The Central Highlands region attracts tourists for its magnificent forests and mountains and the unique culture of ethnic groups.

Continuing our series about the Churu, today we talk about their wedding and marriage customs.

Churu people – old and young, male and female, rich or poor – wears silver rings. As the Churu are matriarchal, the girl’s family is active in marriage. 

They bring a pair of silver rings to the man’s family to make a marriage proposal. The silver rings are love deposit, representing love and family responsibility. 

Luong Thanh Son, a researcher of the Central Highlands’ culture, said the man’s family keeps the silver rings as a love promise of the couple and the two families. 

He said “The rings represent love. They are compulsory offerings. If one ring is lost, the marriage would face difficulty.”

The pair of male and female ring is carefully crafted. Tourists are curious to know about the production and the meaning of the rings. 

Mr Son said “The rings are handmade by Churu craftmen. They have similar meaning as the engagement-bracelet of other ethnic groups in the Central Highlands.”

More and more Churu people have involved in the craft of making silver rings and other jewelry. Ya Tuat in Tu Tra commune said they prepare the mould from bee wax, clay, and buffalo dung. 

The craftsmen encrust red konia seeds on the male ring while the female ring is polished to shine. 

Ya Tuat said he has been making silver rings for 20 years and before that he spent 3 years to learn the craft. “My life is attached to making silver rings. I have taught many people the craft.”

Besides marriage rings, silver ring is a popular jewelry of the Churu.

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