Da Phuoc Commune, or Muong Cha, in An Phu District is the cradle of most of Cham people in An Giang Province.
An Islamic mosque in Muong Cha, Da Phuoc Commune, An Phuoc District, An Giang Province |
Their Islamic mosques in An Phu District are the most unique features. The Masjid Jamius Sunnah Mosque is greatly admired thanks to its original architecture with the dome like a prominent garlic in the sky. Masjid is a place of worship for followers of Islam while Cham people consider it a name that Allah (God) put in the Koran. And Jamius Sunnah means beautiful things.
Most of Islamic mosques are decorated with paintings or carvings of
Arabic characters or sentences from the Koran to honor Allah. The mosque
has a lecture hall covered by a carpet. Iman, the head of the mosque,
will stand next to the hall to host ceremonies such as weddings,
funerals or other important rituals of Cham Moslems.
Before attending
a ritual, followers must wash their faces, hands and feet carefully in
accordance with the Sambayang rules, and tidy up their attire. According
to the Islam, those with a clean body and well-dressed attire will be
accepted by Allah when they pray in the mosque.
Muong Cha is also famous for brocade weaving and the popular workshop which most tourists choose to visit is owned by Tares, 75, who pursued this traditional craft more than half a century ago. Crossing a 500-meter-long wooden bridge and travelers will arrive at the shop that they can buy brocade products for souvenirs such as scarves, hats, handbags and sarong, among others.
At the end of the bridge are two Cham-style boats, and on the bank of the Da Phuoc River is a Cham house on stilts. Every day, locals cast the net to catch fish in the river, which is a main job of Cham people in the flooding season. Thanks to this job, their income is better and their living condition is thus improved. Visitors, especially foreign tourists, are very excited about contemplating the daily life of the locals.
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