Hội đua bò bảy núi của người Khmer ở An Giang: truyền thống và biến đổi

Abstract

Ox racing is one of the unique cultural characteristics of Khmer people in An Giang, which came into being from combining local geography and culture. Over time, the festival plays an important role in the Khmer’s spritual life. Many previous studies have investigated the festival’s history and its part in the Khmer’s life. However, virtually no work addresses the shift from traditional to modern. This paper is to clarify that the festival originated from folk game associated with the people’s rice farming. It has two common formats of road racing and field-racing. Also, the festival provides opportunity for the people to have fun, share experiences in rearing and cultivating oxes, which signifies the values of the Khmer’s festival in An Giang. In recent years, this festival has changed together with social developments. The changes have partly impacted the festival’s traditional values and the people’s spiritual life as well. This paper discusses these changes in comparison to the traditional ones, both the positive and the negative aspects. Thereby, it proposes methods preserving and developing the festival’s values.