(VOVWORLD) - The Ede ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands observe many rituals in their life cycle. The bronze bracelet removal ceremony recognizes an Ede boy or girl as an adult, entitling them to participate and make decisions in family and community affairs.
 The offering for a coming-of-age ceremony (photo: H Xiu/ VOV) |
The bronze bracelet removal ritual for a boy or a girl is organized by their parents or other family members at the witness of their relatives and neighbors. The size of the ceremony and the time to organize it depend on each family.
Adrơng Y Blih of Dak Lak province said: “I have three children, who have already passed the maturity ritual. A pig tail, which serves as an offering, is hung on a pole in the ceremony for a boy, orplaced in a flat basket in the ceremony for a girl. The boy will be given a shield and a spear. The girl is not. The ritual is handed down from our ancestors and we must follow.”
 The shaman removes the bronze bracelet which means the boy is matured and can decide his own future. (photo: H Xiu/ VOV) |
20-year-old man Y Sô Rian of Dak Lak province recalled his coming of age ceremony. “At first I was nervous. Then I was happy and excited to experience the ritual. I have grown up and can help and take care of my parents and relatives.”
Shaman Y Wơn Niê Kđăm, who conducted the ceremony for Y Sô Rian, told his parents to prepare a pig, 7 jars of liquor, and 7 portions of food including pork, steamed sticky rice, boiled banana, and potatoes.
To begin the ritual, the shaman took a long strip of raw pork spanning from the pig’s nose to its tail and used 7 bamboo strips to tie it to a pole in the house. He performed an ancestral worship, then the maturity worship. The shaman removed the bronze bracelet from Y So Rian's wrist and recited the prayer:
“I remove the bronze bracelet to let you freely decide your future and freely work in the field. From now on, you are an adult. You will shoulder the family work and protect the village,” the shaman prayed.
Then the shaman hung the bronze bracelet on the largest jar of liquor and continued to pray to the gods to bless the young man with health, peace, courage, resilience, and wisdom.
 The boy is given a shield and a spear, a symbol of a grown-up man. (Photo: H Xiu/ VOV) |
When he finished praying, he invited participants to eat the offerings, the young man first, then his mother, father, and relatives. The shaman took the pork on the pole down and untied it. The young man is given a shield and a spear to perform a martial dance to show off his strength of a matured man.
Shaman Y Wơn said: “The spear, the sword, and the shield represent his responsibility to protect his family. He will do the farm work and be a strong and tough protector of his parents and relatives.”
Finally all participants have a meal together and dance to the gong music to congratulate the man.
H Ngăm Adrơng of Dak Lak province shared her feeling after attending a maturity ceremony. “This is the first time I attended a big and solemn maturity ritual. It was carefully prepared. I learned a lot about the Ede’s customs.”
The maturity ceremony and other lifecycle rituals of the Ede people demonstrate the family and community bonds and their fine cultural practices.