Blood oath ceremony of the Mnong in Dak Lak
The stilt house of Y Thien Cil of Jie Yuk hamlet is cheerful with a chưng bor melody and the prayers of a shaman inviting deities to the twinning ceremony of Y Thien Cil and Y Nam Pan Ting. They have been close friends for many years and after the blood oath they will be blood brothers. The offerings are pork, steamed glutinous rice, bananas, eggs, a rooster, two brass bracelets, and two strings of glass beads. The two men and their wives sit in front of the offerings. Village chief Y Krai Cil is the shaman conducting the ritual: “Today the two men will swear an oath to become blood brothers. They have had a close relationship for a long time. I conduct this ritual to wish them good health and true brotherhood. If one experiences difficulties or hardship, may they stay together and never abandon the other.” The twinning ritual has two main procedures: asking the deities to accept the brotherhood and bless them with good health, and the twinned men enjoying their first meal toge