Unique ancestor worship ceremony of Lo Lo Den people

In 2012, the ceremony was recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. According to local customs, every Lo Lo household maintains its own ancestral altar, but the communal ceremony is held only at the home of the clan head. In recent years, the ritual has been revived and organized collectively in Lo Lo Chai village, both to help descendants honor their roots and to showcase the community’s unique cultural identity to visitors.

The ceremony consists of three main parts, namely the offering ritual, remembrance, and sending off the ancestors. Traditional offerings include chicken, sticky rice, rice wine, flowers, fruit, and votive money. The Lo Lo believe that ancestors are divided into “near” and “distant” generations, and the ceremony is typically held at the end of the seventh lunar month.

Below are photos of the ceremony.

Shamans, dressed in traditional attire, perform the ritual of presenting offerings to the ancestors.

A pair of sacred bronze drums, spiritual treasures of the Lo Lo people, are indispensable in the ceremony.

Lo Lo women in traditional costumes join the “grass spirits” troupe in dance, reenacting the harmony between humans and nature.

Visitors excitedly take part in the stick-pushing game during the ancestor worship ceremony.

Translated by Chung Anh