"This is the biggest festival in the area and is connected with the traditional 'Le Hoi Dam Trau' (buffalo slaughter) held three or five times a year. During the worship ritual, people thank and worship the gods, wishing for a bumper crop, peaceful life, no illnesses or quarrels between villagers or tribes. Numerous traditional kinds of music, dance and drawings imbue the identity of the indigenous ethnic minority communities"

Le Hoi Dam Trau

          “Le Dam Trau” - "or Buffalo Stabbing Festival" in Vietnam at the Central Highlands creates sometimes tension between supporters and opponents. Some say that this is cruel and should be banned, but others say again that this unique cultural happening in the Central Highlands. This must be preserved. It is very iconic and important in the spiritual life of people in Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands).

For people in the Central Highlands is to sacrifice a buffalo one of the rituals to worship Giang (God), as part of the funeral rites, etc. If you call this ritual a "festival", it's misleading. It is part of the cultural rituals. It goes back to the origins of the indigenous culture. Vietnamese often whisper: "I help your reincarnation", when they slaughter chickens or pigs. That is the sign of their belief in the soul. But admitted: this idea is at the sacrifice of the buffalo totally forgotten. It looks like a festival and the true meaning is totally forgotten. Buffalo sacrifice has become slaughtering.

It will start with dance and gong

Le Dam Trau” or Buffalo Stabbing Festival of Bana people in Gia Lai is very iconic and important in the spiritual life of people in Tay Nguyen. The festival is dedicated to village founders, ancestors worshiping, harvest celebration and other important events. The festival often takes place in front of Rong house (communal house of Bana people) or long house (as for Ede people). On a flat and vast ground, a high pole made of wood or bamboo, decorated with colorful banners, flags, flowers and leaves from the forest and rattles.
A Langbiang buffalo will be washed clean and fed then tied to the pole by a loose rope around the neck. After thanking the gods and invite them come down to eat buffalo meat and drink Can wine, the leader of the festival will let the people dance and sing and feast all night. On the next morning, the stabbing rite will officially start. The young men will use long spears to stab the buffalo while dancing and martial performing. The buffalo meat will be shared to all households of the village.

Generally, the festival is organized in the months of ning nơng (month of rest), after the every year harvests. It is prepared several months in advance.

The community house (Rong) in the background

"During the worship ritual, people thank and worship the gods, wishing for a bumper crop, peaceful life, no illnesses or quarrels between villagers or tribes.
Numerous traditional kinds of music, dance and drawings imbue the identity of the indigenous ethnic minority communities"