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VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES * HA DIEU THU FAMILY RITUALS OF MUONG PEOPLE IN CAM LUONG COMMUNE, CAM THUY DISTRICT, THANH HOA PROVINCE Major: Anthropology Code: 31 03 02 DOCTORAL THESIS FOR ANTHROPOLOGY HA NOI, 2022 This study is conducted at GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Supervisors: Assoc Prof Ph D Dang Thi Hoa PhD Nguyen Anh Cuong Reviewer 1: Assoc Prof Ph D Dinh Hong Hai Reviewer 2: Assoc Prof Ph D Nguyen Duy Binh Reviewer 3: Assoc Prof Ph D Le Ngoc Thang The thesis will be defended at Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences’s Committee, 477, Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi At…… hour………minutes, date………month… year 2022 Can be found at: - Vietnam National Library - Academy of Social Sciences’s Library INTRODUCTION Rationale In Thanh Hoa, Muong people represent the largest population with 364,622 people, accounting for nearly 59% of the total population of ethnic minorities in the province and residing primarily in midland and mountainous districts to the West of Thanh Hoa Along Ngoc Lac, Ba Thuoc, Cam Thuy, and Thach Thanh districts, the Muong group tends to live in integrated neighborhoods, except for several communes in Nhu Xuan, Thuong Xuan, Quan Hoa They have distinct identities compared with other localities The picture of Muong people’s traditional socio-culture has been changing under the impact of external factors (such as State policies and their interaction with other ethnic groups) and internal ones (locals’ perceptions) Accordingly, the Muong group’s socio-economic and cultural life is undergoing various alterations, especially in the natural and social environment Besides, modernization and urbanization have resulted in a drastic transformation in the Muong’s family culture, especially their family rituals The PhD candidate (hereinafter referred to as the author) of the thesis chose Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, located in the northwest midland and mountainous area of Thanh Hoa, to be the research area since the Muong’s traditional culture and their family rituals are experiencing a great change due to their coexistence; in addition, their cultural exchanges with the Viet people are occurring profoundly and widely Moreover, the tourism development and hydroelectric projects of Cam Thuy and Cam Thuy have a significant impact on the locals’ cultural traditions Accordingly, a number of questions arise: Will family rituals be affected when facilities and ritual space alter? If so, how will they change? Are the changes suitable for the new context? Hence, the author believes that those issues have a practical significance, contributing to clarifying the changes in rituals of Muong people’s family life and preserving as well as promoting their traditional cultural values in Cam Luong, Cam Thuy, Thanh Hoa under the current context Based on the above analysis, the author chose “Family rituals of Muong people in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa province” as my PhD thesis topic in Anthropology Research goals and objectives 2.1 Research goals - To conduct a systematical and comprehensive study on Muong people’s family rituals, thereby clarifying the cultural characteristics and values through their rituals and changing family rituals in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa - To propose recommendations on preserving and promoting those family rituals in building the Muong group’s new cultural life and their modern and happy families in the region 2.2 Research objectives - To clarify Muong people’s family rituals in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa to distinguish them from other rituals performed in childbirth, marriage, funerals, ancestor worshipping, gods worshiping, “vía kéo si”1, “cúng cơm mới” (new rice offering), etc - The thesis studies family rituals in the relationship between traditions and transformation Accordingly, the author clarifies the Muong family culture’s traditional values and their alterations under the influence of modernization, urbanization, as well as tourism development in the area - The thesis contributes to providing a scientific ground for policymakers in childbirth, marriage, funerals to make good and sound policies suitable for new cultural values Subject and scope of the research 3.1 Subject of the research The thesis targets Muong people’s family rituals in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa 3.2 Scope of the research - Spatial scope: Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa - Time periods: The thesis covers family rituals in the past and their changes at present - Content of the research: Since family rituals involve numerous activities, the author chooses to focus on some of them, including i) Life cycle rites (birth, marriage, and funerals); ii) Ancestor worship; iii) God worship, “vía kéo si” (explained in the endnote 1), “cúng cơm mới” (new rice offering ceremony) The thesis examines family rituals in traditional society and their transformation in the current context Research methodology 4.1 Theories Taking Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s ideology as the theoretical grounds, the thesis is based on historical and dialectical materialism viewpoints to examine family rites in their mutual interaction Ritual practices Translator’s explanation: This ritual is performed through a banyan tree known as the fate banyan, which is used to recall the sick’s spirits getting lost from their bodies The performer of the ritual and the sick people’s descendants (do as the performer’s instructions) will worship and pray to Gods asking for their blessings to cure the sick people and prolong their lives and participants are closely related to Muong people’s outlook on life, worldview, beliefs, and customs Those factors create a dialectical relationship that is inseparable from rituals Under historical materialism, the author does not consider rituals as an independent element, but the ones in the context of locals’ cultural behavior towards the environment, clans, and their community 4.2 Methodologies To achieve the research objectives, the author employs the following methods: Ethnographic fieldwork; analysis, synthesis, and comparison; expert opinion Thesis contributions In terms of theoretical contribution, the research findings add new materials to Ethnology/Anthropology on characteristics and alterations of rituals in the Muong families in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa Besides, the thesis clarifies differences in family rituals between Muong people in Thanh Hoa and in Phu Tho, Hoa Binh In practical terms, the research findings provide a profound understanding of the Muong group’s cultural values through examining their family rituals, thereby contributing to the preservation and promotion of those values in the area Theoretical and practical significance of the thesis 6.1 Theoretical significance The research findings add new materials on Muong families’ rituals to the existing scholarship in building up their cultural life in the new context 6.2 Practical significance The research findings provide scientific arguments for policy-makers and authorities, especially authorities in Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa, to amend policies on conservation, promotion of Muong minority group’s traditional cultural values as well as policies on family planning, marriage, and funerals