>>The “Cham” ethnic minority - its customs and practices
Ta Thi Tam
Ethnology Institute
As the original inhabitants of the central coastal region, the Cham was the owner of Sa Huynh culture, which laid the foundation for the formation of
With a population of nearly 162,000, the Cham now consists of two groups: one follows Brahmanism, living in the central coastal provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, and the other are Islamists living in the southern provinces of An Giang, Tay Ninh and Dong Nai and
The Cham is good at wet rice growing, irrigation and fruit-tree planting, thus has folk beliefs and farming rituals associated with water, land and crop plants. Throughout a crop, the group makes offerings to the gods of earth, water and heaven in the belief to win their support for a bumper crop.
The Cham believes Yang pataw Aia is the god of water who lives in the dam. Every year, the group conducts a big offering ceremony at the dam, praying for Yang to give rains to water the crop. The ceremony, called Trun jandun hatam (worshiping the god of water), consists of two main rituals, each comprising several formalities.
The first ritual, Ngap Yang Tok baoh sarak adamah (asking for an amulet from god), is held in well-known Cham tower temple Po Klong Garai, which is dedicated to Cham legendary King Po Klong Garai. The second ritual, patrun jandun hatam (building a dam), is held at the ancient dam Banek Kas Bara Cakling under Mong bridge in the Cham tower area.
Offerings for Trun jandun hatam include boiled goat meat put on three trays: the first containing the head, the forelegs and meat; the second with the tail, the hind legs and meat; and the third with fillet. Each tray also contains a bowl of soup and a box of rice. Other offerings include a plate of betel and areca, three cups of wine, nine chicken eggs, tea, a bunch of bananas and a tray of parched rice. An incense burning cup, a brass cup of water and a dish of rice and three shells are used in the offering ceremony which is conducted by three sorcerers called
The first ritual has four formalities, namely Pathuw sula (saying opening prayers), Peh pahah mbang Yang (opening the tower), Panmanei Yang and Pa-anguei (cleaning and dressing the statue - a linga believed by the Cham to be a statue of King Po Klong Garai) and Palieng Yang (making offerings to gods).
Pathuw sula is compulsory for any ceremony held at the Cham temple. Under this formality, three sorcerers who dress decently with betel leaves in their right hands and their left hands clamped in their right armpits say opening prayers for the ceremony, asking for an amulet from Po Klong Garai and other gods to protect the crop.
Pathuw sula is followed by Peh pahah mbang Yang which is conducted by Camanei and Muk Pajuw. Offerings include five quid of betel and areca-nut placed in a small cup, a brass cup of water, sand and a lighting wax candle. The sorcerer first presents himself before Po Klong Garai at the portal of the temple, then asks for holy water from the god to clean the tower, raising the cup of water up to the east. After saying the prayers, he sprinkles water over the sculpture of the god Siva three times, which symbolizes the cleaning of the temple. After that, Camanei says the prayers and opens the entrance door of the tower while Muk Pajuw throws the quid of betel and areca-nut outside, implying the removal of impurities out of the tower.
Then comes Panmanei Yang and Pa-anguei, the formality to clean and dress the statue, which is also conducted by Camanei and Muk Pajuw. At the portal of the temple, Banek sets up an altar on which are placed two eggs put in a cup, a plate of betel and areca and white wine. He plays dan nhi (two-cord fiddle) and sings songs about the statue cleaning.
The first ritual closes with Palieng Yang to make offerings to gods. The offerings, including meat, the goat’s forelegs, a bowl of rice and two bowls of vegetable soup, are placed on the altar before the statue of Po Klong Garai. Po Adhia sits at the right of the statue, making offering to gods. Sitting opposite the statue with a jar of holy water, a bottle of white wine and a bunch of branches of kassod tree (senna siamea), Muk Pajuw pours wine and sprinkles holy water over the offerings for gods. Outside the temple, Banek plays dan nhi to entertain gods, asking them to grant an amulet to support the damming. He then draws an amulet and the amulet word on a small banana leaf, places a quid of betel and areca on the leaf, wraps it up and sticks it to himself.
Following the first ritual to ask for an amulet from god is the one conducted at the ancient dam by Banek in two formalities: building a dam and thanksgiving.
In the formality of building a dam, Banek with the amulet stuck to himself sanctifies the dam with movements to draw dragons and amulets, wishing for favorable weather and abundant rains. The formality is believed to be witnessed by and win support from 30 gods.
Offerings for the thanksgiving are put on a sedge mat, including five cups of tea, five dishes of sticky rice, two bunches of bananas, three boiled eggs, betel and areca, and meat of two boiled chickens on two trays. Each tray contains meat, the head, legs and viscera of the chicken on banana leaves, two bowls of soup, two bowls of rice and a lighting wax candle. A cup of water and an incense burning cup are used in the formality. Closing the thanksgiving formality, participants eat the offerings with a feeling of relaxation for having completed an important rite.-