Performing rituals at A Da Koonh Festival

The program “A Da Koonh Festival Night” aims to honor and promote the value of the national intangible cultural heritage; create the delightful and heartening atmosphere of the New Year and National Tet of the nation, meeting the demand of enjoying the culture of local people and tourists.

The A Da Koonh Festival re-enacted the main rituals including Pa Xâr Tâm pực (The clans offering food tray to Târ đah Family), Ca Coong tro (inviting the mother of rice to the festival), Târ Cọ, âng cưm (reporting to the Deities of Neu pole and yard), Ta Moot Tâm pực (the clans offering food tray to Moong), Bayh A Da Koonh (offering to A Da Koonh), the ritual of cha đooi âr beh (the ritual of eating new rice), Cha tâm păn ritual and the ceremony of handing over the food tray, and pa choo Tâm moi (farewell ritual).

A Da Koonh Festival is one of the traditional rituals, a traditional Tet of Pa Cô community starting in the old days to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one, preparing for a new crop. A Da Koonh Festival is not only held to show people’s gratitude towards the deities under the local customs, but it is also an opportunity for people in the villages to gather and exchange their experiences in farming, in breeding to help each other for economic development, at the same time enhancing solidarity among villages, etc.

*Some photos taken by Thua Thien Hue Online at the A Da Koonh Festival

Space for rituals

The ritual of Py đoh âng cưm, offering food tray around the buffalo stabbing pole

The dance of gongs and drums

The outside space for festival preparation

A folk dance in A Da Koonh festival

The village patriarchs performing rituals

Re-enacting a scene of deep sleep, dreaming of a new year with good harvests

The ritual of đooi âr beh (ritual of eating the new rice)

Local people and tourists enjoying the festival

By Huu Phuc