Paying The Dead

The elaborate enrichment ceremony of the Nung

- Van Chi

The Nung people, one of the ethnic minorities in Hoang SuPhi District of Ha Giang Province, have a very unique dry soul consecration ceremony that reflects the deep emotional attachment and love they dedicate to their deceased.

The dry soul consecration ceremony is intended to see the soul of the deceased off to the land of ancestors. Sometimes after the funeral, after the dead body is already buried, the family chooses a good day to conduct the ceremony.

The dry soul consecration ceremony usually takes place at year’s end when the amount of field work is reduced.

The ceremony has many rituals. First, the family conducts the soul calling ritual for the deceased. Clan members, villagers and friends from other places come to attend this ritual.

Nung people believe that after death the deceased souls are all taken by the two brothers, kings of heaven, to be their slaves. To call a soul, they make a flag that bears the picture of a person and some animals and hang it high so that the soul can see from far away to recognize the way home.

Descendants and family members of the deceased make offerings to the two kings of heaven. The offerings are arranged in a two-storey teepee, the upper tray for the elder brother and the lower tray for the younger one. Both the trays contain meat, wine and other offerings. A long white roll of cloth is spread on the stair steps of the teepee and along the path to a little hut with a gate to receive the deceased soul.