The Dao ethnic community in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang are struggling to maintain their cultural traditions against the influence of modern life.
In particular, their highly-valued ‘cap sac rite’ (literally translated as Granting an Order) is under threat of dying out.
Their efforts to prevent this have received a boost recently thanks to State recognition of the rite as part of national intangible cultural heritage. The accolade brings with it more expert research and investment in preserving the unique custom.
All Dao men must go through the cap sac rite in order to be recognised by the community as mature enough to undertake communal positions
According to a local shaman, Chu Van Bich from Thai Hoa commune, the cap sac rite has its origins in a thousand-year-old legend of the Dao. The story goes that when the Dao community was attacked by devils, the Jade Emperor told fairies to teach magic to household heads in villages and issued an order (sac) for them to fight the devils.
The rite is usually conducted at the end or the beginning of the lunar year for one or more men, always an odd number. Three shaman chair the rituals with the assistance of three others over the course of three days.
Before undertaking the rituals, the men must keep themselves clean, refrain from speaking bad words or sexual activity.
On the first day, the ritual is conducted in the open air. The next day, the men enter the house to listen to the shaman praying and learn several traditional dances. The third day is dedicated to rituals paying respect to ancestors.
The Tuyen Quang provincial cultural department has made video and audio records of the rituals and undertaken extensive research of the cap sac rite of all Dao sub-groups in the province.
Tuyen Quang is home to 77,015 Dao people belonging to nine sub-groups, making up 11 percent of the locality’s population. The Dao is the third largest community among 22 ethnic groups in the province, after the Kinh and Tay-VNA
In particular, their highly-valued ‘cap sac rite’ (literally translated as Granting an Order) is under threat of dying out.
Their efforts to prevent this have received a boost recently thanks to State recognition of the rite as part of national intangible cultural heritage. The accolade brings with it more expert research and investment in preserving the unique custom.
All Dao men must go through the cap sac rite in order to be recognised by the community as mature enough to undertake communal positions
According to a local shaman, Chu Van Bich from Thai Hoa commune, the cap sac rite has its origins in a thousand-year-old legend of the Dao. The story goes that when the Dao community was attacked by devils, the Jade Emperor told fairies to teach magic to household heads in villages and issued an order (sac) for them to fight the devils.
The rite is usually conducted at the end or the beginning of the lunar year for one or more men, always an odd number. Three shaman chair the rituals with the assistance of three others over the course of three days.
Before undertaking the rituals, the men must keep themselves clean, refrain from speaking bad words or sexual activity.
On the first day, the ritual is conducted in the open air. The next day, the men enter the house to listen to the shaman praying and learn several traditional dances. The third day is dedicated to rituals paying respect to ancestors.
The Tuyen Quang provincial cultural department has made video and audio records of the rituals and undertaken extensive research of the cap sac rite of all Dao sub-groups in the province.
Tuyen Quang is home to 77,015 Dao people belonging to nine sub-groups, making up 11 percent of the locality’s population. The Dao is the third largest community among 22 ethnic groups in the province, after the Kinh and Tay-VNA