under an advanced lifestyle in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa Thesis structure In addition to the Introduction, Conclusion, References, and Appendix, the thesis is divided into four chapters below: Chapter reviews the literature related, presents the theoretical background of the topic, and describes the study site Chapter examines life cycle rites Chapter investigates worshiping in the family Chapter discusses trends, causes of changes in family rituals, and their values in the Muong’s cultural life Chapter LITERATURE REVIEW, THEORETICAL BACKGROUND, AND THE STUDY SITE 1.1 Literature review 1.1.1 International research on the Muong’s rituals One of the noteworthy research on Muong people in Vietnam is “Muong people - Human geography and sociology” by Cuisinier.J Besides, in “La Province Muong de Hoa Binh” (Muong Hoa Binh, 1994), Grossin Pierre describes the geographical location, topography in which the Muong group resides He introduces their history and division and decentralization of management in the area bounded by four provinces, including Son Tay, Ninh Binh, Hanoi, and Hung Hoa 1.1.2 Research on ethnic groups’ family rituals in Vietnam A great number of researchers examine and give a detailed description of the Viet’s life cycle rituals in the delta region, such as “Rites of passage” by Le Trung Vu, “Life cycle rituals” by Pham Minh Thao, “Life cycle ceremonies” by Truong Thin In addition, numerous works on of ethnic minorities’ life cycle rituals are conducted including “Chăm Ahier people’s life cycle rituals in Ninh Thuan” by Phan Quoc Anh, “Xơ Đăng group’s rites of passage” by Phan Van Hoang, “Khmer people’s life cycle ceremonies in Soc Trang” by Vo Thanh Hung, “Primary rites of passage of Dao Tiền group in Ba Be, Bac Kan” by Ly Hanh Son, “Transformation of Chut ethnic group’s life cycle rituals in the North Central Vietnam” by Nguyen Van Manh, “Primary rites of passage of Khmer people in Chau Lang commune, Tri Ton district, An Giang” by Nguyen Van Lu, “Rites in Dao Thanh Y ethnic group’s life cycle in Hoanh Bo district, Quang Ninh” by Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Rite in the Hoa Kwangtung group’s life cycle in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City” by Do Hong Thanh, “Hà Nhì ethnic group’s rituals in Bat Xat district, Lao Cai” by Trinh Thi Lan, “Life cycle ceremonies of Tay people in Na Hang district, Tuyen Quang” by Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, “Rites in the life cycle of Nùng Cháo group in Van Quan district, Lang Son” by Hoang Thuy Duong However, until now, there are a few studies on all rituals in an ethnic group’s family such as “Family rites of the Tày Muong in Nghe An” by Le Hai Dang and “Family rituals of the Mảng people in Vietnam” by Nguyen Van Thang 1.1.3 Research on rituals and family rites of the Muong people in Vietnam There are numerous studies on Muong people Out of them, Nguyen Tu Chi is one of the remarkable scholars by his works such as “La Cosmologie Muong” (the Muong cosmology), “Contribution to the study of culture and ethnicity” In the same vein, a number of works give a detailed description of the Muong group namely “Muong people in Vietnam” edited by Bui Tuyet Mai, “Muong people in Tan Lac, Hoa Binh” edited by Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga & Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, “The Muong ethnic group’s culture in Kim Boi district, Hoa Binh” edited by Hoang Huu Binh Besides, research on Mo Muong2 (Mo prayers) is of interest to various scholars including “Mo - Road to Heaven” by Dinh Van An, “Mo rituals in Muong people’s religious life” by Bui Thi Kim Phuc In light of a person’s life cycle, marriage, and family, various in-depth projects are carried out such as “Family and marriage of Muong ethnic group in Phu Tho” by Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, “Rite of the passage of Muong people in Hoa Binh” by Nguyen Thi Song Ha, and “Changes in Muong people’s marriage in Hoa Binh and Muong migrants in Dak Lak” edited by Nguyen Thi Song Ha Those works investigate comprehensively and systematically various aspects of the Muong ethnic group’s material culture and spiritual beliefs in Vietnam 1.1.4 Research on Muong people and their family rituals in Thanh Hoa Muong people and their family rituals in Thanh Hoa have attracted attention from scholars and researchers such as Hoang Anh Nhan with “Documentation of Muong people’s folk beliefs in Thanh Hoa” (volume 1, volume 2) and “Human realm - under Muong Trong (original Muong)’s beliefs” Along the same line, Cao Son Hai conducted various works namely “Songs in Muong people’s weddings in Thanh Hoa”, “Muong folklore under a different view”, and “Life cycle rituals of Muong people under an investigation, surveys, and retrospective in the Muong community in Thanh Hoa” On the same subject, Vuong Anh studied “An approach to Muong group’s culture; besides, Mai Thi Hong Hai demonstrated her perspective through “Folklore in Muốt village” and “Xường singing in the Muong’s weddings in Thanh Hoa” Having discussed the mentioned literature review, the author believes that examining the Muong group’s family rituals will shed light on cultural values in Muong people’s family rituals in theoretical and practical terms However, there has not been any conducted research that comprehensively and systematically explores Muong people’s family rituals in Thanh Hoa as well as analyzing alterations to those rituals and their causes Translator’s explanation: Mo Muong rituals that are performed in Muong ethnic group, including a “thầy Mo” (Mo master, Mo practitioner), who knows tens of thousands of lines of Mo by heart, as well as many traditional rituals and customs, recites Mo (poetry/prayers) In the Muong community, thầy Mo is an intellectual and reputable person whose role is associated with the human life cycle including birth, old age, sickness, and death 1.2 Theoretical background 1.2.1 Definitions: The thesis has defined and clarified key terminology mentioned in this research topic such as rituals, family rituals, life cycle rituals, birth, marriage, funerals, taboos, customs/practices, ancestor worship, Gods 1.2.2 Research theory In this thesis, the author approaches to several theories to conduct the research on Muong people’s family rituals in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa, including the theory of Ritual transfer, Acculturation, and Functional 1.3 Overview of the study area 1.3.1 Geographical characteristics and natural environment Cam Luong is a highland commune located in the northern mountainous part of Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa with various types of terrain including limestone mountains, low mountains, hills, rivers, streams, alluvial flats along Ma river The locality is situated in the humid tropical and monsoon climate Additionally, three sides of the commune are surrounded by Ma river, which is about km long and flows through villages of the commune Ma river helps build fertile alluvial land that enables locals to grow various plants and crops in the area Besides, in the commune, numerous streams are formed from crevices in Truong Sinh mountain range Attentionally, Ngoc stream, which is about 200m long, is home to thousands of fish Cam Luong fish stream has attracted numerous tourists from all over the country, enabling the locality’s tourism development However, in the rainy season, much water in Ma River and streams goes up, causing flooding and transport