(VOVWORLD) - Sweeping away ghosts from the village is a traditional ritual of the Phu La people, with the wish to have peace, a good harvest, and good luck.
 The worshipping delegation visits every household to sweep away the ghosts. (photo: nhandan.vn) |
The Phu La ethnic group has about 12,000 people, scattered throughout Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Dien Bien, and Ha Giang province. The Phu La are also known by other names, such as Xá Phó, Phổ, or Mu Di Pạ.
Throughout the year the Phu La perform many customs and rituals – welcoming the new rice, the Lunar New Year ceremony, the going to the field ceremony, forest worship, and sweeping away the village ghosts.
Artisan Vang Ngoc Sang of Sa Pa town in Lao Cai province says the two big annual ceremonies are the forest worship and sweeping away the village ghosts.
“Sweeping away the ghosts is not about sweeping the ground with a broom. It’s actually a form of worship to chase away evil spirits and bring good things into our village,” Sang said.
The Phu La believe that there are times in a year when ghosts enter the village to disturb the villagers and cause difficulties. Shaman Vang Ghi Nho of Sa Pa town, explained the meaning of the ritual: “We hold the ritual to pray for good health, productivity, and economic development. We also pray for good animal husbandry.”
The ghost sweeping ceremony is a community event, so the village chief and senior villagers play the important role of organizing it in a solemn way. After choosing an appropriate date, the villagers meet to assign roles for the ceremony. Each family must contribute something, depending on their situation a pig, a chicken, goat meat, fruits, or cakes. The offering must include a dog, a white-feathered chicken, and a red-feathered chicken, which the Phu La believe have the power to chase away ghosts.
The ghost-sweeping ceremony usually takes place in a large, open field. The altar is positioned to direct the ghosts out of the village and into the forest, so they no longer will cause trouble for the village. Before the ritual each family makes wooden knives and guns to ward off the evil spirits, and weaves a bamboo fence to hang on their door to prevent evil spirits from entering the house.
 The shaman and the boy villagers chase the ghosts to the forest. (photo: nhandan.vn) |
Before the ceremony, each family worships their ancestors at home. At the appointed time, the men bring their offerings to the field and begin the sweeping ceremony. Artisan Vang Ngoc Sang says that, while the forest worship ceremony is a sacred ritual, the ghost sweeping ceremony is both a ritual and a fun, relaxing festival. The ritual asks the Heaven God and the Mountain God to chase the ghosts wandering in the village back to the forest, so they can’t harm people or livestock.
Then the ceremony turns into a festival with everyone, young and old, joining in. Sang said: “I place a tray of offerings, put a chicken andthe wooden knivesand guns on the tray, and wait for the shaman to come with two reeds more than a meter long, which he uses to sweep.”
The shaman sweeps every house with a reed-mop, while the homeowner throws corn kernels into every corner to urge the ghosts out of the house. The shaman goes from house to house, and the homeowners close their doors behind him. Finally, everyone goes back to the ritual spot to chase the ghosts into the forest. They plant wooden knives and swords at the edge of the forest to deter the ghosts from returning.
For three days following the ritual, the Phu La people refrain from singing or making any loud noise in their house, Sang said. “Don’t make any loud noise. Every household must do this. And we must speak only our group’s language. We mustn’t speak any other language.”
Although science has improved their life in many ways, the Phu La preserve old customs like sweeping away evil spirits because they want to preserve their traditional culture and its beliefs.