The pomp of Lap Tinh for Dao Tien boys
The traditional Lap Tinh or Cap Sac ceremony of the Dao Tien ethnic minority marks the end of a boy's childhood and gives him a new name. The community recognizes a boy as mature after he has completed the ceremony.
The Lap Tinh ceremony is held for Dao Tien boys who are at least 10 years old. This year, Trieu Van Hanh from Suoi Khem hamlet, Phieng Luong commune in Moc Chau district of Son La province, recently held a Lap Tinh ceremony for his son, Trieu Van Long.
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The patriarch of Phieng Luong hamlet researches good days to hold the Lap Tinh ceremony for children in the hamlet |
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Trieu Van Long at the Lap Tinh ceremony |
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Shamans perform a ritual to enlighten the body and spirit of Trieu Van Long |
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Ceremonial offerings |
Lap Tinh is the most important ceremony in the life of a Dao Tien man. Hanh says it took his family a long time to prepare for the ceremony. Pigs, chickens and rice must be ready in his house to treat the villagers who help organize and witness the ceremony.
During the ceremony, which took three days and nights, Long had to face various challenges and he was attended by his parents and the villagers, as well as the gods and ancestors of the Dao Tien people.
The shamans, his parents and villagers taught Long many important things and he agreed to adopt their ethnic traditions and moral standards. He was also given a new name to use when he “talks” with the gods and his ancestors.
The most sacred part of the Lap Tinh ceremony is the ritual to enlighten the body and spirit, which is held from 2 to 4am. During the ritual, the villagers taught Long how to go into the forest, cultivate the terraced fields, build houses and get married.
They also presented him with tools, including a knife, a hoe and a plough, as well as rice and money that are essential for a mature man. At the same time, the shamans stood in a circle around Long with candles to light the path for the moral standards of the Dao Tien people to enter his soul.
After the ritual, Long was given a new name: Trieu Van Xien.
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Inviting the ancestors and spirits of the Dao Tien people to attend the ceremony |
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Trieu Van Long presenting himself to the Dao Tien gods and ancestors |
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The shaman presents Long with a horn, the symbol of a man's power, and entrusts him with protecting his hamlet |
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A shaman instructs Long about appropriate behaviour |
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The ritual of transferring fire to eliminate bad luck in Long's life |
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Wishing Trieu Van Long well |
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Villagers present Long with gifts of rice and coins |
With his new name, Long is now recognized by the gods, ancestors and villagers to be mature and he can get married, build his own house and take responsibility for the common tasks of the Dao Tien community in Suoi Kem hamlet.
Some elderly men in Moc Chau today with many children and grandchildren have not been through a Lap Tinh ceremony because their families were too poor to organize one when they were young.
The Lap Tinh ceremony has been preserved for many generations and has played an important role in the cultural and spiritual lives of the Dao Tien people, promoting humanitarian values and good deeds.