problems that affects locals’ lives and their production 1.3.2 Demographics Cam Thuy is home to Muong people with 55,570 people, accounting for 52% of the total population in the district, making the district become the locality with the second-highest percentage of Muong population in Thanh Hoa As of July 2020, Cam Luong commune consists of four villages namely Xu Xuyen, Kim Mam, Luong Ngoc, and Hoa Thuan with 802 households equivelent to 3290 people belonging to two chiefly ethnic groups of Muong and Kinh as well as other ethnic minorities Out of them, 603 households with 2415 people belong to Muong ethnic group In Cam Luong commune, Muong people are descended from three primary groups namely: i) The Muong group that has resided in the commune for a long time and lives mainly in Luong Ngoc village is called the Muong Trong (original Muong); ii) The group that migrated from Muong Bi (in Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh) are called Muong Ngoài people (means coming from outside) Besides, several households moved here from Yen Thuy district (in Hoa Binh) known as a branch of the Bui family that Mr Bui Van Loi is seen as a leader in Luong Ngoc village; iii) The Viet (Kinh) group who has migrated to the commune at different times, lived together with Muong people and gradually become more like them 1.3.3 Socio-economic - cultural characteristics 1.3.3.1 Economic activities: In Cam Luong commune, Muong group lives in the hills and low mountains Their livelihoods focus on growing crops, animal husbandry, handicrafts, building materials, and tourism Under the solid economic growth and science and technology achievements, the Muong people have improved their knowledge of farming in wet fields, planting sugar cane, doing side jobs, livestock and poultry breeding, and strengthening the tourism economy to build on their new life 1.3.3.2 Social characteristics After the August Revolution (1945), the Muong organization was abolished and replaced by the model of communes - hamlets; Cam Luong commune used to belong to Dong Minh commune In early 1947, Dong Minh commune was changed its name to Cam Giang commune, consisting of 12 hamlets, including Kim Mam, Luong Thuan, Luong Hoa, and Luong Ngoc By 1964, Cam Giang commune was divided into two communes namely Cam Luong and Cam Giang Cam Luong commune comprises five hamlets including Luong Ngoc, Kim Mam, Luong Hoa, Luong Thuan, and Xu added to the commune (used to belong to Cam Thach commune) In 2007, Kim Mam was divided into two villages namely Kim Mam and Kim Mam As a result, Cam Luong commune consisted of six villages In 2018, Kim Mam merged with Kim Mam to become Kim Mam village, Luong Hoa merged with Luong Thuan to form Hoa Thuan village Accordingly, Cam Luong commune includes four villages: Xu Xuyen, Kim Mam, Luong Ngoc, and Hoa Thuan Muong people come from different clans such as Cao, Truong, Pham, Bui Each clan gathers around foothills or rivers and streams Those clans usually meet officially once a year However, there is hardly any population structure recently with the same bloodline in a village From the socio-political organization, Muong community in Cam Luong commune is managed by the State administrative system; each village is under a Party Cell’s leadership; the village head is in charge of its administration; other organizations/unions are responsible for various aspects/activities in the community 1.3.3.3 Cultural features Material culture includes food, clothing, housing Spiritual culture/beliefs: Muong people’s cultural activities/beliefs are diverse, including folk music, rituals of a year, beliefs (such as ancestor worship, worship of Earth God, Snake God, and Fish God), and their customs (such as weddings and funerals) Summary of Chapter In the section, having discussed the literature review, the author indicates that those studies have clarified the Muong ethnic group’s material culture (food, stilt houses, costumes) and their spiritual practices (beliefs, marriage, funerals) Nonetheless, most of them have focused on Muong people in Hoa Binh and Phu Tho Little research on Muong group in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa is known, and few studies of this kind have been attempted to conduct Hence, more research on the Muong in the region is needed At this juncture, the thesis has defined key terminology mentioned in the thesis Besides, the author employs theories and research methodologies in accordance with the thesis content to reach the expected objectives In Cam Luong commune, Muong people, who had originated from various ancestors, have resettled in the region and developed into villages for a long time Their critical livelihood is wet-rice agriculture and shifting cultivation (also known as slash-and-burn agriculture) in the uplands Since 2004, Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee has approved the detailed planning for the construction and development of Cam Luong sacred fish stream for tourism, which has attracted tens of thousands of tourists every year As a result, Muong people’s lives have significantly improved due to tourism services in the region In addition, the Muong’s have rich and diverse spiritual and material cultural activities Chapter RITES OF PASSAGE 2.1 Birth ritual 2.1.1 Perspectives on childbirth and children Under Muong people’s perspectives, a happy family has many children, especially many sons Therefore, they want their children to get married early to have many descendants in the future Besides, they believe that having many children boosts their family’s status among their clans and other people in the region In addition, the more children in a family, the more adult earners/workers the family is likely to have Moreover, the more kids a family has, the more people there are to take care of their parents in their old age On top of that, the Muong always wish to give birth to sons since they consider sons to be a refuge for their parents to lean on when they are old and the people to worship their parents when they die Additionally, families with many sons bracelet to keep him/her stay away from bad lucks and sickness Remarkably, his/her grandmother makes him/her clothes and gives him/her lucky money However, those features are different from those in a baby’s full-month ceremony celebrated by the Muong group in Cam Luong commune since the ceremony, a baby’s paternal side will not invite her/his maternal side but the paternal relatives and neighbors The maternal side will officially celebrate the child’s birth in “lễ cầu vía”5 2.1.4.3 Naming ceremony Naming ceremony, also known as “Làm vía đặt tên cho trẻ” Under Muong people’s view, during a child’s one-year old, he/she is not old enough to become an independent individual; hence, he/she will not have a name When he/she is old enough, his/her grandparents on the father’s side will name him/her In Cam Luong, before naming a baby, his/her parents have to ask the paternal and maternal side whether anyone has/had the name that will be given to the child during the three generations In case someone has/had that name, they must choose another name for the baby After choosing a suitable name for the child, a shaman will pray to the ancestors, gods, and the Goddesses for naming the child From now on, the child has an official name In case the baby is the eldest son in his family, his parents will be addressed by the son’s name 2.1.3.3 Nghi lễ cầu vía (see footnote below) In Cam Luong, a child is born and taken care of by his/her