The 5 most important festivals of the Cham people throughout the year

Roya Haji Festival, also known as the Festival of Love and Forgiveness, is a traditional Cham Muslim celebration (held from December 10-13 according to the Islamic calendar). During these festive days, the Cham people gather at the mosque in large numbers, slaughter cattle and goats to share with the entire village as part of the celebrations, marking a unique and fascinating cultural tradition. This marks the arrival of a new year for the Cham people.

Activities during the Roya Haji Festival:

• During the festival, Cham people wear their finest traditional clothing.
• Starting at 7 AM on the first day of the ceremony, young men and women, 15 years and older, gather at the mosque to perform religious rituals. Afterward, everyone shakes hands to seek forgiveness and resolve conflicts from the past year.
• During these days, when people meet on the street, they greet each other with "Am má" (meaning 'please forgive me'), and the response must be the same, emphasizing the significance of forgiveness on this day.
• During Roya Haji, many Cham people who have migrated for work return home to reunite with their families. Wealthy Muslim families carry out the Kurbal ritual, buying livestock (cows, goats, or sheep) to offer as a sacrifice, distributing the meat to poor families in the village, sharing joy and love for the new year.

The Haji Festival is also a time to bid farewell to the most accomplished and virtuous individuals, as well as those with the financial means to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. In a believer's lifetime, visiting Mecca is a deeply desired goal. After the pilgrimage, the individual's name is prefixed with "Haji" as a sign of respect. Those unable to make the journey perform the Haji ritual at the mosque.

Ponagar Tower Festival, also known as the Thien Y Ana Mother Goddess Festival, is celebrated by the Cham people in Khanh Hoa (from March 20-23 in the lunar calendar). This festival is associated with the worship of the Mother Goddess, one of the three female deities who rule over the three regions of Vietnam: Liễu Hạnh in the North, Thien Y Ana in Central Vietnam, and Linh Sơn in the South (also known as Ba Den). The festival honors and remembers Thien Y Ana, the goddess who taught the Cham people how to cultivate rice, raise livestock, weave fabrics, and helped lead them to prosperity.

The festival takes place at the Ponagar Tower complex in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa. Key rituals of the event include:

• Bathing of the statue (also known as the ritual of purification), changing the robes (or the family ceremony), which happens precisely at noon on March 20.
• Lantern floating ceremony takes place on the night of March 20, when people release glowing lanterns onto the river, hoping for their wishes to come true.
• Prayer for national peace and prosperity: held on the morning of March 21, this solemn ceremony promotes humanitarian values.
• The Soul Offering Ceremony (offering to the Mother Goddess) takes place at midnight on March 22 to honor the goddess with incense offerings.
• Traditional rituals, the Opening Ceremony, and the Royal Ceremony: these take place on March 23, with community leaders and villagers from Cu Lao (Xom Bong) performing the traditional rituals, followed by performances of Tuong (Vietnamese traditional opera) during the Opening and Royal Ceremonies at the festival stage.

Apart from these sacred rituals, cultural events further enhance the appeal of the Ponagar Tower Festival. During the festival, visitors can enjoy shadow dances, traditional singing, and other performances on the stage in front of the main tower of the Ponagar Tower complex.

Katê Festival is celebrated by the Cham people in the central provinces of Vietnam, particularly those who follow the Brahmin faith. This is a sacred and significant folk festival, deeply rooted in Cham culture. The festival is dedicated to honoring ancestors, praying for good weather, abundant harvests, and the well-being and prosperity of all beings. It usually lasts for three days, beginning on the 1st day of the 7th month in the Cham lunar calendar (around September 14-15). The Cham people gather at ancient temples and towers to enjoy traditional music and dance performances. The festival is divided into two parts: the ceremonial and the celebratory activities.

Activities during the Katê Festival:

• Traditional rituals include: The procession of the sacred garments, the Tower Opening Ceremony, the statue bathing ritual, and the dressing of the statue, all of which offer visitors a glimpse into the unique Cham culture.
• During the festival, at major towers in the region such as Pô Klông Garai, Pô Rôme, and Pô Naga, a music and dance troupe performs traditional Cham dances to celebrate after the priests complete the essential rites, as well as after each prayer. A tradition at these ceremonies is that every worshipper must dance after praying, offering their movement as a gift to the deities. This practice has helped preserve Cham dance.

The Katê Festival unfolds in a large space, beginning at the temples and towers, spreading to villages, clans, and finally reaching individual families. The festival honors deities such as Ppo Klaung Girai and Ppo Rome, who are believed to have created the universe and sanctified the historical figures of the Cham people.

Rain-Prayer Festival is celebrated by the Cham people in Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan provinces. The Cham believe that all cosmic changes are controlled by deities, spirits, or even demons. This festival is held to thank the heavens and earth for favorable weather, abundant crops, and the health and prosperity of the people. The Rain-Prayer Festival typically takes place from the 16th to the 20th of the 2nd month in the lunar calendar, and the ceremony is led by the village elders.

This is a unique and significant ritual. During prolonged droughts, when the sun is scorching and there is no water to irrigate crops, the people gather to pray for rain. Some families hold private ceremonies in their fields, while others gather as a community to offer sacrifices. Common offerings include cattle or pigs, but the altar always includes a pair of roosters, two jars of wine, a bee's wax ring, a bowl of rice, and betel leaves.

The ceremony is held in the village center, where all the villagers gather. Each family’s representative touches and prays before the offerings, a practice based on the Cham H'roi belief that by doing so, the spirits will recognize them as a part of the community and grant their blessings.

The Rain-Prayer Festival is a special occasion for the Cham H'roi to meet and bond as a community.

Ramadan Festival is a significant event for the Cham Muslim community in An Giang, held over one month, from the 1st to the 30th of September according to the Islamic calendar, which corresponds to the end of August to the beginning of September in the Gregorian calendar. During this period, the Cham visit ancestral graves, inviting their ancestors to join in the celebrations. Relatives and friends gather to offer blessings, pray for prosperity, and seek ancestral protection. It is also a time for self-reflection, where the Cham evaluate their actions, seeking to correct mistakes and repent for wrongdoings. Throughout the month, fasting is observed, with no eating, drinking, or smoking during daylight hours. The fasting begins before sunrise and ends after sunset.

Ramadan is also considered a month of goodness, compassion, and charitable deeds. Each day, wealthy families prepare hundreds of free meals, offering them publicly in designated areas for the needy or anyone who is hungry. This practice has led many to call Ramadan the 'Month of Compassion' or the 'Month of Brotherhood.'

For the Cham Muslims, these are the happiest days of the year. Every household is ready to offer food, preparing special dishes to entertain guests, whether rich or poor, making it feel like the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration.