Each early October, the Ba Na’s Gio Lang subgroup gathers for the Et dong bamboo rat festival, a ceremony that blends prayer, tradition and community spirit. Learning how this event links nature, work and solidarity reveals values that still matter today.

The Et dong bamboo rat festival, celebrated by the Ba Na’s Gio Lang subgroup in early October, honors nature deities and includes prayers for abundant harvests. The timing coincides with rice stalks becoming firm and grain heads beginning to develop, marking a sacred moment in the agricultural calendar.

According to Y Broi, a village elder, the bamboo rat is regarded as a gentle animal that feeds only on bamboo and grass roots and does not damage villagers’ crops. He also explained that the creature symbolizes diligence, hard work, good fortune and prosperity for the village.

During the ceremony each family presents a bamboo rat, a handful of rice grains, a jar of wine and a roll of thread. The village elder first places his wine jar on the central pillar, and then every household draws a thread from that pillar to the post holding its own jar, a practice Y Broi says strengthens community solidarity. The drawn thread is also meant to guide the rice from a plentiful harvest into every home, carrying wishes for abundance.

The two‑day celebration also serves as a family reunion, drawing relatives who live far away back to the communal house. Through the festivities the Gio Lang community explicitly reminds younger generations to respect nature, support one another and work diligently for prosperity.

On May 31, 2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism added the Et dong festival to Vietnam’s national intangible cultural heritage list. Its continued practice demonstrates how traditional rituals can reinforce shared values across generations.