(VOVWORLD) - The Forest Worship Festival is a time-honored tradition in the life and folk beliefs of the Nung ethnic minority in Xin Man district, Ha Giang province. The local people believe that the Forest God is a sacred guardian who protects the villagers and blesses them with favorable weather and prosperous business.
 A shaman and villagers arrange an altar for the Forest God in the forest. (Photo: thoibaotaichinhvietnam.vn) |
Nung villages in Xin Man are surrounded by forests stretching to the horizon. There are vast planted forests, regenerated forests, and primeval forests with trees that are hundreds of years old.
Each forest is protected and cared for by the local residents. In addition to believing in the importance of conserving natural resources, they believe that the forest has a guardian, who should be worshipped every year.
“Nung people organize a forest worship ceremony every year. The villagers contribute food for a communal meal eaten at a worship place in the forest,” Xin Man villager Di Sao Ngan said.
Before the worship ceremony, the villagers gather to discuss the location of the ceremony, choose a shaman, and prepare the offerings. The shaman must be a prestigious person who has a profound understanding of Nung customs and practices.
The offerings are prepared on 3 trays for the Forest God, the Land God, and the God of Rain and Wind. All three trays should contain pork, chicken, liquor, red sticky rice, and incense sticks.
The offering tray to the Forest God, the most important one, is placed in the highest position. When all the offerings are in place, the shaman asks the Forest God for permission to perform the ritual. Then he uses votive paper provided by the villagers to fold 12 figures symbolizing the 12 months of the year.
“The villagers bring chicken and pork to worship the Forest God. They ask the Forest God to protect them, cure them of illness, and bless their production and business,” said Ngan.
 Nung men fold votive papers into boats for the worship. (Photo: thoibaotaichinhvietnam.vn) |
The shaman uses two halves of a buffalo horn to ask whether the Gods have come to the ceremony yet. If one piece of the buffalo horn is up, and the other part is down, the Gods are gathering at the altar.
Di Sao Ngan said the shaman will call out the names of the offering items and invite the deities to enjoy the offerings. “The shaman goes in advance to the protected forest and releases chickens and pigs to invite the Gods to the worship. The villagers attend the ceremony to pray for the Gods’ protection.”
It’s a Nung rule that every year each household must contribute money to buy a chicken and a black pig to prepare for the ceremony. Each family sends one or two persons to attend the ceremony and eat a meal together. After the ceremony, the villagers are prohibited for 3 days to go into the forest to cut trees, collect firewood, or hunt. They must stay at home to rest and prepare for a new crop. Anyone who violates these rules is punished.
“Nung customs and village rules on forest worship require that everyone be kept informed about state laws related to forest protection,” said Xin Man villager Lu Van Duc.
The Nung’s belief in the Forest God and the Forest Worship Ceremony in Xin Man commune have become a cultural rule about protecting forests and the natural environment.