Ratanakiri

Minority villages

Day 4 : "Let's go to a picnic." Tra said with cheerful when he came to me in the morning. "What? Picnic?" "Yes, yes. We have to take our lunch because there are no restaurants in minority villages." This time I understood what he said.

Junction : This time we turned right to Ta Veng
So we prepared our lunch at the market and started for Ta Veng district to see Daughter's house and Groom house. This time we turned right the junction we had turned left on third day. Soon we passed stone field that used to be a Lake.

In Ratanakiri province nearly 72 percent of population are 8 ethnic hill tribes including Tompoun, Kreung, and Jarai (Charay). There are many villages of Kreung tribe in Ta Veng district; they have peculiar culture in their marriage.

Daughter's House

At first we visited Kala village where I could see "Daughter's house". When girls become nubile age her parents built small house in front of their house. Since then she lives in this house called "Daughter's house" alone till her marriage.

Groom house

Groom house is really high!

When visited next village I was very surprised to see this higher house. To know that Tra begun to explain,

"In this village boys who reach puberty age have to build and live alone in Groom house like this. If not they never counted a man.

In their marriage, they have to sleep in the Groom house on the bridal first night. Next night is in meeting place of the village and third night is in the Daughter's house.

After that they are regard member of the village. They live in the small Daughter's house till they have a child, and then they rebuilt the house bigger."

I thought it was very interested and rational marriage culture, don't you?

Pound rice

Villager gathered to see my digital camera

Ritual of praying heal

Suddenly I heard shrilled oink behind meeting house of the village. Run up to the place there was woman handed piglet and chicken, she cleaned them by water with kind of magic words. I wanted to take photographs but Tra said didn't. It seemed beginning of ceremony. Soon a man walked up with club and hit heads of them.

Offer piglet and chiken as a sacrifice

Offering goods
Plate, boat and buffalo

As he brought them into the meeting house we followed him nervously. In side the house there were few men were making special goods for ceremony. There was no word but I felt they said welcome so I asked permission of taking photographs.

Roast piglet
in thier meeting house

Fake bird
Used beak and feathers of chicken

I heard they had serious patient in the village so the ceremony would hold for pray of recovery. They roasted piglet and made a fake bird used beak and feathers of chicken with skillfully. Although I hoped to watch the ceremony to the end, Tra said "It's time to go." Oh, it was too sorry.

Picnic

Stone Field was said used to a lake
We returned same way to the Stone Field that formed by volcanic eruption. As there were lava rock here and there in basin sharp field here was no tree grew. We had a picnic and took a nap while saw this view.

Today's lunch were
Flied noodle, pancake and orange

Suddenly cow appeared and been watching for our lunch till the end.

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