Songs and dances in Cham rituals 
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Songs and dances in Cham rituals 
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INTRODUCE

Cham ritual music is sacred music. The dignitaries believe that when the sounds of the instruments Kanye, of drums paranung When they are emitted, the gods will return to earth to participate with mortals. Therefore, only when a ceremony takes place, when people have the need to perform, will those sacred sound signals be emitted. Mr. Kadhar As a musician, when singing mass always begins with a hymn. Po Inâ Nâgar, the goddess who gave birth to the homeland and ended with the epic Po Cei Tathun, the heroic general who protects the peace of the community. 

For some ceremonies, the liturgical melodies will be accompanied by specific dances. These dances are like Rija is the family spirit or Muk Pajau is performed by the village shaman. The dance is simple but evocative, reminiscent of folk fertility beliefs. The song and dance Halang Halep, roughly translated as the open-skirt dance performed during clan ceremonies to offer sacrifices to the gods every three or seven years. Nowadays, few families still hold these ceremonies, so generations of muk Rija and Pajau Not many people know how to dance these days. Singing and dancing Tamia Mâk Kayau Yau Siam Likei, roughly translated as fertility dance, a little different, is Muk Pajau performed by a man in pairs during agricultural ceremonies or New Year's Eve ceremonies. This dance has a more obvious fertility character, simulating the state of lovemaking, also to express the desire for fertility and growth of both humans and nature. 

Songs and dances in Cham rituals were selected and introduced by Mr. Dong Thanh Danh, an officer of the Center for Cham Cultural Research in Ninh Thuan province. The singers are artists and dignitaries. Kadhar, the teacher plays the guitar Kanhi Dang Cong Vinh, the dancers are Ms. Quang Thi Pho and Mr. Dong Minh Tuan, from Bau Truc village, Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan province. 

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IMAGE

Photos (portraits, dances, singing)

VIDEO

Video interview

Po Inâ Nâgar Festival Song – Mother Goddess of the Land

The Po Inâ Nâgar festival song is a hymn telling the biography and merits of the Mother Goddess of the land, called Po Inâ Nâgar in the Cham language. The deity is described as being born from a precious agarwood tree from the beginning of the sacred land, having great merit in the birth of the homeland and country, teaching the Cham people to raise silkworms, weave brocade, weave patterns, and do agriculture. The song has three main parts, not counting the ew yang part, which means the opening prayer. The first part awakens the kanhi with a slow, soulful chant to invite the deity. The main part sings about the merits, biography, and life and career of the deity with a fast, majestic rhythm. The last part has a gradually slower rhythm, asking the deity to bless and protect the village and the people.

The Song of Adaoh Po Cei Tathun

The epic song Adaoh Po Cei Tathun is a ceremonial song praising the heroic achievements and legends of the famous Cham general Po Cei Tathun. He is often associated with the image of a general riding a horse, holding a rattan whip as his weapon, returning to his village. In folk memory, after returning to the village from war, he was welcomed by the villagers and invited to drink tea and wine. The god is described as a wise and martial man, with a refined demeanor and handsome appearance. He has many contributions to his homeland, defeating foreign invaders many times to protect the country and the peace of the people and villages. The song has three main parts, not counting the ew yang part, which means the opening prayer. The first part awakens the kanhi with a slow, soulful chant to invite the gods. The main part sings about the achievements, biography and career of the famous general with a fast, majestic rhythm. The final part gradually slows down with the content of asking the god to attend the ceremony, enjoy the offerings and accept the offerings to bless and protect the village and the people.

Tamia Halang Halep Singing and Dancing

Tamia Halang Halep singing and dancing, roughly translated as open-skirt dance, is a typical but rarely seen form of ceremonial dance in Cham spiritual life. This dance is performed by Muk Pajau or Muk Rija, a shaman. The ceremonial dancer holds a brocade skirt and dances to the ceremonial music of the Ong Kadhar dignitary, with continuous movements of opening and closing the skirt with the meaning of inviting a partner in the symbol of folk fertility beliefs but also a form of dance offering to the gods. This type combines the Ong Kadhar dignitary singing with a cheerful, vibrant melody with the rhythmic, graceful dance of the shaman. This is an artistic form of singing and dancing that not only includes the performance of ceremonial music but also combines ceremonial dance with movements, hand gestures, and foot rhythms that are aesthetic and deeply symbolic - a typical characteristic of the symbol of sacred music in Cham rituals. Tamia Halang Halep singing and dancing is often practiced in clan ceremonies such as Puix or Payak, which are ceremonies to entertain the gods.

Tamia Mâk Kayau Yau Siam Likei Festival Singing and Dancing

Tamia Mâk Kayau Yau Siam Likei singing and dancing, roughly translated as fertility dance, is a typical but rare form of ritual dance in Cham spiritual life. This dance is performed by Muk Pajau or Muk Rija, a shaman, combined with a man wearing a skirt, a head scarf, and a bare body. In which, the female dignitary will hold three small pointed symbols like the image of a phallus and dance, then pass it on to the man to dance. Meanwhile, the dignitary Ong Kadhar will play the kanhi and sing a ritual song to illustrate the dance with the meaning of depicting a scene of lovers, expressing the profound meaning of fertility. The dance expresses the desire for fertility, full children, full granaries of Cham people who practice wet rice farming. This is a form of couple dance, combining men and women, the only one still seen in Cham rituals. This type of dance is associated with a ritual song that also has many symbolic meanings. The lyrics are vulgar but contain folk connotations with worldly metaphors, expressing the naturalness of the folk literature with fertility. This type of ritual dance combined with ritual singing performance is a typical feature of the dualistic and dualistic performance in Cham rituals.

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