(VOVWORLD) - During the last days of the year, the Pa Co ethnic minority people in A Luoi district, Thua Thien-Hue province, perform traditional rites to celebrate the A Za festival.
 Co Tu and Ta Oi people in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province gather for the A Za Koonh festival. (photo: Le Hieu) |
The A Za festival is an important cultural event to pray for prosperity and well-being. Nguyen Van Hai, Vice Chairman of A Luoi district People's Committee, said: “We have two A Za festivals – A Za Kan and A Za Koonh. A Za Kan, held every year, has fewer rituals. Every 5 to 10 years, when people have a good harvest and prosperity, every village holds an A Za Koonh festival to thank Mother Rice and deities for their blessings.”
An A Za Kan is a family event held annually at the end of the 11th lunar month. An A Za Koonh is a village event held in the first lunar month. Each village chooses an appropriate date to celebrate.
Before the A Za Koonh ceremony, senior villagers go to each house to wish people good health. After completing family procedures, everyone brings their offerings to the communal long house to perform the village's rituals –purifying, invitingMother Rice, worshiping the plants, worshiping the deceased, and eating new rice.
Le Tuan Mo of A Luoi district, said: “At the end of the year, the villagers agree on a list of offerings for the A Za Koonh festival. Families prepare their offerings and bring them to the communal house, where all the villagers gather for the festival.”
The biggest offering to the Heaven God in the A Za Kan festival is a pig – a buffalo in the A Za Koonh festival. In recent years, they sacrifice a goat instead of a buffalo. Families usually contribute to the festivals some chicken, fish, charcoal, home-grown sticky rice, corn, potatoes, and cassava.
 A Za festival is a chance for all people to share what they have done in the old year. (photo: Le Hieu) |
Ho Van Hanh, patriarch of Le Trieng hamlet, said: “We organize an A Za festival for everyone to celebrate achievements gained during the year and thank the gods for their protection. We also pray for the gods’ continuous blessing of favorable weather and high corn and rice productivity.”
Le Thi Them, Head of the Culture and Information Office of A Luoi district, said: “People involved in the festivals have a good knowledge of traditional culture and experience in organizing rituals and ceremonies.”
A Za festivals are also occasions for Co Tu people to share experience in animal husbandry and agricultural cultivation.