Food cultures of Tay – Nung ethnic groups in Lunar new year festival

         Lunar New Year in Tay language means “bươn chiêng pi mâứ”, it also marks the start of the New Year. The time of the lunar New Year conincides with the start of the spring, and through the history, the lunar New Year of Tay and Nung People has been established with their own indentity which is demonstrated through their food cultures.

          Typical dishes of Tay and Nung people in the lunar New Year are produced from natural ingredients and closely connected to their daily living activities. As a result, dishes of Tay and Nung people become famous special dishes of the province.

          On these days, people are busy preparing rice, dried “monkey shaped” mushroom, dried bamboo shoot, traditional sausage; and people choose the biggest pig for slaughtering to make dishes like traditional sausgage, cooking-stove hanging pork, etc, and the each family member are assigned with their own tasks. Men work on tasks such as fixing the altar, and glue the red paper on the altar to pray for good luck on the New Year. Women work on tasks such as storing feed for cattles, poultries, clean agricultural tools, and clean the Chung cake wrapping leave, making sticky rice flour bar, Khẩu Sli, and preparing fruits, candies , etc.

          On the last day of the old year, the preparation would be completed, the old year fare-well party is carefully parepared including: Chung cake, duck (there is a saying of Tay and Nung people goes that eating duck on this day would clear bad lucks of the old year away, and remain food should not kept until the next day or the first day of the New Year), chicken, spring rolls, sticky rice, noodles and monkey-ear shape mushroom, etc. After completing the preparation, family members enjoy the old-year farewell party together. 

          On the first day of the New Year, the dishes that Tay and Nung people present to their ancestors will not be completed without the emasculated roster, Chung cake, sticky rice flour bar, Khẩu sli, wine, fruits, candies, etc to pray for good luck, prosperity, and good health.

          On the seconday of the New Year, Tay and Nung people visit their wife’s parents. They bring emasculated roster, a pair of Chung cake, a bottle of wine, fruit, and on the third day, people prepare an ancestor farewell meal.

          It can be said that, lunar New Year is the traditional festival of Tay and Nung celebrated annually, and typical food culture becomes their traditional practice with spiritual meaning, also demonstrates community connectivity and engagement which needs to be prevered.