paternal family Only after his /her maternal family performs “lễ cầu vía”, he/she is allowed to visit the maternal side After the two sides of the families agree on the day of performing “lễ cầu vía”, the maternal side, the matchmaker, and the young men/woman carry offerings to the paternal house to visit the child For the Muong group, the ceremony often consists of two trays, one for their ancestors and the other for the child’s spirit “Ông Mo” (a ritual practitioner), who performs the ritual, is believed to be a good and famous one in the region and invited by the child’s maternal side The ritual normally follows various stages: Addressing the name of the child’s spirit, telling him/her the reason for the rite, inviting and convincing him/her to come to the rite, requesting him/her to enjoy offerings, telling him/her to enter his/her formin body before finishing the offerings, lulling him/her to sleep with sweet dreams, putting a red thread around the child’s wrist, and Grandparents on his/her mother’s side help the child wear clothes and necklace “Lễ cầu vía” is a rite performed to invite a baby’s soul to come and enter the baby’s forming body so that they will be the whole 2.1.3.4 Nghi lễ cúng Mụ (Ritual of worshiping the Goddess) nghi lễ mời vía (lọi vía) (protecting a baby’s spirit) During the parenting, if the child gets sick or seriously ill, his/her family will invite a shaman to worship “bà Mụ” The shaman will pray to the Goddesses for their blessings and protecting the child’s soul so that he/she will recover quickly Besides, families having children under ten years old often perform a rite (known as lọi vía) to invite the children’s souls to their families at the end of the year (usually in December in Lunar year) and ask for their blessings so that the children will stay away from sickness, grow up healthily and safely in the whole year The family will invite “ông Mo” (shaman) to perform the ritual 2.1.3.5 “Nghi lễ nhập họ” When a boy reaches the age of adulthood (the Muong people in Cam Luong determine the age of adulthood to be 17 years old for boys and 13 for girls), he must participate in the ritual known as “lễ nhập họ” (to become an official member of his clan as an adult), in which he will officially present himself to other people in his clan The ritual is usually performed on the anniversary of their ancestors’ death, on which the father brings his son to present to the clan’s leader and bow to the ancestors at their clan temple After the ritual, the son is considered to be an adult, an official member of the clan, and is allowed to participate in communual tasks of the family, clan, and community 2.1.4 Changes in birth rituals A number of rituals have been presently removed such as the ritual of worshiping “bà Mụ”, naming ceremony, “lễ mời vía” (protecting a baby’s spirit), “lễ nhập họ” (to become an official member of his clan as an adult) Other rituals such as “lễ đầy cữ” (Full moon ceremony of a baby’s 7/9-day old), “lễ đầy tháng” (Full-month celebration), “Lễ cầu vía” (a rite performed to invite a baby’s spirit to come and enter the baby’s forming body so that they will be the whole) are still performed but simpler and shorter Besides, families invite a shaman, not “ông Mo” to perform rituals The transformation of the birth ritual is considered to be an inevitable trend, suitable for a new lifestyle Nonetheless, the Muong people have been trying to preserve their traditional culture in the birth rite 2.2 Wedding ceremonies 2.2.1 Muong people’s view on marriage Muong people believe that marriage, which brings joys and happiness to families, clans, and villages, is one of the critical events in their life For a ma, marriage helps him affirm his position and role in his family and community For a woman, marriage marks her maturity and a significant transition when leaving her family to live with her husband’s family and shouldering the responsibility for the family’s chores 2.2.2 Wedding rituals 2.2.2.1 Lễ dạm6 (Ti rám du) On behalf of the future groom’s family, the matchmaker and some young persons from the groom’s family will carry gifts to the future bride’s family to officially ask her parents for permission for the soon-to-be groom and bride to be established as a couple The bride’s family will ask about her opinion; if she agrees, she will nod In a family with middle economic status in Cam Luong, gifts usually include a pair of carp (or a pair of castrated roosters), a bottle of wine, a bunch of fresh areca fruits, about 100 betel leaves, a big basket (known as troi) of “bánh Chưng”7 (no filling which symbolizes the bride’s virginity), and “bánh khổ”8 In the ceremony, the matchmaker will ask the bride’s parents for proceeding with “lễ ăn hỏi” (the engagement ceremony) after that 2.2.2.2 Lễ ăn hỏi - Engagement ceremony (known as Ti poi du or Đi boi du) In the engagement ceremony, the future groom is not allowed to attend but will present himself to the future bride’s family after the engagement ceremony, known as “lễ mắt rể” (the groom’s first day to the parents-in- law’s family), which is considered to be the difference between the wedding ceremonies of the Muong people in Thanh Hoa and Hoa Binh as well as Phu Tho In Cam Luong, the engagement ceremony is also the time for two families to discuss conditions/offerings that the future groom’s family needs to address/bring to the future bride’s side, known as cách in Muong ethnic group Conventionally, the future bride will be considered a married woman after the ceremony 2.2.2.3 Lễ mắt rể - the groom’s first day to the bride’s family (Pao Chau) This ceremony marks the groom’s first day with the bride’s family On the occasion, he will officially present himsel to the bride’s ancestors, her parents, the brides’ paternal and maternal families, and her neighbors Besides, he will bring offerings/gifts as requested by the bride’s family In the ceremony, people perform “tục ném rể” (known as Nèm chầu - people in the bride’s Lễ dạm: A very first ceremony in the wedding rituals, in which the future groom’s family visits the future bride’s family the first time to ask her parents for permission for the soon-to-be groom and bride to be established as a couple Bánh Chưng: A traditional Vietnamese food made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and other ingredients Bánh khổ: A traditional dish of Muong people, usually included in wedding ceremonies and Tet families throw various kinds of fruits to people in the procession led by groom’s family), an unique custom of the Muong in Cam Luong In addition, the ceremony is aslo an occasion for the groom to officially bow and pray to the bride’s ancestors and her parents 2.2.2.4 Wedding ceremonies (known as Khẻch du, sởc du) After around three years, when the groom’s family prepares all needed gifts/offerings, they will choose an auspicious day and month in the Muong calendar, and the matchmaker will bring the gifts to the future bride’s family and ask for the bride’s hand in marriage as well as proceeding with the wedding ceremony Under the Muong’s customs, the wedding ceremony is usually held in January and December (in Luna calendar) when all crops are harvested, and the weather is favorable The wedding ceremony often lasts for three days, in which the groom’s family brings their gifts to the bride’s family on the first day, then officially asks permission to receive the bride and takes her to his home on the second and third day One day before the wedding day, the groom’s side would make a trip