The full moon of the seventh lunar month is considered the biggest festival for the highlanders, second only to the Lunar New Year. On this occasion, the folk worshipping beliefs and rich customs and practices of each ethnic group are clearly expressed; besides the similarities, there are also unique features.
Bold culture of the highlanders
In the Giay language, the full moon of the 7th lunar month is called “Tet Xip Xi”. This festival is usually celebrated on the afternoon of the 14th of the 7th lunar month. The White Thai people have passed down the story that after harvesting and plowing, children race to the forest to graze the buffaloes, while adults stay home to perform the plowing and harrowing ceremony, then slaughter pigs, chickens, and ducks to celebrate a sumptuous feast without calling the children home and leaving no portion for them.
The White Thai people in Son La province believe that "Xip Xi" Tet is the day when descendants turn to their ancestors.
A custom similar to the full moon festival of the 7th lunar month of the Kinh people, expressing love for the homeland and preserving national cultural identity.
On Tet Xip Xi, there is always a tray of offerings to pray for luck for each individual, family, and clan in the village; Pray for the luck of heaven and earth, favorable rain and wind, and bless the villagers with good health to work; Pray for the gods and ancestors to bless children with good health, good appetite, fast growth, and no illness. Offerings include: Duck meat, chicken, smoked pork, ribs, grilled fish (Pa pỉnh tộp), vegetable salad, canh bon, canh chua, khau cam (5-color or 7-color dyed sticky rice), banh it uội, banh chung gu.
According to Thai beliefs, when a person dies, their soul flies to heaven. Human life on earth is protected by ancestors, river gods, and mountain gods, so they take worship very seriously.
Tet Xip Xi is often indispensable for "nhu to pet" (duck meat), because the White Thai people believe that ducks are closely associated with rice fields and rivers. Offering duck meat means wanting the duck to eat all the insects that harm the rice, and that the duck carries bad luck and bad omens that drift away with the water. After the offering, family members will sit together around the feast; Children and grandchildren wish the elderly a long life, adults wish the young generation peace and health...
After worshiping Then, ancestors, local gods and performing rituals, children are praised and given good fortune by adults. On Tet Xip Xi, they can play freely until the moon rises.
Tet Xip Xi ritual recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage
According to Decision No. 2313/QD-BVHTTDL dated August 9, 2024, the Xip Xi Tet ritual of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai and Phu Yen districts, Son La province has been included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage, belonging to social customs and beliefs.
After the worshiping ceremony, family members gather around the table of food and wish each other good things. This is also an opportunity for the White Thai community to show their hospitality. Guests are warmly welcomed and enjoy typical dishes of the Xip Xi New Year such as grilled fish, fish salad, bon soup, sour soup, moss, five-color sticky rice, smoked meat, and buffalo skin salad.
Eating in the family, people chat happily, ask politely, and congratulate openly.
In recent years, Phu Yen district, Son La has organized many activities to restore the Xip Xi Tet ritual and organize cultural, artistic, sports, culinary activities... contributing to arousing pride and promoting the cultural traditions of the White Thai people.
Eating in the family, people chat happily, ask politely, and congratulate openly.
Coming to the Xip Xi Tet space, people can meet, interact, exchange life experiences and revive the unique cultural traditions of their people, wishing everyone good luck, peace and health. For the children of the White Thai ethnic group, Xip Xi Tet is a special Tet because in addition to eating with their family, they also get to pack the best food to serve when they go herding buffalo or playing games together.
The Xip Xi ritual contributes to strengthening the bond and unity between family members and the community, and plays an important role in preserving the national cultural identity. From there, traditional cultural elements are preserved and inherited, helping future generations understand the traditional culture of their nation. This is also a ritual imbued with ethnic identity, with spiritual and humane elements, deeply connecting the community.
The recognition of the “Xip Xi Tet Ritual” as a national intangible cultural heritage not only affirms the unique cultural value of the White Thai people, but is also a source of motivation for the ethnic groups in Son La to love and be proud of their traditional culture, contributing to strengthening national solidarity.
