Jrai people thank the forest god for favorable weather and bountiful crops.

The Jrai people's forest worship ceremony is an important traditional ritual, reflecting the long-standing beliefs of the Central Highlands people associated with the awareness of forest protection.

Not only having spiritual significance, the forest worship ceremony also shows respect for the forest god, contributing to educating the younger generation about the responsibility of protecting nature.

According to tradition, every March, the government and people of Ia Pech commune, Ia Grai district (Gia Lai province) hold a forest worship ceremony to thank the forest god for protecting the villagers, blessing them with favorable weather, favorable winds, and bountiful crops.

This year's ceremony was held at Ia Co stream, Ograng village, with the participation of local authorities, forest rangers, commune police and a large number of people.

Before the ceremony, young men in the village and forest protection forces entered the forest area to clear and clean the vegetation and choose the cleanest water source for the ceremony.

The offerings were carefully prepared by the villagers, all solemnly placed in the sacred corner of the forest designated by the village elder.

In the sacred forest space, village elder Siu Doih (born in 1947) - the celebrant of the ceremony and his successor solemnly read the prayer in Jrai language.

After the prayer, the village elder poured wine to invite the gods and shared the offerings with everyone. People enjoyed the wine and grilled meat together in the middle of the sacred forest, in a solemn and cozy atmosphere.

The forest worship ceremony not only reflects the beliefs of the Jrai people but is also an effective way to raise awareness about forest protection.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Deputy Head of the Ia Grai District Forest Protection Department, said that the natural forest assigned to the Ograng and De Chi village communities, Ia Pech commune, for management has an area of 568 hectares.

After the forest festival, people no longer cut down forests or hunt wild animals, but actively participate in forest protection contracts, harvest bamboo shoots and honey to improve their lives.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Ia Pech commune Ngo Khon Tuan emphasized: The forest worship ceremony is an indispensable part of the spiritual and cultural life of the Jrai people.

This is not only an opportunity to perform rituals with supernatural beings but also shows the spirit of attachment to forests and nature of each local people. People have good awareness and participate with local authorities to protect forests.

Local authorities always encourage people to preserve this traditional beauty and do a good job of protecting the forest.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai (born in 1990, residing in Pleiku city) shared that he was introduced to the Jrai forest worship ceremony by his friends, so he was eager to participate.

The majestic old forest space, sacred rituals, everyone is harmonious and united. This is a special cultural feature that needs to be preserved.

The Jrai forest worship ceremony is not only a spiritual ritual but also a testament to indigenous knowledge in forest protection.

For generations, the Jrai people have had strict regulations such as not encroaching on sacred forests, not hunting or exploiting in sacred areas.

This is how the Jrai people preserve the forest, considering the forest an inseparable part of life.

The local government and people hope that the forest worship ceremony will continue to be maintained, not only to preserve traditional culture but also to preserve valuable resources for future generations./.

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