to the bride’s side with their gifts (this day is known as lễ dẫn của) On the official wedding day, banquet dishes are served to guests at a reception Before leaving her house, the bride burns incense sticks, bows to her ancestors in front of the ancestral altar, and asks for their blessings Receiving the bride at her house and bringing her to the groom’s family marks her big transition from a free woman to a man’s wife and a daughter-in-law As the procession arrives back at the groom’s house, her mother-in-law will welcome, take her to wash her feet and to their stilt house When entering the house, the bride goes straight to the fire, bows to the Vua Bếp (known as Kitchen God), and asks for his blessings with her housework and childbirth in the future since she is now an official member of her husband’s family The bride then follows her mother-in-law and old women on her family as well as on the groom’ side to enter the couple’s room and perform ceremonies including lễ trải chiếu (covering the couple’s bed with a sleeping mat) and vắt khăn áo lên sào (hanging shirts/scarf to the rod) After praying to their ancestors, the groom’s family will perform another ritual known as Mo du, similar to lễ tơ hồng of the Kinh people This ceremony demonstrates their gratitude to the matchmaker (seen a Goddess) for connecting them and giving them a chance to be a couple The couple also prays to the matchmaker for his/her blessings After the Mo du ceremony, various dishes are served to treat the bride’s side During the party time, the last ceremony will be performed in the couple’s room, which is called lễ cúng cơm nghèn There are two parts in the ceremony: The first one is to pray to the ancestors, offer them dishes, and ask for their blessings to their descendants; in the second part, after the offering, ông Mo (a shaman) will take a piece of sticky rice and meat with his hand, look down through a hole on the floor, pray to the ghosts that are known as ma lăn măn lẻch mẻch, trẻch ăn trẻch òng in the Muong folklore, and drop the food through that hole People then get out of the room and leave the newlyweds and old women on the bride’s side to have their first meal together 2.2.2.5 Lễ Lại mặt (known as Lại dấu) or called trại tộô by Muong people Lễ lại mặt can be understood as a reunion with the bride’s family Three days after the wedding, the newlyweds and the matchmaker return to the bride’s family with their offerings (usually a chicken and a bottle of wine) After the reunion, the bride officially lives in her husband’s house Every year the couple prepares gifts and visit the bride’s family on holidays such as Lunar New Year and May 5th (in Lunar calendar) 2.2.3 Other wedding ceremonies 2.2.3.1 Vợ theo (known as Chắn vến seo) Vợ theo means a woman voluntarily follows a man to his house and becomes his wife without any wedding ceremonies The woman escapes from her family and goes to a man’s house as his voluntary wife In this case, the woman’s family cannot request any gifts or take her back 2.2.3.2 Ở rể (known as Ti mấn chầu) After the wedding, there is a situation that some grooms will live in their parents-in-law’s houses, which is one of the Muong ethnic groups’ customs in Cam Luong The groom’s family simply performs this ceremony They prepares offerings including sticky rice, chicken, two bottles of wine, areca fruits, and betel leaves The procession that takes the groom to the bride’s family consists of a matchmaker, his uncle, his father, and a number of family members The bride’s family prepares hearty dishes to welcome the groom’s family Ông Mo (a shaman), invited by the bride’s family, will perform the ceremony and instruct the groom to bow down to the bride’s ancestors Then, the bride’s family representative will instruct the groom to take turns bowing down to honorable people in the bride’s family This is the opportunity for the groom to get to know the bride’s relatives Besides, the bride offers her father- in-law a tray of areca fruits and betel leaves and bows After the ceremony, the groom’s family leaves their son to stay with the bride’s family and go home While staying in the bride’s family, the groom will be considered their son, responsible for worshipping their ancestors and coming into his entire inheritance from his parents-in-law 2.2.4 Changes in wedding ceremonies To the best of the author’s knowledge, incidents such as buying brides, buying grooms, requesting too many gifts from grooms’ families have disappeared in the Muong group’s wedding ceremony in Cam Luong Their wedding ceremonies have been held under a modern lifestyle, in which the practices of tục ném rể (people in the bride’s family throw various kinds of fruits to people in the procession led by groom’s) and closing gates have been removed Currently, bride families often request wedding gifts in an amount of money suitable for groom families’ economic status Most wedding ceremonies take place in two to three days with simpler proceedings than they used to be Attending the wedding ceremony held by Mr Pham Van Du and Mrs Bui Thi Hoang’s family (who is native Muong people) for their son, Quoc Thai (in Luong Ngoc, Cam Luong commune) and the bride, Hoai Thuong (in Cam Thanh commune), the author found that the ceremony involved several elaborate rituals namely Lễ dạm ngõ (see 2.2.2.1), Lễ ăn hỏi - Engagement ceremony (see 2.2.2.2), Wedding ceremony (see 2.2.2.4), and Lễ Lại mặt – reunion (see 2.2.2.5) Wedding ceremonies are currently much more straightforward and shorter Besides, the time between Lễ dạm ngõ (see 2.2.2.1) and the wedding ceremony usually lasts a few months without waiting and taking challenges for three years as they used to Additionally, ceremonies such as Lễ mắt rể - the groom’s first day to the bride’s family (see 2.2.2.3), lễ trải chiếu (covering the couple’s bed with a sleeping mat), vắt khăn áo lên sào (hanging shirts/scarf to the rod), lễ cúng cơm nghèn (see 2.2.2.4 Wedding ceremony), lễ Mo du, washing brides’ feet, and bowing to Vua Bếp (Kitchen God) are removed from a modern wedding ceremony Moreover, lễ dẫn (One day before the wedding day, the groom’s side would make a trip to the bride’s side with their gifts), which used to be performed one day before the wedding day (in more than ten years ago), is now held on the same day with the wedding day The ceremony is now known as lễ Nạp tài 9(similar to the one in the Kinh group) 2.3 Funeral rites 2.3.1 The Muong group’s views on spiritual world and death The Muong people in Cam Luong believe that death represents a new beginning in an afterlife, in which the deceased can see their grandparents, ancestors, and those who died Therefore, a funeral rite is one of the Muong group’s religious beliefs and practices 2.3.2 Funeral rituals 2.3.2.1 Preparations for the funeral Lễ Nạp tài is a ceremony in which the groom’s family prepares an amount of money put in a red tin basket and covered with a traditional red cloth to give to the bride’s family as their gift The amount of money reflects the groom family’s gratitude to the bride’s parents for taking good care of her and giving them their permission to receive her as their daughter-in-law In Cam Luong commune, before performing the funeral, Muong people will inform their son/daughter’s parents-in-law about the ceremony, which is called lễ báo tang (informing about the funeral) Traditionally, the eldest son in the family will close the deceased’s eyes by his hand and place two pieces of thin white cloth on the deceased’s face The deceased