The Si La People and Their Unique Tet Culture
Among Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, the Si La are one of the smallest populations, yet they possess a rich and distinctive cultural heritage. In Lai Châu province, the Si La live mainly in Can Hồ commune, Mường Tè district, with nearly 150 households and over 580 people. Their most remarkable custom is celebrating the traditional Tet early, a rare cultural practice preserved through generations.
Unlike the Kinh and many other ethnic groups who mark the new year at midnight, the Si La celebrate Tet when the harvest season ends. Therefore, their Tet is not fixed on a specific date but varies depending on when the harvest finishes in each locality. Usually, when peach blossoms (called "kỳ khà vẹ") begin to bloom across the mountains, the Si La joyfully welcome their Tet, known as "cô tô cơ ồ xị".
Timing and Rules for Choosing Tet Days
The Si La celebrate Tet according to clan lines, and choosing the right day is crucial. The first day of Tet must not coincide with the death anniversary (burial day) of any immediate ancestor (parents) in the clan, nor with the days of the Tiger and Monkey, which are considered unlucky.
Tet lasts three days, each with its own name and meaning:
- First day: "vạ sị nhi" (pig slaughtering day)
- Second day: "chí xi tố nhi" (wine drinking day)
- Third day: "chè chớ nhi" (ending day)
Preparation Before Tet
The day before Tet is called "cù phạ há nhi" (vegetable preparation day). Families clean their houses, wash cooking utensils, and prepare food and drinks for the holiday. Women go out to catch crabs, fish, and prepare a bundle of sticky rice for ancestor worship.
First Day: Pig Slaughtering and Ancestor Worship
On Tet day, families wake up at the first rooster crow. The head of the household fires a gunshot into the air to announce the new year. Women pound sesame and steam sticky rice. By around 4 a.m., the sound of pounding bánh giầy (round glutinous rice cakes) echoes throughout the village.
On the first day, every family slaughters a pig. Before the pig is slaughtered, it is "offered Tet" with bánh trôi (glutinous rice balls) and wine. The owner places the pig on a bench or a high stone in the yard, puts three bánh trôi on its snout, and pours wine into its mouth three times, chanting: "This year 1 quintal, next year 2, the following year 3," hoping for a healthy and prolific herd.
According to custom, the clan head's family slaughters the pig first, then other families follow. This creates a lively atmosphere with pig squeals, chopping sounds, and laughter. The Si La believe that the family finishing first will have good luck in the new year. Pigs must be male and of the traditional black breed.
After slaughtering, the liver is examined by the eldest man to divine the family's fortune. The front legs, some intestines, and lean meat are used for ancestor worship, cooked in a small kitchen in the worship room, where the couple sleeps. The offering ceremony is held immediately after cooking.
In the afternoon, representatives of families bring offerings to the clan head's house. Offerings include pig meat, 2 squirrels (symbolizing agility), 2 crabs, 2 fish (praying for water for the Si La wherever they go), and 2 bánh giầy (called "ba pa"). The clan head leads the prayer: "The old year has passed, the new year has come; children and grandchildren gather to offer gifts to ancestors. May our ancestors bless us with a full and warm new year, with more than enough to eat and drink." After the ceremony, participants share a meal or take offerings home.
Second Day: Wine Drinking and New Year Visits
The second day, "chí xi tố nhi", is for drinking wine. Couples bring a bottle of wine and a dried squirrel to visit their adoptive parents and in-laws, wishing them a happy new year and spending the day together.
Third Day: Making Chung Cakes and Ending Tet
On the third day, families wrap chung cakes. Si La chung cakes are unique: they are "double" cakes, with two small cylindrical cakes wrapped together. After boiling, the owner offers 1-2 cakes on the ancestor altar to announce that Tet is over.
Only after Tet do the Si La rearrange the ancestor altar. The parents perform this ritual, but if they are unwell, the eldest daughter-in-law does it, as she will become the future head of the family. The altar is placed in the corner of the house facing the setting sun, where the parents sleep.
Community Culture and Preservation
In the past, due to a nomadic lifestyle, the Si La did not organize games during Tet. Today, with state support, cultural and sports activities such as tug-of-war, stick pushing, and traditional dances are held. The Si La love music and craft traditional instruments like flutes and bamboo zithers.
However, some traditional cultural values, dishes, and folk songs are fading. The Mường Tè district authorities are working to preserve them by encouraging people to maintain rituals and cultural activities and establishing art teams.
The early Tet custom of the Si La is not only a unique cultural feature but also a symbol of community solidarity, filial piety, and hope for a peaceful and prosperous new year.
