Cha Mun Festival

Cha Mun Festival of the Black Thai people in Thanh Hoa Cha Mun Festival is one of the most unique and typical folk belief festivals of the Black Thai ethnic group in Yen Thang commune (Lang Chanh, Thanh Hoa). According to legend, since ancient times, people on earth (Muong Lum) often suffered from epidemics and illnesses, and there was no cure. To help the villagers, the Black Thai people sent people to Muong Troi to ask for help. Po Then - the ruler of Muong Troi, has full talent in creating land, water and all species, including humans. The call for help from the Muong Lum people moved Po Then to pity and ordered the opening of heaven's gate for soldiers and divine doctors to come down to earth to cure diseases and save people. After being saved by Po Then, the ancestors of the Black Thai people sent Mo Mun to Muong to give thanks and ask to learn the secret of healing. After Mo Mun finished learning the remedies, Po Then requested that if 120 people were cured, they must hold a ceremony to thank him. Remembering the advice, every year Mo Mun organizes the Cha Mun Festival to thank Po Then and pray for the people in the area to be healthy, have good harvests, and make everyone happy. The Cha Mun festival is held in September and October of the lunar calendar. The priest chooses the best day and sends people to the house of Luc May (sick people cured by the Mun priests) to inform them. With respect and gratitude to the person who saved her from illness, May prepared offerings and organized the festival with the host family. To conduct the rituals, the chief priest invites 4-6 people, the Mun monks, to help him organize. On the day of the ceremony, Khi May from the villages, dressed in colorful clothes and wearing a headband, went to the priest's house to give thanks to Po Then. When Luc May and the people in the village gathered, the priest held a ceremony to receive offerings and reported to Po Then. Offerings must be prepared with 31 trays, of which, one main tray is placed near the window in the middle of the house, 30 side trays include fruits such as bananas, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, taro, grilled fish, sticky rice, chicken, pork, wine... The Chá Mun festival includes a ceremony to invite Po Then and the souls of deceased Mun shamans and call the souls of sick people to attend; welcoming local administrators and guests; Organize games and performances. Finally, saying goodbye to Po Then, the spirits of Mun returned to Muong Heaven, said goodbye and promised to meet again in the next festival season.