will be washed with grapefruitleaf water boiled, dressed in new clothes, then placed a small piece of silver or gold in the mouth Muong people (in Ngoc Lac, Thanh Hoa) usually put seven seeds of rice (if the dead is a man), nine seeds of rice (if it is a woman), and a silver coin in the deceased’s mouth If a family with middle economic status, they will place a piece of gold in the deceased’s mouth After that, the deceased’s descendants use a white cloth to tightly wrap his/her body In Kim Boi district (Hoa Binh) and Ngoc Lac district (Thanh Hoa), people use a red cloth or a blanket to tightly wrap the deceased body While in Tan Lac and Lac Son (Hoa Binh), people take a red cloth to wrap around the coffin after the deceased is washed and wrapped tightly 2.3.2.2 Funeral practices A funeral involves several elaborate ceremonies including Lễ nhập quan (the deceased is placed in a coffin), Lễ phát tang (the rite that the deceased’s descendants are given and wear funeral clothes, hats, scarfs, normally in white after placing those costumes on the deceased’s altar and worshiping him/her), Nghi lễ Mo (the biggest and most critical ritual in a funeral to take the deceased’s sould to an afterlife), Lễ cúng cơm (worshipping the deceased by offering him/her a bow of rice), Lễ đưa tang (taking the deceased to his/her final resting place), Lễ gọi hồn (a rite recalling the deceased’s sould to go back and entering his/her body placed in the coffin) and hạ huyệt (a rite placing the coffin with the deceased body inside into a grave), Lễ lấp cửa mả (a rite putting back the soil to cover and fill the grave), Lễ đoạn tang (a rite marking the end of the descendants’ mourning period for the deceased so that they can return to their normal life) 2.2.3 Changes in funeral practices Muong families in Cam Luong perform a simpler and shorter funeral rite, in two or three days, than they used to Many of them will bury the deceased in no more than 24 hours as stipulated by the State and under a new lifestyle of organizing funerals prescribed by their commune They will buy an available coffin for the deceased, which is different from the old one There are changes in funeral practices such as lễ khâm liệm (the deceased is washed and wrapped tightly) and lễ nhập quan (the deceased is placed in a coffin) Som Muong families will put the dead body directly into a coffin with his/her clothes and gold bars made of paper In traditional funeral rites, people used to practice 12 nights of lễ Mo (the biggest and most critical ritual in a funeral to take the deceased’s soul to an afterlife) Nonetheless, under regulations of the local government on a new lifestyle, this ritual is shortened and performed by one Mo, not two like it used to be Other rituals such as Lễ cúng cơm, Lễ đưa tang, Lễ gọi hồn and hạ huyệt, Lễ lấp cửa mả, and Lễ đoạn tang (see 2.3.2.2 Funeral practices) are still practiced in a traditional order but simpler and shorter Summary of Chapter A childbirth ceremony is one of the crucial rituals of the Muong group in Cam Luong The birth of a child marks the transition of all family members Alterations in birth rites are suitable for the current social context, in which Muong people have gradually eliminated practices that are no longer appropriate and absorbed new concepts while still preserving their traditional knowledge and experience in giving birth and raising children A wedding ceremony is one of their lifecycle rituals In the past, their wedding ceremony involved various strict customary practices that were mandatory for local people to follow Nevertheless, inappropriate customary laws have been gradually removed under the Party and State’s policies and regulations Muong men and women are allowed to freely choose their partners, no longer arranged by their parents as they used to be The proceedings of rituals, wedding offerings/gifts, and challenging time are simplified to save time and money for both sides Funeral rites of the Muong group reflect their outlook on life and worldview, in which they believe that when a person dies, a cycle ends and at the same a new cycle of returning to the deceased’s ancestors and starting an afterlife opens Muong people perform funeral rites more simply First, they practice a funeral rite simply and bury the deceased in no more than 24 hours under the State’s regulations Next, there are alterations in preparing for the funeral and performing related rituals during and after the funeral In fact, holding funerals depends on each family’s financial situation and has to follow the regulations of the State Chapter WORSHIP RITUALS IN FAMILIES 3.1 Ancestor worship 3.1.1 Muong people’s views on ghosts The Muong people in Cam Luong believe that when they die, their spirits will leave their forming bodies and have another life in an afterlife known as Muong ma (the world of ghosts) “Vía”, for them, is synonymous with “hồn”, which is a dead person’s spirit; that spirit/soul is considered to be a ghost resulting in Muong ma (the world of ghosts) In the Muong group’s opinion, Ghosts are closely connected with Gods/Goddesses in Kinh people’s views Muong people see spirits of their ancestors, grandparents, parents and souls in the heaven, on the earth, spirits of kings, souls of officials/mandarins, are all ghosts Family ghosts are the souls of dead family members sharing the same bloodline such as great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, brothers, and sisters Village ghosts are Gods/Goddesses who protect and bless the villagers 3.1.2 Ancestor worshiping In Cam Luong, there are two types of ancestral altars in each Muong family; one is for worshipping their ancestors, which is placed right above the middle of the second compartment window; the other that is for worshipping their parents is under the window To the left of the ancestor altar, there are altars to worship those who died without any children or families (known as ma tranh) Field surveys indicated that the Muong people worship four generations of ancestors (ghosts); out of the four generations, their deceased parents are considered the family owners On Tet or Lunar New Year, Muong people tend to make a careful and thoughful preparation to worship their ancestors One day ahead of Tet, in the afternoon, Muong families will invite Mo master to worship and invite the souls of their ancestors to return home Prayers are usually performed in a systematic order (giving reason to invite them to come back, asking them whether they are at their graves, inviting them to join the family’s Tet celebration, xin tiền đài âm dương or chèm cảo (asking for the ancestors’ approval by tossing a yin and yang coin), praying for inviting them to enjoy the offerings by preparing chopsticks, rice, and wine) On the morning of the Lunar New Year’s first day, the family owner replaces the old bottle of wine with a new one Besides, he covers the tray with a pair of banana leaves, then places the offerings on the tray, including a pair of bánh Chưng, two pairs of bánh ít10, bowls of bánh trơi11, various kinds of chè lam12, candies, and fruits The family owner wears a long dress with white or brown pants, a cloth towel wrapped around his head; burns incense and sticks them on the banana tree on the altar; bows three times and prays; bows down three times and invites his/her ancestors to stay with the family for three days on Tet (until the phrynium leaves and banana leaves are dry After those three days on Tet and their descendants get back to work, they make a tray