Tay people's ritual of praying for luck

BHG - Every year, as dawn breaks on the first day of the new year, the Tay people in Tha Village, Phuong Do Commune (Ha Giang City) will go to the village well to wash their faces and get water as a ritual to pray for blessings and peace.

The Tay people of the area believe that water is the source of all life, growth and development, plays an important role in agricultural production, and has profound spiritual values.

In the centre of Tha Village, there is a common well called "Nam bo ban Tha" surrounded by pebbles; the well water is clear all year round.

The water source here is believed to help the villagers have a peaceful and prosperous new year. According to the Tay people here, the village well water is not only used for daily life and agricultural production but also a place where the vitality of heaven and earth converges.

Therefore, on the first days of the new year, all family members from old to young go to the well to wash their faces and get water with the desire to dispel evil spirits and pray for a lucky year with a bountiful harvest.

From early morning, the elderly and children in the village call each other to the village well to wash their faces and start a new year full of vitality.

No one knows when the village well was built, but it is known that it has been there for generations, clear and cool, like a sacred gift bestowed by nature, attached to many generations of villagers.

This is a custom that has been maintained since the time of the ancients. Nguyen Thi Nguyen shared: "Washing your face at the village well not only helps to cool the skin but is also a way to wish for a peaceful and happy year."

While washing their faces, everyone chatters away in familiar local phrases: “Theo, theo, na luong boc tao, na khao boc nang” — this is a Tay phrase meaning the wish for fresh, radiant skin like peach blossoms and plum blossoms.

In the bustling atmosphere of the first day of the new year, children gather in groups, eagerly playing various folk games, wearing traditional costumes.

After the village chief sent his New Year greetings to the villagers, everyone eagerly awaited the moment of giving out the first fortunes of the year. Small, pretty cakes, candies, and lush green branches were handed out, carrying wishes for luck, peace, and prosperity. The atmosphere was bustling, everyone was happy, believing that a good new year had begun.

Lisa — a tourist from the UK — shared: "We are very excited to participate in the unique rituals and customs of the Tay ethnic people here. This is a new experience. I am very excited to celebrate Tet in Vietnam."

After being brought back, the water is placed in front of the altar to report to the ancestors and pray for blessings, fortune, and peace. A portion of the water is used to boil tea and the rest is used to wash the face, hands and feet to help purify the spirit.

This is a long-standing traditional custom of the people of Tha Village, showing respect and wishing each other good things in the new year. With the participation of tourists, this custom has gradually become a bridge of cultural exchange between regions and countries.

NGUYEN YEM - NGUYEN DIU