(VOVworld) – Living in Vietnam’s central highlands, the Brau ethnic minority group has a distinctive culture, including traditional festivals.

The Brau people believe that the world is tangible and every object and being is inhabited by a god. Human being needs community bonds for existence and development. The Brau festivals celebrate the supernatural. On the other hand, the Brau people worship the god of agriculture for good harvest. Dang Hung from Kon Tum province’s Council of Ethnicity said: “There are 4 main festivals of the Brau: festivals of clearing trees for cultivation, sowing seeds, celebrating new rice and New Year festival. During celebrations, local villagers contribute rice, wine and food and enjoy the feasts to the accompaniment of gongs. Village elders worship gods in accordance with tradition”.

Among their other festivals, such as buffalo stabbing and house warming, the festival of sowing rice is the most important. Before festival day, families contribute offerings such as buffaloes, pigs and chicken. Villagers build a 1 meter high pole called Sooc-rooc, which is topped with a basket containing items offered to the gods. A strong buffalo is  washed and fed before being tied to a 5-meter decorated pole called Gung which is placed in the middle of the festival site. Ritual sacrifices kick off the festival.

During the beating of gongs, a village elder recites prayers, asking for good luck. The chief of the ritual applies blood of the sacrificed animal to the walls of the Rong communal house, the Tha gongs, wine jars and papooses as a means of communication with the gods.

The Brau people believe that the Earth, Water and Rice deities are decisive for crops. At the end of March and early April, the rice sowing festival begins and  prayers for favorable weather, good harvest and prosperity are recited. Villager elder Thao La in Dak Me hamlet, Bo Y commune, Ngoc Hoi district of Kon Tum province said: “Whenever the Brau people complete their new houses or communal houses, they organize a buffalo stabbing festival to pray for good health, happiness and wealth”.

Every festival is comprised of 2 parts: solemn ritual and upbeat performances.  Festival goers perform and enjoy their favorite songs and dances to the accompaniment of gongs, flutes and other instruments. Brau boys and girls in traditional attires swing in seductive dances. People are absorbed in the festive atmosphere until dawn.