The Mother Goddess

There is very small indigenous religion in Vietnam called Đạo Mẫu. Since religion tends to be rather blended here, most Vietnamese people would consider this to be a part of Buddhism or Taoism, but it's a really unique and little-known belief. Pinky and I first encountered Dao Mau at the Vietnam Women's Museum.

Spirit mediums offer up prayers to Buddha and various local spirits before channeling a series of Mother Goddesses whose shrines you'll see at many Taoist temples in Hanoi. You'll see three elegantly-dressed women in robes of green, red, and white, and their courts. During a Dao Mau ceremony, the medium will undergo a long ritual which involves dressing in elegant robes of the spirit they will incarnate, then will

When we were leaving the Women's Museum, Pinky and I picked up a brochure for the Viet Theater, which puts on a performance based upon the Mother Goddess religion each weekend. While not a true Dao Mau ritual (which takes hours), this UNESCO-supported show demonstrates some of the music and costumes along with informative explanations of each during a one-hour show.

Photos were not allowed during the performance, but Pinky and I got front-row seats and had an excellent view as the traditional music performance began. Three people entered the stage in a cloud of smoke: the medium and two assistants, who helped her dress in the elegant regalia of one of the Dao Mau spirits, a queen mother of the mountains. While in this regalia, she danced with a silk fan, and partook in a tea ceremony.

She also displayed the robes of a royal prince, who had been a general in life, and who enjoys drinking whisky and writing poetry. Finally, she changed once more to wear the robes of the maid of the forests, a friendly fairy from traditional folklore. After the show, we got the chance to take a photo with the medium (wearing the fairy costume) and her two assistants.

This was really like nothing I've ever seen or experienced before. Although it's just a show based on this belief, UNESCO has sponsored the performance, working  hard to make sure that it stays true to the original customs as possible. They are working hard to preserve the traditional culture of the northern Vietnamese hill tribes.