HÀ NỘI - The Đom Lơng Néak Tà Festival of the Khmer People in Trà Vinh Province is recognised as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is an intangible cultural heritage categorised as a traditional festival, and is the 7th heritage of the province to be included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Khmer people carry palanquins in festival rituals. VNA/VNS Photo

Khmer people organise the Đom Lơng Néak Tà Festival at Néak Tà temples to worship Néak Tà, the god of protection for rain, good crops, health and peace. The festival takes place annually in April or May, during the transition between the dry and rainy seasons after Chol Chnam Thmay. Each region chooses its own festival day. 

The Neak Ta worshipping ceremony lasts for three days and nights. About 10 days before the worshipping ceremony, Acha and older people in the community in Phum Sóc will come to each house to announce the date and time of the Néak Tà worshipping ceremony and gather materials, rice and salt. 

According to research in the province, there are 242 Néak Tà temple houses in the province. The Provincial General Museum has selected four typical festival sites to coordinate with the Department of Culture and Information of Trà Cú, Cầu Kè, Châu Thành and Duyên Hải districts to conduct scientific records of intangible cultural heritage.

Khmer people in Trà Vinh Province prepare to take part in the Đom Lơng Néak Tà ceremony. VNA/VNS Photo

"The Đom Lơng Néak Tà Festival has become a cultural activity with rich folk distinctiveness and an essential need in the community and spiritual life of Khmer residents in Trà Vinh Province. The celebration helps to foster a vibrant and healthy spiritual life and fortifies the bonds among the ethnic groups in the area. All who attend the celebration go home with optimistic dreams of a bumper crop and a belief that family and friends will be content, prosperous and healthy," said Thạch Bồi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Trà Vinh Province.

Speaking at the ceremony, comrade Lê Thanh Bình, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, requested professional sectors and localities to continue to maintain and preserve the Đom Lơng Néak Tà Festival associated with tourism development. The local authorities should strengthen information dissemination internally and to the masses about the significance of heritage values, as well as timely collect documents related to the festival for its preservation and promotion. VNS