of food, invite a shaman to pray and see their ancestors off to Muong ma (the world of souls/ghosts) The author believes that, under the impact of the Kinh group’s culture and lifestyle, 10 Bánh ít: A kind of Vietnamese speciality made of sticky rice flour, salt, and water, while the filling is often a mixture of mung beans, pork or shrimp, onions, salt, and pepper 11 Bánh trôi: Known as floating cakes, a traditional Vietnamese dessert which consists of delicious tiny balls of glutinous rice wrapped around a sweet filling 12 Chè lam: Sticky Rice Ginger Peanut Bars ancestor worship in Muong families in Cam Luong is usually practiced all year round They worship their ancestors on special occasions like funerals, ancestors’ death anniversaries, wedding ceremony, Tet (the Lunar New Year), new rice offering ceremony; or to respectfully report to them important events such as childbirth, sickness, taking exams, going away from home, passing exams; showing their sincere gratitude for blessing them with luck/fortune 3.2 Worshiping other Gods 3.2.1 Worshiping Vua Bếp (the Kitchen God) The Muong usually worships Vua Bếp - the God who protects their kitchen and blesses them with peace and safety - on the same days of ancestor worship during the Lunar New Year (not on December 23rd in Lunar calendar like Kinh people) The ritual is also performed after three days of a childbirth in their families to illustrate their sincere gratitude to Vua Bếp for blessing the mother and the child with safety and good health In addition, families worship Vua Bếp on lễ đầy cữ or Pảo cơm đủ (see 2.1.4.1 “Lễ đầy cữ” - Full moon ceremony of a baby’s 7/9 day old) For those occasions (childbirth, lễ đầy cữ, đầy tháng), worshiping Vua Bếp is performed by spreading a mat on the floor that is close to the kitchen A tray of offerings is placed in the middle of the mat A short part of a fresh banana tree used as an incense burner, is placed above the tray Thầy Mo will be invited to perform the ritual 3.2.2 Worshiping the Earth God The Earth God, known as ông Tị, ông Địa in Muong families, is considered to be the one who manages and looks after the peace of a family’s land Worshipping the Earth God is similar to that in Kinh group (known as Thổ công) The Muong group worships the God of Earth on various holidays such as Lunar New Year, May 5th (in Luna calendar), and new rice offering ceremony They usually perform the rite by making offerings such as a bowl of glutinous rice, a piece of boiled pork, and a bottle of wine, then placing them on the altar The family owner burns incense sticks, joins his hands together to pray to the Earth God, and invites him to enjoy the offerings as well as asking him for his blessings Field surveys indicate that most families in Luong Ngoc village, especially around Cam Luong Fish stream, not have any altars to worship Gods 3.3 Other rituals 3.3.1 Lễ cầu yên, cầu mát or Khống nhá (Praying for peace and safety) This rite is to worship 12 deities and performed once a year by families that wish to Muong families often perform this rite at the end of the year or when they have trouble/bad luck They invite thầy Mo to perform the rite The rite is aimed at driving away “ma may”, known as vagrant ghosts, from disturbing and harming to families, causing them a lot of problems in their businesses and lives Hence, the rite invites those ghosts to enjoy offerings and leave families alone The offerings prepared for the rites usually consist of a boiled dog, rice bowls, soup bowls, rice, glutinous rice, and salt, which are placed on a worshipping table 3.3.2 Lễ vía kéo si In the past, if an elderly person is seriously sick, her/his family invites thầy Mo to perform a ritual vía kéo si (known as kéo vía si or kéo si by Muong people in Yen Bai and Hoa Binh, respectively) The ritual, which is performed only once in life, is only for the elderly aged from 60 to 70 and above The rite consists of trays of offerings, which include: i) A tray for nổ (thầy Mo’s ancestors, who are invited to help him perform the rite); ii) a tray for the sick’s ancestors (especially ơng chúa nóc, bà gốc nhà); iii) a tray for worshipping bà Mụ si – Mụ cầm vía (A Goddess who keeps the sick’s spirit); iv) a tray for the sick’s spirit The ritual comprises two parts Part one is praying to the sick’s spirit; part two is performing the ritual through a banyan tree known as the fate banyan to recall the sick’s soul In the past, Muong people believed that the ritual was a good way to show their filial piety to their grandparents and parents Besides, the ritual encouraged the sick to be optimistic about his/her fate and long life Nonetheless, after 1986, this ritual has been no longer practiced in Muong families 3.3.3 Worshipping the God of Cun lang cháng Dón (the God who looks after domestic animals’ well-being) and the God of Cun lang cháng Khoong (the God who looks after and blesses in fishing and animals hunting) Muong people believe that these two Gods will protect their family members and supervise them to see whether they their good deeds On Tet or Lunar New Year, new rice offering ceremony, lễ cầu yên-cầu mát or praying for peace and safety (see 3.3.1), the Muong people offer two Gods their gifts and burn incense to show their sincere gratitude to them for protecting and blessing their families during the past time 3.3.4 New rice offering ceremony (đng cơốp) In September or October every year (Lunar calendar), after harvesting rice crops, Muong families prepare for a new rice offering ceremony In Muong people’s view, new rice (after being cooked) has to be offered to their ancestors to inform them about their family’s bountiful harvest and pray for another one in the next year Conventionally, families invite a shaman to perform the ceremony As the family owner’s representative, it is crucial for the shaman to get dressed formally and neatly before performing the rite in front of the altar Previously, the ceremony was practiced within families Recently, it has become a cultural characteristic in the Muong community After crops are harvested, usually on October 10th (in the Lunar calendar), the ceremony is performed at the communal stilt house in Cam Luong After finishing the ceremony in the stilt house, people will prepare for another rite practiced in their families It is a manifestation of the Muong group’s traditional culture that new rice has to be respectfully offered to their ancestors, no matter whether the family is rich or poor It is a fact that this ceremony used to be practiced within families Nevertheless, it has become a festival for local people in Cam Luong 3.4 Muong people’s beliefs in ancestor and god worshiping First, the Muong demonstrates their beliefs through ritual practices Second, they believe in the world of ghosts/spirits Third, they believe in their ancestors’ and gods’ power that has a crucial influence on their lives Even though there have been changes under the impact of the current situation, the Muong people have an absolute belief in “Muong ma” (the world of ghosts/spirits) - where their ancestors and Gods live Besides, they feel that their ancestors’ and gods’ power has a significant influence on their lives They always have faith in their ancestors’ and Gods’ blessings As a result, the Muong people also offer gifts to their ancestors and gods every time they wish to share their happiness, luck or bad luck and praying to them for their blessings with happiness, good health, and safety The Muong believes that gods and their ancestors