On the occasions of Lunar New Year and other public holidays, Raglai people in Khanh Hoa often hold numerous activities reflecting their cultural characteristics such as traditional music and folk games.
On the occasions of Lunar New Year and other public holidays, Raglai people in Khanh Hoa often hold numerous activities reflecting their cultural characteristics such as traditional music and folk games.
Most of the games played in the festivals of Raglai people are associated with their daily activities, such as rod pushing, swinging, spinning wood top, relay race with papooses, and walking on stilts. Cao Tien Dung, Deputy Director of Khanh Son District Bureau of Culture and Sports, said that Raglai people loved to play traditional games which were quite easy to play because they were created based on the daily works of the locals.
The most favorite game of Raglai people is crossbow shooting. The game is created for both male and female players to show their shooting skill with crossbow, a familiar tool which Raglai people use to protect their farms and crops from wild animals. Rod pushing is considered as a game for the men to show their strength and chivalry. To play this game, each player holds the rod, which is made of wood or bamboo, under his arm and tries to push the opponent out of the ring. Reportedly, this game originated from a folk story. It is now also played by female players.
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In order to win top spinning game, the players should be clever with their hands and be quick-sighted. The tops should be made of quality wood for not being broken during the game. The walking on stilts game requires players to maintain their balance on the bamboo stilts while walking fast to pass the opponents. “We love to play these games. Taking part in the games, I have pleasure time showing my abilities and doing physical activities,” said Mau Xuan Ha in Khanh Son District.
The new rice ceremony used to be the biggest event in a year of Raglai people. However, at present, the Raglai has more cultural exchanges with other communities. Therefore, Lunar New Year occasion has become a familiar public event of the Raglai, and they often hold many traditional cultural and amusements activities on this occasion.
Over years of cultural exchanges, Raglai people selected and played some games of other ethnic communities which were suitable to their culture. Over many generations, they have gradually considered these games as their own ones. The provincial Cultural Center of Khanh Hoa has tried to maintain the folk game competitions in order to create a joyful event for the locals and also to partly preserve and promote these traditional cultural features.
Giang Dinh
Translated by H.N
