To protect water resources and prevent forest destruction, every spring, the Thai ethnic community in Cau Thia ward prepares offerings and solemnly organizes the Xen Dong ceremony to worship the deities. This is a traditional ceremony, deeply rooted in the unique cultural beauty of the people, expressing their remembrance of ancestors and gratitude to heaven and earth for granting bountiful harvests, flourishing nature, and good health.
In preparation for the Xên Đông festival, people usually slaughter a buffalo to obtain its head, tail, four legs, and meat to make three trays for offerings to the spirits. The Xên Đông festival begins with a forest worship ritual, which is held under a centuries-old banyan tree in the village’s forest.
The three shamans in charge of the three sacrificial offerings will invite representatives of the people in the village to toast and drink a cup of wine as a symbol of unity, after which the chief shaman will perform a ceremony to ask permission from the spirits.
The Xên Đông ritual is like an exchange and conversation between the three shamans and the forest spirits, so that the spirits can witness the people’s devotion and grant the village a peaceful new year with favorable weather, abundant harvests, and a prosperous life.
After the forest worship ceremony concludes, everyone returns to Vieng Cong village to perform the Vieng Cong fortress worship ceremony – a site associated with the legend of the hero Cam Hanh, a Thai man from the region who, along with the people, fought against the Northern invaders and defended the village in the 19th century. Currently, this site has been recognized as a provincial-level historical relic. Finally, the shaman and participants in the ceremony will perform ancestral worship at the home of the highest-ranking official in the village, reporting the completion of the village’s rituals and seeking blessings for the villagers in the new year, including good fortune and a bountiful harvest.
The ceremonial part concludes with a lively festival featuring folk games and traditional dances that showcase the unique cultural beauty of the Thai people in the Muong Lo region.
The ancestors of the Thai people migrated to the Muong Lo region and settled there thousands of years ago. Through their long history of living together and being closely connected to the forest, the people understood the laws of nature and the immense value that the forest brings to their lives. From this, the Thai people developed a sense of respect for the forest and established regulations for its protection and preservation of watershed forests.
Ms. Hoang Thi Ly, Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Cau Thia Ward, said: In 2024, the Xen Dong festival of the Thai ethnic group in Nghia Lo (formerly Yen Bai province) was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Therefore, the locality maintains the Xen Dong festival every year. Besides preserving the cultural identity of the Thai ethnic group, it is also an opportunity for people to remember their ancestors who contributed to reclaiming land, expanding the community, and establishing villages and hamlets for people to have stable lives; it is also an opportunity to educate the younger generation about the historical significance of the land and the indomitable spirit of their forefathers in fighting foreign invaders. In addition, it contributes to promoting the image of Cau Thia Ward in particular and the Thai community in the Muong Lo region in general to people and tourists inside and outside the province, thereby promoting the socio -economic development of the locality.
The Xên Đông ceremony is a unique ritual deeply rooted in the beliefs and traditions of agricultural civilization. Although small in scale and brief, the ceremony holds profound significance, serving as an opportunity to strengthen community bonds and enhance solidarity among ethnic groups. Beyond instilling the tradition of “remembering one’s roots,” the Xên Đông ceremony also holds spiritual meaning, inspiring the people to work diligently and enthusiastically, contributing to the prosperity and happiness of their villages.
