Lai Chau’s ethnic groups celebrate National Day in Hanoi

Ethic groups from Lai Chau province are staging a cultural programme to celebrate the National Day (September 2) at the Vietnamese Ethnic Groups Culture and Tourism Village in the Dong Mo tourism area of Son Tay town, Hanoi.

A folk dance at the opening day of the festival (Photo: antt.vn)
A folk dance at the opening day of the festival (Photo: antt.vn)

The event, which will last until September 6, brings together more than 60 artisans, elders, and locals of Mong, Ha Nhi, La Hu, Mang and Si La ethnic groups.

It opened in the morning of September 2 with a ceremony worshipping the gods to pray for good health and bumper crops. The guests and the hosts then joined in singing and dancing and enjoyed a fest together.

On the following days, visitors will have an opportunity to discover many rituals of the ethnic groups, such as a house warming party of Mang people on the evening of September 3, a ritual to greet the rainy season of Ha Nhi group on the morning of September 5 and a wedding ceremony of the Si La group on the morning of September 6.

The visitors will also be invited to take part in folk song and dance performances, folk games, or enjoy indigenous dishes of the locality such as thang co (hotpot of horse or beef meat), men men (steamed ground maize), xoi tam sac (three-colour glutinous rice), roasted pig and chicken.

According to Di A Dien, a local from Dao San commune, Phong Tho district, Lai Chau province, his locality is often covered with excitement and a bustling atmosphere on the National Day. On the occasion, people dress up with new clothes, cook delicious dishes, and eagerly join many folk games such as Con (cloth ball) throwing, walking on stilts and stick pushing, or show their skills at cooking contests.