Unique Lap Lo Festival of the Chut people in Ha Tinh

Tet Lap Lo is held with the meaning of "plugging holes, sowing seeds", signaling the completion of sowing in the fields, praying for favorable weather, bountiful crops, healthy and prosperous families - a big festival for the youth and the Chut ethnic people in Ha Tinh.

The Lap Lo Festival of the Chut ethnic group in Rao Tre village (Huong Lien commune, Huong Khe, Ha Tinh) is held on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month every year. After completing the sowing of seeds in the fields, the Chut people hold a festival to celebrate, to give thanks to heaven and earth, to pray for favorable weather, bountiful crops, good health, prosperity and development for the family.

The 2023 Lap Lo Festival took place in a very exciting and vibrant atmosphere with the full participation of the local people; the attention and direction of the provincial and district leaders. In the photo: The art performance to open the festival.

The festival also had the participation of delegates from neighboring communes of Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province.

“ So the sowing is done, the seeds in the fields are covered and waiting for the day to sprout and grow. Our village gathers here to celebrate the Lap Ho festival to thank heaven and earth and report to the gods, the forest ghosts and the deceased. We respectfully invite you to come here, eat, drink, sing and dance happily with our village. We ask the gods, the forest ghosts and the deceased to grant us favorable weather, bountiful crops, and for our village to be healthy and prosperous ”, Mrs. Ho Thi Kien - Head of Rao Tre village opened the festival.

At the festival, the Chut people erect a ceremonial pole and four poles symbolizing the four directions East - West - South - North. The pole and pole are spiritual symbols of the village, a place for the gods to reside and enjoy the offerings. The pole and pole are also considered the heavenly tree, a pole that signals the destination to send messages inviting the gods to attend the festival.

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During the festival, offerings will be solemnly brought to the ceremonial pole to invite the river god, mountain god, forest ghost and the souls of the deceased to attend the ceremony and enjoy the offerings.

At the ceremony, the village elder will take two pieces of bamboo and place them on a machete to pray to the gods to help the villagers avoid bad luck and bring good luck and fortune to the village. After casting the divination, the villagers will dance around the ceremonial pole.

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After the worship ceremony, the villagers organized traditional games such as tug of war, stick pushing, blindfolded duck catching, etc.

The Lap Lo Festival of the Chut ethnic group ended successfully in a sacred, exciting and enthusiastic atmosphere. This is a joy, a good omen for a good harvest…

The Chut people are a small group of the Ma Lieng ethnic group. In the past, they lived a nomadic life by hunting, gathering, and living in caves or makeshift huts made of forest leaves. Through different stages, up to now, the Chut ethnic group has settled down in Ka Day land - Huong Lien commune and is named Rao Tre village. Currently, the village has 46 households and 156 people living there.

Over the past years, the Party, State, Government and all levels and sectors from the province to the district, especially the coordination of the Party Committee, the government, the Fatherland Front, the mass organizations of Huong Lien commune, Ban Giang Border Guard Station, and Rao Tre village Working Group have always paid attention to and cared for the lives of the Chut ethnic people; many policies have been issued for the local people; this has helped the ethnic people have a new step of development. The material and spiritual life of the people has been increasingly improved; children of school age can attend school fully and at each level. The work of ensuring national defense and border security has been ensured.

Traditional festivals of the Chut ethnic group in Huong Khe are always maintained and promoted such as: Lap Lo Festival (7/7 lunar calendar), Cham cha bai (eating new rice) Festival on 12/11 lunar calendar; Cha leng Festival of the Chut ethnic group, Ban Giang 2 and Lunar New Year...

PV Group

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/van-hoa-ha-tinh/doc-dao-tet-lap-lo-cua-nguoi-chut-o-ha-tinh/253188.htm