Vo Anh Kiet (sixth from left) presents gifts to Islamic Cham people in Chau Phong commune. (Photo: VNA) An Giang (VNA) – Vo Anh Kiet, Deputy Secretary of the PartyCommittee and Chairman of the People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta provinceof An Giang, has visited Islamic Cham people in Chau Phong commune, Tan Chautown on the occasion of their traditional Roya Haji festival.
Wishing the Cham community a happy festival, Kiet stressed that thanks to theParty and State’s policies towards ethnic minority groups together with supportin capital access, education and health care services and infrastructuredevelopment, the livelihoods of the Cham people have improved in the pastyears.
He expressed his hope that the Cham people will promote solidarity, proactivelyparticipate in economic development activities, as well as preserve and promotetheir traditional cultural value, thus making contribution to building moreprosperous An Giang.
On the occasion, he presented gifts to 30 impoverished Cham households in ChauPhong commune.
Earlier, a working delegation led by Men Pho Ly, head of the provincial boardon ethnic minority affairs, visited and presented gifts to Cham people in DaPhuoc and Nhon Hoi communes in An Phu district.
An Giang province is now home to 17,000 Islamic Cham people, most of them arein Tan Chau town, and An Phu, Chau Phu, Chau Thanh and Phu Tan districts.
Roya Haji is one of the most important festivals of Muslim followers in AnGiang province. During the festival, everyone dress in most beautiful costumes.Men and boys aged 15 and above gather in the mosque, shake hands with people,and ask for forgiveness and lenience for any bad behaviour over the past year. Meanwhile,women stay at home preparing traditional dishes to welcome relatives andguests.
Also, when greeting people on the street, they often say “Am ma” (pleaseforgive) and the others will respond the same. Therefore, the first meaning ofthis festival is the apology and forgiveness.-VNA
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