can understand their thoughts and behaviors as well as intervening in their lives Therefore, Muong people always show their sincerity in every ritual they perform Summary of Chapter Worshiping ancestors, gods and other rituals such as praying for peace/safety, vía kéo si, and new rice offering demonstrate Muong people’ longstanding religious beliefs as well as having a profound influence on their spiritual lives Every time they wish to share their happiness, luck, or bad luck in life, the very first thing they will is practicing ancestor and god worshiping Therefore, their ancestors have always been their spiritual guides to them in their lives Besides, Muong people usually worship the Kitchen God, the Earth god, and other Gods to ask for their protection and blessings with good health, safety, peace, and affluent life Chapter TRENDS AND CAUSES FOR ALTERATIONS AND VALUES OF FAMILY RITES IN THE MUONG CULTURAL LIFE TODAY 4.1 Trends of changes in rituals in the Muong family 4.1.1 The simplification or disappearance of Muong people’s views and practices of their family rituals 4.1.2 New features in the Muong concepts and practices of their family rituals 4.2 Causes of alterations in the Muong family rituals There are three key reasons: the impact of socio-economic and cultural conditions, the impact of the State and Party’s policies, and alterations in the Muong ethnic group’s views and perceptions 4.3 Values of family rituals 4.3.1 Values of family rituals in the Muong cultural life 4.3.1.1 An evidence of the Muong cultural identity 4.3.1.2 Ethics and lifestyle education for people 4.3.1.3 A solidarity between individuals, families, and communities 4.3.2 Values of family rituals in building a new-style rural life According to the Steering Committee for the “All people unite to build cultural life” movement, cultural criteria in building new-style rural areas in Cam Luong commune have been published In terms of wedding ceremonies, most wedding ceremonies are held in accordance with the Law on Marriage and Family, in which all couples give notification of their intention to marry (Registration of marriage) Rites included in a wedding ceremony are simplified with shorter time and proceedings that save the two families’ time and money Particularly, inappropriate rituals have been removed Most of the Muong wedding ceremonies now follow a new lifestyle with a limited number of guests and short reception, saving the two families’ time and money According to surveys, the number of wedding ceremonies held in a new lifestyle and traditional one accounts for 86.6% and 13.4% respectively Besides, Muong people solemnly perform funeral rites, in agreement with their traditional customs, culture, and family circumstances Holding a funeral is strictly pursuant to regulations, which not exceed 24 hours Several funeral proceedings have been significantly reduced, especially the Mo ritual Surveys indicate that the number of funerals held in a new lifestyle and traditional one accounts for 83.5% and 16.5% respectively It is worth noting that under new regulations on cultural and advanced lifestyles in weddings and funerals, numerous families with low income have saved money and built their modern lifestyle 4.4 Recommendations on preserving and promoting values of family rituals First, the State should pay more attention to improving the legal system that specifically regulates rituals and further strengthening the state management of various ritual practices such as childbirth, weddings, and funerals Second, the State should formulate preferential policies for respected and reputable people who are knowledgeable and proficient in traditional customs and ritual practices in the community Third, Cam Luong commune People’s Committee needs to enhance propaganda campaigns and education to raise the Muong awareness, especially the youth, of the cultural values of their family rituals and their responsibilities for preserving and promoting those values in the community Fourth, strengthening information dissemination to improve the Muong people’s knowledge about childbirth, family planning, and maternal and child health care policies Fifth, it is crucial to adhere to the Decision on Regulations on the implementation of an advanced lifestyle in weddings, funerals, and festivals dated June 29, 1998 by Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee while building a new lifestyle in the “Building new-style rural areas” program Summary of chapter Family rituals profoundly demonstrate an ethnic group’s cultural characteristics through their views on various rituals such as childbirth, weddings, funerals, ancestor worship, Gods, a spiritual world, and ritual practices Family rituals that play a critical role in the Muong people’s lives, illustrate their cultural identity, contributing to educating local people, particularly the youth, morals, and lifestyle Besides, they are considered a link among individuals, families, and communities CONCLUSION The thesis is the first specialized research on the Muong people’s family rituals in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa Hence, it has its own theoretical and practical significance The thesis honestly reflects the Muong people’s family rituals in traditional and contemporary context In order to preserve, promote, and enrich the values of the group’s family rituals, Muong people should be considered the subject of those activities, which require the coordination and participation of authorities in the region In addition, disseminating and educating local people on the State’s regulations of new-style rural areas and a new lifestyle while preserving and promoting ethnic cultural identities plays a vital role Those activities make a significant contribution to maintaining and developing the Muong people’s family rituals sustainably LIST OF WORKS PUBLISHED BY AUTHOR Ha Dinh Thanh, Ha Dieu Thu (2013), Research about the change of beliefs of Muong people in Thanh Hoa in the present era, Central Vietnamese Review of Social Sciences, No 01 Ha Dieu Thu (2015), Marriage of Muong people in Ngoc Lac district, Thanh Hoa province, Central Vietnamese Review of Social Sciences, No 05 Ha Dinh Thanh, Ha Dieu Thu (2017), Changing beliefs of worship in Muong families in Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa province nowadays, Proceedings of the National Scientific Conference 2016, Basic and urgent issues about ethnicity in our country nowadays: Theory and practice, Social Science Publishing House Ha Dinh Thanh, Ha Dieu Thu (2019), Burial customs of Muong people from concept, expression to trend, Proceedings of the Scientific Forum Burial customs of the Vietnamese: trends and problems, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Ha Dieu Thu (2020), Rituals in childbirth and child-rearing of Muong people in Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa province, Ethnology Journal, No 05 ... by one Mo, not two like it used to be Other rituals such as Lễ cúng cơm, Lễ đưa tang, Lễ gọi hồn and hạ huyệt, Lễ lấp cửa mả, and Lễ đoạn tang (see 2.3.2.2 Funeral practices) are still practiced... him/her), Nghi lễ Mo (the biggest and most critical ritual in a funeral to take the deceased’s sould to an afterlife), Lễ cúng cơm (worshipping the deceased by offering him/her a bow of rice), Lễ đưa... ? ?Lễ cầu vía” is a rite performed to invite a baby’s soul to come and enter the baby’s forming body so that they will be the whole 2.1.3.4 Nghi lễ cúng Mụ (Ritual of worshiping the Goddess) nghi