Traditional wedding of Tay people in Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province

Abstract

Trung Khanh district in Cao Bang province is one of the Tay people’s place of origin. Tay weddings are  a manifestation of the people’s culture. The rituals in a wedding are closely related to traditional cultural activities. The article describes 12 steps of rituals in a traditional wedding of Tay people in this area. These consists of engagement, marriage offering, wedding preparation, wedding day, bride welcome, the bow of the bridegroom to the ancestors (at the girl’s house), the bridegroom inviting guests to drink wine, a party between representatives from the boy and the girl’s families, the girl stepping out of the door to her husband’s house, the bride’s welcome to her new home and the newly wed’s first visit to the bride’s family.