| Description |
Hét khoăn means a soul-worshiping ceremony, held to celebrate the birthdays of people 50 years of age or older, who have finished getting married, have children, and have grandchildren. Thereby, celebrating longevity and giving strength to grandparents, parents, and elders in the family. After asking the fortune teller to choose a good day, the homeowner prepares offerings, invites the shaman to perform the ceremony, informs the children and grandchildren, and invites friends to attend the Hét khoăn ceremony. The ceremony took place over two days. The homeowner invites the shaman to pray for peace, fortune, and health for the person celebrating his birthday, and then for the whole family. The Shouting ceremony is held in front of the ancestral altar of the person whose birthday is being worshiped and usually lasts from the previous afternoon, overnight and until the next day. Offerings used in the Hét khoăn ritual include round sticky rice cake, whole boiled chicken, roasted pig (ancestor offering tray, birthday offering tray, harvest offering tray), and rice, gold coins (offering tray for the deceased).. The Hét khoăn ritual includes rituals such as worshiping and asking permission from ancestors; Pray for health, praying for peace; adding more water of life; planting destiny tree; Add food to the bag of destiny rice to extending the relationship with Nam Tào, prolonging the life of the birthday person; praying for health and peace for the homeowner; Provide money and rice to heavenly soldiers, heavenly generals and make offerings to the birthday person. Some items such as rice baskets, bamboo branches, bridges (cloth strips), and lamps are brought by the shaman to the homeowner's ancestral altar. After the worshiping ceremony, brothers and friends come to have a festive meal and congratulate the birthday person. After 7 days (men) or 9 days (women), descendants take rice and eggs to cook porridge for the birthday person to eat to increase strength and longevity. |
