Unique traditional Tay wedding in Tan Trao

Marriage is regarded as one of the most important events in a person’s life. Therefore, the Tay people in Tan Trao Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, follow a careful and elaborate process when holding a traditional wedding. According to custom, a wedding consists of several stages, including the betrothal ceremony, engagement ceremony and wedding ceremony. The wedding ceremony is the most important, as it embodies traditional customs, cultural norms and rich folk traditions that have been passed down through generations and preserved to this day.

The “Tay traditional wedding” is a unique tourism product of Tan Trao. Visitors can not only witness the ceremony but also experience being part of the wedding and learn about its distinctive rituals, offering them a deeper insight into and appreciation of the rich spiritual life of the local Tay community.

Early in the morning, the groom’s family’s wedding procession prepares the wedding gifts and offerings to take to the bride’s family.

Representing the groom’s family is the “Ma Me,” an older married woman whose family life is considered happy and harmonious. She acts on behalf of the groom’s family in carrying out the necessary wedding rituals.

The offerings in a traditional Tay wedding are simple and rustic.

“Chaining the Road with Antiphonal Singing” is one of the most distinctive rituals in a Tay wedding.

Members of the groom’s procession wash their hands and feet before entering the bride’s house.

This gesture expresses the bride’s family’s hospitality and respect for their honored guests.

Inside the traditional stilt house, representatives of the groom’s and bride’s families communicate with each other through antiphonal singing.

The two families carry out the formal procedures for handing over the bride.

The bride and groom perform a ceremony to pay homage to their ancestors and express gratitude to their parents.

The wedding procession travels across Na Nua Lake.

Thu Hang – Duc Thai