Khu Su Cha New Rice Festival: The Largest Annual Celebration of the Ha Nhi People
In Sin Thau commune, Muong Nhe district, Dien Bien province, a place known as "one rooster's crow heard in three countries," the Ha Nhi ethnic community (including the La Mi and Co Cho groups) preserves a distinctive cultural tradition: the Khu Su Cha festival. In the local language, "Khu" means year, "Su" means new, and "Cha" means to celebrate Tet, thus Khu Su Cha means celebrating the new year. The Co Cho group calls it Ho Su Cha, where "Ho" means rice, signifying the New Rice Festival. This name reflects the timing of the festival, which occurs after the harvest season concludes.
Timing and Spiritual Significance
Khu Su Cha typically takes place in early December, not on a fixed date but always on a Dragon Day. It is a time for family reunions, showing filial piety to ancestors, and praying for peace and prosperity. Preparations begin days in advance with cleaning, preparing pigs, chickens, glutinous rice, and embroidering new clothes.
The First Day: Ancestor Worship and Pig Liver Divination
At dawn, families prepare floating cakes called "cha le" from glutinous rice flour. These cakes are essential for the first offering, believed to be the first food ancestors taste upon joining the Tet celebration. The family head also makes three large round cakes, placed on a banana leaf with toasted sesame seeds, as an offering. This ritual invites ancestors to celebrate Tet with their descendants.
Another crucial activity is slaughtering pigs, done only on the first or third day. The Ha Nhi believe the second day, the Snake Day, conflicts with the Pig zodiac sign and would bring bad luck to livestock. The slaughter follows specific procedures.
Afterward, the family head performs pig liver divination. The liver and gallbladder are cleaned and placed on a plate. A healthy liver with fresh color and a full gallbladder signifies a prosperous year ahead with good harvests and family harmony. Part of the pork is boiled for the ancestral offering ceremony, conducted with solemnity and full family attendance.
The Second and Third Days: Festivities and Folk Games
On the second morning, the sound of pounding glutinous rice cakes ("ga ba") echoes through the villages. The most beautiful round cake from the first batch is offered to ancestors. People then visit and exchange New Year wishes. Traditional games such as seesaw ("a chu chi"), swinging ("a gu chi"), and tossing a ball ("le po a si pe") take place. Young Ha Nhi women in colorful traditional costumes perform dances and songs along the village paths.
A Lasting Cultural Heritage
The Khu Su Cha festival embodies the Ha Nhi people's hospitality and filial piety. In recent years, it has become a destination for travelers seeking unique cultural experiences and the majestic landscapes of Vietnam's far west, including milestone 0 marking the intersection of the Vietnam-China-Laos borders on Khoan La San mountain.
