(VOVworld) - Every time the new year comes, Black Thai people in Dien Bien province are eager to decorate their houses, prepare peach blossoms, pole trees, five-fruit trays and other food to welcome Tet, the Lunar new year. Despite the busy modern times, the Black Thai still observe their traditional customs at the Lunar New year. Let’s join VOV reporter Lan Anh on a visit to a Black Thai family in Sam Mun commune, Dien Bien district to find out more about these customs.

In front of the ancestors’ altar, Ca Van Dinh prays for his family to have a happy, prosperous and successful new year. According to tradition, you must visit your parents on the first and second day and your teacher on the third day of the lunar new year. After those days, each family chooses a good day to hold a ritual to burn money for the dead and that is also the moment to burn incense signaling the end of the Lunar new year festival.

After the worshipping rituals, Ca Van Dinh and his children and grandchildren gather near the food tray. In his stories, Dinh has told them about their traditional customs. He is currently in charge of the ancestor worship but his children will take over when he gets older: "This year, we offer our ancestors papaya, which sounds like “du” or “enough” for a prosperous year, mandarin oranges, grapefruits, banana and peach blossoms. We also prepare some food like dried meat. Sugar cane, bananas, fish, and chicken are indispensable".

Dinh says Tet is not just for family reunions but also a time for relatives and neighbors to visit one another: "Each family usually organizes a New year feast and invites their relatives and neighbors. This shows their harmony and solidarity with the others. The large number of children and grandchildren shows the family’s happiness. Each family takes turns and chooses a good day to invite people to their house for the New year feast".

In the clan, the families with the most generations will be given priority to invite guests first: "Of 3 families with 3, 2 and 1 generations, the one with 3 generations will be allowed to host the first feast, which often falls on the first day of the lunar new year. Then the other families will, in order, invite guests to their houses the following days".

Men are in charge of ancestors worship while women take charge of cooking and house decorating. In the New year feasts of Black Thai people, bamboo shoot soup and grilled meat are indispensable. Dinh’s wife, Lo Thi Luong says Black Thai women learn how to cook when they are very young and the Tet dishes show off the skill of the woman in the family: "We eat chicken and grilled meat at Tet. Dried food is much preferred for Tet because it is convenient and easy to store. Now we have refrigerator which makes it easier for us to store food".

At Black Thai New year feasts, chicken and fish are essential food as they represent animals on land and in the water. Chicken is also prepared in different ways – boiled, roasted or as chicken salad. Dinh’s daughter, Ca Thi Dung, told us how to make chicken salad: "We boil the chicken, then chop it into small pieces. Then we add different spices such as wild pepper, chilli, garlic, and coriander. Anyone can cook this dish".

Though not complicated to make, chicken salad is also medicine for Black Thai people. Dinh says during Tet holidays, people eat a lot of food, so this dish is good for digestion: "The main ingredients are chicken and traditional spices. The dish has the hot, sweet, bitter and sour tastes which are useful for digestion".

Dinh’s daughter in law is White Thai so, he has taught her about the traditional Black Thai customs. Phuong, Dinh’s daughter in law, says she follows every custom of her husband’s family like washing her hair with rice water prior to the final day of the year. This tradition is followed every year. Ms. Luong again: "All villagers rush to the river on these days. People say they pour all the bad things from previous year into the water to be washed away to the sea. They then pray for good health and good luck. The family has to store rice water for 2 or 3 days for the whole family to use".

Dinh hopes that those beautiful customs will continue to be preserved by his children and grand children with all their hearts.