Cham people in Ninh Thuan province has many festivals and Ramuwan festival is the traditional new year of the Cham Islamic community.
Like the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, the traditional Ramuwan New Year is the most culturally important festival for Cham Islamic people with many activities.
Annually Ramuwan festival takes place from April 29 to May 1 of the Cham calendar. This year, it falls on June 4-6. This annual event is an opportunity for people to pay tribute to ancestors at their graves and pray for happiness, bumper crops and peace. On this occasion, Cham people working away from their homes often come back to celebrate and enjoy happy moments with their family and relatives. The traditional Ramuwan festival is usually held with many traditional rituals, such as worshipping rite at ancestral graves, ancestors worshiping and observing Ramadan month.
The ceremony at ancestral graves is an important and first-held ritual during Ramuwan festival. This ceremony is both influenced by folk belief and religion. It is a time for people to pay their respects and gratitude to dead relatives. After visiting ancestors’ graves, each family holds worship rituals at home in commemoration of their ancestors, and dignitaries observe the fasting month at religious establishments.
Some images of Ramuwan festival of Cham Bani people in Ninh Thuan province
Worshipping space for ancestors
Cham girls and boys with traditional costumes for visiting ancestral graves
Visiting ancestral graves of Cham Bani people
Traditional dances of Cham girls
Cham Bani temples during Ramuwan month
Nguyễn Tường