Offerings to the Deities in the Katé Festival of the Ahiér Cham in Khanh Hoa, Viet Nam (Data from Po Rome Tower)

TRẦN Thị Thái1* and PHAN Thị Hoan2

Built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Po Rome Tower (Khanh Hoa) stands as one of the most intact architectural and sculptural symbols of the Champa civilization. It serves as a place of worship for King Po Rome, a deified monarch credited with organizing Cham settlement life and irrigation systems. Annually, during the seventh month of the Cham calendar, the tower becomes the centrepiece of the Katé Festival, a signature event of the Cham Ahiér (Cham Brahman) community. This festival not only honors deities, royalty, and ancestors but also serves as an occasion to pray for favourable weather and abundant harvests. This research focuses on analysing the system of offerings presented at Po Rome Tower during the Katé Festival. Based on fieldwork data, the research demonstrates that these offerings are more than mere religious items; they function as "cultural symbols" that vividly reflect social stratification. By classifying and comparing the list of offerings – ranging from savoury dishes (goat and chicken) to vegetarian items (cakes and fruits) - the study identifies a close correspondence between the nature of the offerings and the hierarchy of the deities. The strict maintenance of these offering rituals proves a resilient settlement tradition, where past Cham social structures are reconstructed through highly organized and hierarchical ceremonies.