Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival
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Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival

Update: Mar. 24th, 2013

Qiema

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – Qiema

The case of Qiema is necessary mascot in Tibetan New Year Festival. It is a kind of exquisite wooden case in the shape of dipper with fried barley and tsamba in it and colorful "Luosa Medo" and butter sculptures sticking in it. It means there is a series of good harvests and the people all live to a great age, good luck and happiness. On the day of Tibetan New Year Festival, the case of Qiema will be placed on Tibetan cupboard. Guest who comes to pay New Year call should walk to the case of Qiema first, use thumb and forefinger to pinch a small amount of barley and tsamba and throw toward sky for three times and then put a small amount into mouth and say "Tashi Delek" to the host of the family.

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – Kasai

Kasai is a kind of fried food made up of ghee and wheat flour. It is in shapes of ear, butterfly, bar, square, round, etc. It is painted with colors and covered with granulated sugar. The color of Kasai is very bright, and the taste of Kasai is very crisp and sweet.

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – Luosa Medo and Seedling of Barley

"Luosa Medo" and seeding of barley are necessary decorations for Tibetan New Year Festival. On one hand, it can set off happy atmosphere of New Year Festival. On the other hand, it is related with the tradition of celebrating spring plough and praying for harvest. It means harvest in the coming year.

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – Eating "Gutu"

In the eve of Tibetan New Year Festival, Tibetans will eat a kind of a dough soup as union dinner. It is named "Gutu" in Tibetan Language. It is a kind of food with soup made up of beef, mutton, turnip, dough and other seasoning.

When make "Gutu", Tibetans will put something with specific meaning in it to test the luck of the family in the coming year.

After the "Gutu" done, members in the family will sit together based on the order from old to young and eat together. Once eat the thing in "Gutu", people should show it to others. Then, the family will end the dinner in happy atmosphere.

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – Dispelling Evil Spirits

After eating "Gutu" in the eve of Tibetan New Year festival, men in the family will run to each room of the family with torch in hand and wave the torch toward each corner of the room while saying "come out, all evil spirits come out". Later, they will throw the torch and prepared foods for evil spirits at a crossroad. After that, they will run back without turning heads back.

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – "Scrambling Water" and Weisang

The activity of scrambling water is the first program on the first day of New Year for women. In Tibetan custom, women get the first bottle of water can get good luck.

When women come to scramble water, men will get up early to Weisang. Weisang is to burn branches of cypress and make best wishes.

Colorful Custom of Tibetan New Year Festival – Replacing Prayer Flags

In Tibetan New Year Festival, Tibetans will replace prayer flags on their roof to pray for harvest and good luck in coming year. The prayer flags consist of blue, white, red, green and yellow cloth. When replace prayer flags, Tibetans will first hang colorful cloth with scriptures on tree and then stick the branch with prayer flags on the roof.

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