Cham Muslims in Vietnam celebrate traditional New Year

Cham Muslims perform rituals in An Giang

More than 17,000 Cham ethnic people are celebrating Roya Aidil Adha, the traditional new year festival of the Muslim community in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.

Head of the Islamic community representative committee in An Giang Haji Jacky said the festival takes place from August 9-11, during which locals will join family reunions, visit relatives and close friends, and present gifts to the poor.

Before the festival, An Giang held a gathering of religious dignitaries and intellectuals of the Cham ethnic group in the province for the first time and offered gifts to poor Cham ethnic families.

Jacky said Cham ethnic people follow Party guidelines and State laws and join patriotism campaigns.

The Cham ethnic community in An Giang is made up of more than 17,000 people, most of whom follow Islam and practice the religion in 12 mosques and 16 small mosques in Tan Chau township and the districts of An Phu, Chau Phu, Chau Thanh and Phu Tan. They mostly live on farming and animal husbandry.