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I arrived at Chau Giang just as the sounds of prayers began to emanate from the mosques along the Hau Giang River. Cham men, dressed in long, ankle-length checkered sarongs and chvéa jackets, with cloth kapeak hats on their heads, were washing their hands and feet before heading to the mosque for the ceremony. At the same time, women in silk dresses with delicate patterns and colors, wrapped in vibrant mat'ra scarves, began setting up their stalls to sell their wares at the market.
Walking along the village path, I could hear the chanting of prayers echoing from the magnificent mosque, which the locals simply called a Cham temple. Outside, the Cham village was bustling and busy, much like a miniature town; people chattered and laughed, engaging in pleasant conversations, yet without losing sight of traditional customs.
A bustling Cham Islamic village during a morning market.
Heritage in the sound of prayers
The Cham villagers here are all Muslim, so they also preserve many distinctive cultural features such as not drinking alcohol or eating pork, girls of marriageable age usually stay at home according to the Gasam custom, and they are usually accompanied by an adult when they go out.
The mosque does not display paintings or statues, but the most revered heritage is the Quran. Cham Muslim children are taught at the mosque in the evenings, after their cultural lessons, by their teachers (Tuan). However, if you ask a child who is not yet of school age, they can still recite verses from the Quran that their parents taught them from a young age.
Girls of marriageable age usually stay at home according to the Gasam custom.
Like other religions, the Cham Muslims have sacred holidays according to their beliefs, but the most notable is Ramadan (the month of fasting or abstinence) - one of the most important and sacred festivals for the Cham Muslim community.
According to custom, on ordinary days only men are allowed to go to the mosque to perform prayers, while women perform their prayers at home. It is only during Ramadan each year that women are allowed to go to the mosque to pray.
During Ramadan, worshippers go to the mosque five times at designated times from 4:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Healthy adults must observe sawm: no eating, drinking, smoking, sexual activity, bleeding, or labor from sunrise until the end of the evening prayers.
Men will go to the mosque to perform prayers five times a day during the holy month of Ramadan.
The month of Ramadan is meant to convey compassion and understanding for those who are less fortunate.
Exactly 30 days after the crescent moon rises in the west, the devotees begin to return to their normal daily routines of eating and drinking. After the prayer service, they shake hands, embrace each other, offer congratulations, and ask for forgiveness for any past mistakes.
After 8 PM, the Cham villagers will hold a communal Iftar celebration where everyone can celebrate and enjoy a hearty meal together. While the act of sawm signifies understanding and empathy for the suffering of the less fortunate, the communal Iftar meal is a vivid testament to the humanity of Ramadan. It is when those who are able donate money to bring nutritious meals to the poor and share the meal without any discrimination.
The Iftar meal signifies sharing abundance with those in need.
Integration through culture
Following support from local authorities through tourism stimulus programs, the Cham people have begun to pay more attention to developing cultural tourism. Cham women are now willing to return to their looms, weaving traditional brocade products for tourists to take home as souvenirs.
They enthusiastically greeted any group of visitors passing by, even extending an invitation in fluent Vietnamese: "Would you like to try weaving? It's very easy." - Their voices were cheerful and distinctly from the Mekong Delta region.
The Cham people were also very active in trade and commerce.
While their lives have become more open, they still retain the distinctive cultural characteristics of their Islamic faith.
Weaving and silk reeling have long been traditional crafts of the Cham people in An Giang.
Handmade products, which require considerable effort, range in price from 30,000 to 300,000 VND.
Life in the Cham village has become more vibrant and bustling, yet it still retains its simplicity and sacredness in daily life and customs. With this spirit, it's likely that the Cham village in An Giang will soon become a cultural tourism destination attracting both domestic and international visitors. But I also believe that the blend of Islamic cultural heritage and the simple lifestyle of the Mekong Delta will always be nurtured and protected by the local people.
