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Forest God and Water God offering ritual of the Hà Nhì people

Culture and belief A record of custom.

About this rite: when it is held and for whom

Also called: Cúng rừng đầu năm, Gạ Ma Do, Gạ ma thú, Tết Gạ Ma Thú

By the custom of the Hà Nhì people, at the beginning of the year the whole village stretches a rope to close off the village, makes an offering at the water source and then goes into the sacred forest to give thanks to Thần Rừng (Forest God); in Điện Biên and Lai Châu the forest offering is part of the Gạ ma thú ceremony (village offering).

When
First lunar month in Lào Cai; second lunar month in Điện Biên
For whom
Thần Nước (Water God), Thần Rừng (Forest God) and the deities of the village

Offerings and how the rite is done

As commonly practised and recorded by the sources. Each family and each region may do it differently.

Northwest, Hà Nhì, Y Tý, Bát Xát, Lào Cai, Folk practice

When
First lunar month (in 2025 the Water God offering is on the 7th day; another year it is held on the 14th day of the first lunar month); in the morning the water source is worshipped, in the afternoon the forest is worshipped
Where the offerings are set
The main water source of the village; the sacred forest (forbidden forest) at the highest place in the village
Who makes the offering
The ritual master on behalf of the villagers; each household sends one person to the water source; in the afternoon only the men who are heads of households enter the sacred forest

Offerings

OfferingQuantityNotes
One pair of chickens1 pairRequired. for the water source offering
A yellow packet of xôi (steamed sticky rice) with a boiled chicken egg in the middle1Required
A tube of live-fermented glutinous rice wine kept in an old bamboo tube, with a straw made from a bamboo branch1Required
A tube of water taken from the sacred water source1Required
A pair of wooden chopping blocks, nine porcelain bowls, two pairs of chopsticksRequired
Pork, chicken meat, wine, ginger teafor the Forest God offering
Each household brings one piece of firewood to the water source

Steps

  1. Before the ceremony day: hold the village-closing ceremony, stretch ropes marking the prohibition on the main roads into the village
  2. Morning: families worship the ancestors and then go to the water source, together cleaning the water source
  3. Two ritual masters perform lý before killing the chicken; the ritual master presents the offering to thank Thần Nước (Water God)
  4. The ritual master divides the lộc equally among the representatives of the households, and they share a meal beside the water source
  5. Afternoon: the men who are household heads enter the sacred forest to perform the Gạ Ma Do ceremony thanking Thần Rừng (Forest God); they divide the lộc and eat rice right in the forbidden forest until evening

Things to avoid

  • Those who enter the sacred forest wear dark-coloured clothes, wear hats, go barefoot
  • The sacred forest is a place that must not be trespassed upon

Northwest, Hà Nhì, Sín Thầu, Chung Chải, Sen Thượng, Leng Su Sìn (Mường Nhé), Điện Biên, Folk practice

When
Second lunar month, choosing a dragon day, a horse day or a tiger day
Where the offerings are set
Seven offering places: the head of the village, the village gate, the water god, the fire god, the earth god, the forest god, the wind god
Who makes the offering
One main ritual master, six assistant ritual masters and one helper, chosen beforehand by the villagers

Offerings

OfferingNotes
Chicken eggs, rice, wine, tea, plain waterRequired. present on every tray
Leaves of the ồ mé tree wrapping a little bran, kitchen ash, iron filings, copper filings, white thread, red threadRequired. present on every tray

Steps

  1. The ritual masters perform the ceremony in turn with seven offering trays
  2. Divide the offerings equally among the households; the head of the household cooks them and then offers them to the ancestors
  3. Third day: swinging, con throwing, singing and dancing

Things to avoid

  • Rest from field work
  • Do not cause disunity
  • Do not eat wild animal meat; do not catch or bring into the village animals that live in burrows or underground such as bamboo rats, porcupines, pangolins
  • In the past women did not come near the offering place and strangers were not allowed into the village; now women join in preparing the offerings and guests are allowed in

Northwest, Hà Nhì, Mường Tè, Lai Châu, Folk practice

When
Three days of Tết Gạ Ma Thú; the first day is the offering to the forbidden forest
Where the offerings are set
Forbidden forest; on the second day the offering is at the village entrance and the village end
Who makes the offering
The ritual master and the village head direct it

Offerings

OfferingNotes
A pig slaughtered for the offering in the forbidden forestRequired. the ritual master examines the pig's liver
Sticky rice, corn cakeson the third day, made as gifts for guests

Steps

  1. First day: offering to the forbidden forest
  2. Second day: the whole village makes offerings at the village entrance and the village end
  3. Third day: steaming sticky rice, making corn cakes to treat relatives and guests

Things to avoid

  • During the three days of the festival, nothing leaves the village and nothing enters from outside

More about Forest God and Water God offering ritual of the Hà Nhì people

Nhật Nguyệt articles on the rite, the custom and how to prepare.

Sources

  • Độc đáo lễ Gạ Ma Do của người Hà Nhì (baolaocai.vn)
  • Lào Cai: Độc đáo lễ cúng Thần Nước, Thần Rừng của người Hà Nhì (nongnghiepmoitruong.vn)
  • Độc đáo lễ Gạ ma thú của người Hà Nhì (thanhtra.com.vn)
  • Tết Gạ Ma Thú của người Hà Nhì huyện Mường Tè (baodautu.vn)

Part of the open dataset Types of Vietnamese offering rites and Vietnamese offering procedures, licensed CC BY 4.0.

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