Throwing a Sacred Ball through the Ring (Ném Còn)
According to Tay legend, Pia, an orphan, war poor
and lonely. Discouraged with life, he went to the forest and gathered pieces of
fruit to throw around. One time, he threw a fruit so hard it flew straight to
heaven, where a fairy caught it. The fairy flew down to the earth to play with
Pia. Before long, they fell in love and became husband and wife.
The people of the mountain village believed that the
fruit had brought Pia happiness. To celebrate this story, young men and women
toss balls (nem con) each year from the third day of Tet until the end of the
first lunar month.
Players gather on a level field where villagers have
planted a tall bamboo tree. A bamboo ring about 30-40 cm in diameter hangs from
the tree. Gaudy fabric covers the balls, which the makers have stuffed with
rice grains (representing food) and cotton seeds (clothing) along with their
hidden desires. A multicolored tassel decorates the balls.
According to tradition, before playing, the Tay
people first prepare a tray of food, which they take to the field and offer to
the Sky and Earth. Two balls and a bamboo ring on the tray represent vitality
and virtue. The festival leader, who must have high status, prays to the Sky
and Earth lo brings rain so that the community will have a good harvest. After
this ceremony, the leader tosses the two balls high into the air. Everyone
competes to catch them, signaling the beginning of festivities.
At that point, each family may throw its own
household ball through the bamboo ring for good luck. Naturally, some balls do
not make it through on the first try. The owners may try over and over until they
are successful.
The festival leader closes with a prayer for a good
planting season, then slashes the ball open and distributes seeds to everyone.
These seeds bring good luck and will sprout quickly because they unite the
forces of am and duong (yin and yang) in the warmth of
women's and men's hands. Everyone receives the holy seeds of the Sky, the Earth
and Humanity with the belief and hope that their crops will increase, people
will prosper and the entire village will have sufficient food, clothing and
happiness. For this reason, the ball game is a major feature of Tay tradition.
