good health for the people, and prosperity for the village.
From early morning, the village elders and people gathered in the sacred forest. Amidst the lively sounds of drums and gongs, the villagers cleared the forest, lit fires, cooked sticky rice, slaughtered pigs and chickens, and prepared offerings for the shaman to perform the ritual.
Families bring cloth and clothing to the shrine to pray for health and for their children to be protected by the gods.
Each household in the village will bring a pair of silver bracelets and a roll of tightly woven white cloth for the ritual.
The ceremony includes offerings to the gods, the founders of the village, and the forest spirit. The offerings include: a pig, chicken, wine, sticky rice, betel leaves, areca nuts, and the sacred robe of the forest spirit. In addition, each household in the village brings a pair of silver bracelets, a roll of tightly woven white cloth, etc., for the ceremony.
The shaman performs the ritual to worship the gods.
The Dong Sua ritual is not only an occasion for the people to express their gratitude to the deities and ancestors, but also contributes to strengthening community solidarity and showcasing the unique spiritual culture of the Thai ethnic people in Sap Vat commune in particular and Yen Chau district in general.
Minh Thu - Ngoc Khiem