The beauty in the firewood storage custom of the Jrai people

(GLO)- In addition to proactively providing fuel for family activities, storing and stacking firewood has become a unique traditional cultural feature, demonstrating the ingenuity and diligence of Jrai women.

In some Jrai villages in Gia Lai province, it is easy to see the image of the floor of a stilt house or a corner of the garden filled with dry firewood. Firewood is taken advantage of from many different sources such as dry branches in the forest, small branches of the Litsea tree, coffee tree trunks... No matter what shape they are, Jrai women will skillfully arrange them neatly, in straight rows, looking very beautiful.

The Jrai believe that before getting married, a girl must know how to stack firewood, pound rice, and weave cloth. Therefore, when she is only 10 years old, many girls carry a basket with their mother to collect firewood and are taught how to stack firewood neatly.

The Jrai people maintain the practice of storing firewood under their stilt houses to serve their daily activities. Photo: Hong Thuong

For households without stilt houses, firewood will be neatly stacked in a corner of the garden. Photo by Hong Thuong.

Many young girls learn how to stack firewood neatly from a young age. Photo: Hong Thuong

According to village elders, a family with a lot of firewood under their stilt house, arranged neatly, proves that the house is rich, prosperous and the women are very diligent and skillful.

The firewood is arranged neatly and evenly, looking like a solid wall under the stilt house.

Mr. Hyuih's family - a prestigious person in Tieng 2 village (Bien Ho commune) still maintains the daily storage of firewood to serve both daily life and to preserve the cultural beauty of the nation. Photo: Hong Thuong

Storing firewood is also one of the criteria to evaluate the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Jrai women in Ia Tor commune. Photo: Anh Huy

For the Jrai people, storing firewood is also considered a gift to give to relatives when there is an important event such as: giving to in-laws before or after organizing a wedding for their children; serving cooking for the family in the clan when there is a funeral...

Many households grow firewood trees in their gardens or on their fields to proactively provide fuel for their families. Photo: Anh Huy

The Jrai people in Ia Tor commune maintain the practice of giving firewood to the in-laws before or after the wedding ceremony. Photo: Anh Huy

In particular, the Jrai people also contribute firewood every time the village organizes a festival or has an important event. After contributing, the firewood is gathered in the communal house yard to serve cooking and campfire purposes. Depending on each family, the level of contribution is different to create an abundant amount of firewood, contributing to help the village complete the common work well.

Every time the village organizes a festival or carries out important work, people contribute firewood together to cook and make campfires. Photo: Hong Thuong

Nowadays, many families have gas stoves and electric stoves for cooking, but the Jrai people still maintain the practice of storing firewood. For them, this is to affirm the ingenuity and industriousness of women in the family. At the same time, giving firewood to relatives and contributing firewood to organize common village activities helps to strengthen brotherly affection and create community cohesion.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/net-dep-trong-phong-tuc-tru-cui-cua-nguoi-jrai-post559905.html