Yang Bre - The Ma people’s forest spirit ceremony
The Yang Bre ceremony, a traditional forest ritual of the Ma people, expresses gratitude to the forest while preserving their deep cultural bond with nature.
For generations, the lives of the Ma people have been closely connected with the mountains and forests. The forest has provided shelter and a vital source of food for their communities.
When the rainy season arrives, forest plants, wild vegetables and young rice shoots begin to grow again. Streams fill with water and wildlife returns to the highlands. It is also the time when Ma communities hold the Yang Bre forest worship ritual, giving thanks to the forest spirits for the resources that sustain their lives.
The scale of the ceremony depends on the economic circumstances of each family or community.
A family ceremony may be relatively simple, while a community ceremony follows traditional practices, including asking permission from the forest spirits, erecting the ceremonial pole and performing rituals associated with sowing seeds.
The ceremony reflects an important principle in traditional Ma culture: people do not simply take resources from the forest. They must first ask permission and express their gratitude.