Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group

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(VOVWORLD) - The Thai ethnic people in the northern province of Lai Chau hold a hair washing ritual on the last day of the 12th lunar month to ward off bad luck and pray for a happy new year.

Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 1
A sorcerer washes his hands before conducting the hair washing ceremony.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 2
He then offers incense to the ancestors, praying for good luck.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 3
The sorcerer also offers incense to earth, river and stream gods, praying for blessings for local villagers.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 4
The hair washing ceremony is of profound humanity as it expresses people’s faith in gods, wishing for good things.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 5
Two or three weeks before the ceremony, Thai women prepare their special shampoo by washing sticky rice and keeping the rice water in an earthen pot for at least one week until it turns sour. Sour rice water is believed to make the hair smooth and shiny.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 6
The ceremony is said to bring the family good luck if a young girl is selected to participate in it. Each participant prepares a bamboo tube containing sour rice water to wash their hair.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 7
The ceremony which is held by the village’s steam nearby has been passed down from generation to generation to preserve traditional customs and promote community engagement.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 8
In this ceremony, women and little girls wash their hair downstream while men and boys go upstream.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 9
Visitors and passers-by are curious about this traditional custom of local villagers.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 10
After the hair washing formality, villagers do the washing in the river to make their clothes clean to welcome the new year.
Unique hair washing ritual of the Thai ethnic group - ảnh 11
According to the local custom, good luck will run out in the new year if they do not wash their hair on New Year’s Eve.

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