(VOVworld) – Worshiping the land genie is one of the major rituals of the Nung. When they settle in a new place to form a hamlet, the first thing they do is to build a temple to worship the local land genie. The temple is also dedicated to the founders of the hamlet. To Tuan introduces the land genie worship ritual of the Nung.

The geomancer carefully chooses a site to build the land genie temple and the shaman performs a ritual to begin the construction. It should be an isolated, clear, and quiet site near the front or the end of the hamlet. The villagers discuss and agree to build it big or small. It is often a wood house roofed with tiles or corrugated iron sheets. The villagers pray to the land genie to bless them with a peaceful life and bumper crops. Vuong Van Duong is a Nung man in Thach Dan commune, Cao Loc district, Lang Son province: “The Nung highly regard the worship of the land genie. Wherever they live, they have to build a temple. 12 Nung households in my hamlet built this land genie’s temple. The worship is not only a religious ritual but also a meeting to talk about our life.”

Trays of food the Nung offer to their ancestors (Photo: baolangson.vn)

Some Nung communities believe that the more simple the temple, the more sacred it is. In the past only Nung men were allowed to worship at the land genie temple. In recent years women have been accepted to attend the ritual. Chopping down trees or building workshops near the temple is prohibited.

The biggest annual land genie ritual is performed on the second day of the first lunar month. Clans and families perform ritual one by one. The biggest or most prestigious clan goes first. The offering includes a rooster, a pair of square sticky rice cakes (Banh chung), a tray of smashed rice cakes, alcohol, glutinous rice, and confectioneries. In some communities, the offering reflects the wealth of the donating family and families vie to have the biggest offering.

Other land genie worship ceremonies are held on the 2^nd day of the 3^rd lunar month, the 5^th day of the 5^th lunar month, and the 10^th day of the 10^th lunar month. To these ceremonies, each family sends just one participant. Loc Khang, a folklorist in Lang Son province, says: “The temple and its surrounding area is a venue for the community’s religious meetings. When a family has an important occasion such as repairing or building a house, a wedding, or a funeral, we bring an offering to the land genie’s temple and burn incense to ask for his blessing. The most sacred and biggest ritual is at the New Year festival.”

After the ceremony, all the villagers drink a toast. Then they take their rooster, square cakes, and steamed glutinous rice home. They scatter the steamed glutinous rice for the chickens and pigs to eat in the belief this will cause them to multiply in the coming years.   

Worshiping the land genie is not merely a religious ritual, but a practice that promotes unity and cohesion among the Nung.