Ben Nuoc Ceremony of the Ede Ethnic Group

One of the oldest customs of the Ede ethnic group is the Ben Nuoc Ceremony. This traditional event is held every year after the harvest to wish for a peaceful weather, bountiful harvests, and a well-off life. It is also a meaningful part of the spiritual life of the Ede people and an occasion for the community to get together.
Photo: Internet

Ben Nuoc Ceremony usually takes place as a festival of the village. After a long harmony of gongs which brings us to the holly, spiritual world, the ceremony starts with the worshiping procedure. People worship and inform their ancestors about the presence of all the children in their family. After that, another harmony of gongs spread all over the space as the Yang (the sun) Ceremony begins. The last part of the ceremony is the performance of the girls in traditional costumes. They dance, sing and march from the center to the gate of the village.
Photo: danviet.vn

The holly ceremony is always organized carefully in a solemn way. The leader of ceremony reads the wishes of the villagers. On behalf of them, he asks the God of Water to bring water, the most important source of life to the village. After the ceremony, the fresh and cool bowls of water are carried by the children of the village with alacrity. Everyone gathers together and savor the taste of Can Wine while the sound of Tay Nguyen gongs and drums keeps echoing forever.