The lunar July Full moon festival and the traditional custom “Pây Tai-visit wife’s parents” of Tay and Nung people in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp

“Visiting wife’s parents” is a traditional custom of Tay and Nung people, it is usually practiced on the 2^nd day of the Lunar new year and on the lunar July Full moon festival.

“Visiting wife’s parents” on the lunar July Full moon festival is the responsibility of the Tay and Nung women after they get married. All year-round, they spend time with their own family and work at their husband’s house or their own houses and take care of their husband’s family. In the year, only on the 2^nd day of the Lunar new year and on the lunar July Full moon festival do they have time to visit their parents and present their gifts to their ancestors. In addition, the Tay and Nung people also celebrate the “Ghost Festival” as other Kinh or Vietnamese people. They also prepare their “gratitude-to-parents or their ancestor” gift, which is similar to the Ghost Festival in Buddhism.

On the lunar July Full moon festival (Ghost Festival), the daughter and son-in-law and their children usually visit their parents in the early morning and bring with them gifts for the parents, which will be incomplete without a pair of ducks to show their gratitude to their parents and ancestors. Once they arrive at the wife’s house, the gifts will be placed on the altar with lighted incense, then people will prepare the duck together to make traditional dishes from the duck.

One of the most typical dishes from the duck of Tay and Nung people is roasted duck. The duck, after slaughtering, will be marinated with local spices such as the leaves of Clausena indica tree and coat its skin with a thin layer of honey, then it will be put in the oven. Now the roasted duck of Tay, Nung people has become a special dish. Tay and Nung people have some sayings about their food traditions such as: chicken is for the lunar New Year, duck is for lunar July Full moon festival. According to their tradition, the duck is believed to be one of the sacred animals because they believe that the duck is the ambassador from heaven. On the lunar July Full moon festival (Ghost Festival), the duck will escort the rooster through the sea as a gift for the gods.