Dao Wedding in Mau Son

[admin]

The most unusual wedding in Vietnam: A Dao wedding in Mau Son

The Lu Gang Dao people of the Mau Son mountains believe that the best things begin before sunrise. Therefore, while the entire village sleeps, the bride gets dressed at her parents' house, leaving between 1 and 2 AM to arrive at the groom's home while the mountains are still shrouded in mist.

Besides her dowry, the bride prepares two outfits: one for leaving her parents' home and another to change into before entering the groom's house. Her attire includes a face veil, a multi-layered dress, and four sashes, all elaborately embroidered in vibrant colors. Wealthier families boast more layers of clothing.

The wedding party is a grand affair, featuring a brass band and a large gathering of family and friends from both sides. This is followed by a "tơ hồng" ceremony (likely a symbolic thread-tying ceremony), where the bride and groom step onto a flower-decorated mat to perform prostrations, paying respects to ancestors, the shaman, parents, siblings, and the groom's relatives and the wedding party. According to Dao custom, to avoid bad luck, the groom must not see the bride's face until all ceremonies are complete; only then is the veil lifted.

After the ceremony, guests are offered a cup of rice wine and a piece of boiled pork liver. Everyone must finish their drink to wish the bride, groom, and their families happiness.

Photos: Nguyen Son Tung