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In the Mekong Delta, ancestral commemoration ceremonies are not only occasions to remember the deceased but also vibrant cultural displays, connecting the past and present through each dish and story. Every year on this day, the atmosphere in the countryside becomes lively and bustling, imbued with the distinctive flavors of the riverine region. This is an occasion for each family to show respect to their ancestors, while also preserving and spreading traditional cultural values.
Memorial services in the Mekong Delta – a beautiful cultural tradition of the people of the Mekong Delta.
Preparations began a month in advance.
In the Mekong Delta, a memorial service is not something that happens overnight, but rather a meticulous preparation process. Phan Thanh Dat, a native of the Mekong Delta, shared: "Memorial services in the Mekong Delta are usually prepared well in advance, sometimes a whole month."
From home-raised chickens...
Everything, including the other ingredients, was prepared well in advance.
This process involves many steps, from raising chickens and ducks for meat, purchasing and stocking up on supplies at home, to cleaning and decorating the house. The memorial service usually takes place over two days. On the first day, neighbors come to help the family prepare the food and clean the house. In the afternoon of the day before, a ritual of offering prayers and a feast called "Cúng Tiên Thường" takes place. On the main day (Chánh Kỵ), the family invites more guests and prepares a lavish feast for the worship and to entertain them.
A distinctive feature of ancestral commemoration ceremonies in the Mekong Delta is the inclusion of the "Tien Thuong" day.
Typical dishes served at a memorial service.
When talking about memorial feasts in the Mekong Delta, one cannot fail to mention the characteristic dishes, deeply rooted in the local culture. "The dishes at memorial feasts in the Mekong Delta are usually very elaborate and numerous. Traditionally, all the food is prepared and cooked by the family members and neighbors themselves. Although the dishes are familiar, they are prepared with great care and attention to detail," Thành Đạt shared.
Preparing the bitter melon for stuffed meat dish.
Eggs are used to make braised pork with duck eggs.
Familiar dishes such as braised pork with eggs, chicken curry, spring rolls, stuffed meatballs, roasted pork with rice noodles, shrimp and pork salad... all carry deep meaning. In particular, sticky rice in a ball and fermented rice wine are always present, both to entertain guests and as souvenirs to take home.
Typical dishes served at ancestral commemoration ceremonies in the Mekong Delta region.
No one knows exactly when these dishes became traditional symbols in the ancestral commemoration ceremonies of people in the Mekong Delta. All that is known is that, using readily available ingredients from the home garden, and through the skillful hands of the cook, they become delicious, elaborate, and dignified dishes, expressing reverence offered to ancestors.
Nowadays, in addition to traditional dishes, some families add new dishes to diversify their offerings. However, the core values of culinary culture in the ancestral worship ceremonies of the Mekong Delta remain intact. The appearance of modern dishes not only helps to refresh the palate but also saves preparation time, especially since many families no longer have as many children and grandchildren as before.
Following modern trends, some families have even introduced new variations to the memorial feast.
However, it still retains the distinctive traditional features of the riverine region.
Kindness is like a mighty river.
In the Mekong Delta, a memorial service is not just a family affair, but a community event. Every year, when the anniversary of a death arrives, the villages throughout the Mekong Delta become more bustling than ever.
"Before the anniversary of the death, many villagers came to help with the preparations. The adults chatted lively, and the children played, creating a very close and bustling atmosphere, like an annual festival in each family," Thanh Dat recounted.
In the Mekong Delta, a memorial service is not just a family affair, but a community event.
People in the Mekong Delta often believe that community cohesion is the foundation of a sustainable society. Everyone contributes a little, from going to the market and raising chickens and ducks to cooking and cleaning. The ancestral worship meal is not only for offering to ancestors, but also an opportunity for everyone to sit together, share stories of life and village life.
Continuing his reminiscences, Dat added: "Nowadays, although some steps in our family's memorial service have been simplified to better suit modern life, I'm still most impressed by the memorial services from the past, when I was a child, preparing with my aunts and grandmothers, cleaning the house days in advance, going to the market, wrapping banh tet and banh it (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), and cooking sticky rice (these days, these activities are mostly ordered rather than made by families themselves)."
Warm family and neighborhood meals have become deeply ingrained in the minds of the people of this land.
Commemoration ceremonies in the Mekong Delta, with all their hustle and bustle and warm family meals, have become a unique cultural feature, a way to connect the community, and to preserve and spread traditional values. The distinctive dishes of the riverine region, the stories passed down from generation to generation—all are important pieces that create the unique cultural tapestry of the Mekong Delta.
Therefore, the ancestral commemoration ceremony is not only a ritual to honor ancestors, but also an occasion to remember one's roots, so that every person in the Mekong Delta always remembers their homeland and the cultural values that have nurtured them for generations. In the modern era, the ancestral commemoration ceremony in the Mekong Delta still retains these values, like a great river always overflowing with affection, flowing endlessly.
