Cham manuscripts collected by Mr. Dong Van Nhat

Cham manuscript made of paper. Collected by Mr. Dong Van Nhat in Ninh Thuan Province. Contents: steps to perform rituals of conjuring up the souls of the dead; rites for making women give birth; terminologies used for giving souls to dead people due to bad luck; checking calendar for good dates to conduct funerals, house building or weddings; guides to set up an altar to perform purification rituals when termites and ants build mounds or bees build hives indoors; talismans to win girls’ love; checking dates, moon cycles, directions to seat deities, the formation of the universe; tricks to help save fetuses of women having difficulties with pregnancy or miscarriage as well as tricks to protect fetuses when travelling.

The manuscripts belonged to Cham people in Ninh Thuan Province, they have been collected by Mr. Dong Van Nhat.

Extent and Medium of original material: Thick wrapping paper, thin paper.