Historical factors, along with the formation of village and commune communities and the process of cultural exchange and acculturation, have led to the creation of many traditional festivals in Quang Nam, with types and nuances typical of the whole region.
Festivals in Quang Nam are extremely rich and diverse. In recent times, authorities at all levels and people have organised festivals not only as a simple cultural event, but also as a driving force to promote local socio-economic development.
Preserving unique cultural heritage values
The New Rice Festival of the Xo Dang ethnic group in Tra Linh Commune (Nam Tra My District) has existed for a long time. It usually takes place after the end of the crop season, when the granaries are full and the field work has been completed.
This is an important spiritual and cultural ritual, to thank the heavens and earth for giving favourable weather and wind, bountiful crops so that the villagers can be well-fed all year round.
Village elder Ho Van Dung (Tra Linh Commune, Nam Tra My District) said that according to customary law, the village elder will set the date and time to hold the New Rice Festival. Villagers choose the biggest and most beautiful rice grains in a crop to make offerings to the rice god, showing gratitude to the rice god and respecting the forest god for bringing prosperity to the villagers.
For the Co Tu people in Tay Giang District, Thanksgiving for the Forest is one of the most important festivals held in the first days of the new year. This festival expresses gratitude to the old forests that have protected the people and is also a promise of the people to raise awareness of forest protection and community solidarity. From a long-standing traditional cultural feature, associated with the spiritual life of the Co Tu people, the Thanksgiving for the Forest ritual has now developed into a traditional annual festival.
Village elder Poloong Nap (A Xan Commune, Tay Giang District) said: “People live and grow thanks to the forest, thanks to trees, thanks to streams. The forest is an invaluable resource, helping the Co Tu people survive and develop. Therefore, we always organise the Thanksgiving for the Forest ceremony as the most important ceremony of the year.”
In the folk beliefs of the residents living along the Truong Son range, the festival is not only a cultural space that meets spiritual needs, it also highlights the good aspects of the community. Although the scale is limited to the village community, the festivals have become invaluable cultural assets that the ethnic minorities in the highlands of Quang Nam have preserved and promoted for generations.
In recent times, Quang Nam Province has organised the restoration of more than ten traditional festivals. As such, the province has become a bright spot in preserving grassroots culture.
Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam Province, said that all levels and sectors in the province have taken drastic measures in recent years to help ethnic minorities in the highlands of Quang Nam successfully restore many traditional festivals.
The province has also mobilised people to eliminate inappropriate festivals that are time-consuming and costly. As the main subjects, ethnic minorities continue to maintain the organisation of festivals after restoration, contributing to preserving unique cultural heritage and promoting local socio-economic development.
Contributing to promoting socio-economic development
In Quang Nam, people often organise festivals in early spring. Through festivals, many cultural and spiritual elements are preserved and passed down from generation to generation, contributing to deeply educating the morality of "When drinking water, remember its source", thereby strengthening the spirit of solidarity and love for the homeland among current and future generations.
At the same time, festivals are also an opportunity for people to pray for good things, to send wishes for peace, happiness, and luck at the beginning of the year. With these meanings, in the cultural and spiritual life of the people of Quang Nam, festivals are maintained and organised annually, closely associated with the life of the community for many generations.
According to statistics, Quang Nam Province currently has nearly 100 traditional festivals. Of these, five festivals have been included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage: Lady Thu Bon Festival, Lady Phuong Chao Festival, Cho Duoc Mother Goddess Palanquins Procession Festival, Hoi An Lantern Festival, and Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival.
Most of the festivals in Quang Nam Province have been inventoried, classified, preserved and maintained in accordance with the Central Government's orientation and regulations of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
With the goal of preserving traditional cultural values associated with building a civilised lifestyle and cultural environment for festival activities, Quang Nam Province has implemented documents, directives, decrees and decisions of the Central Government. The Provincial People's Committee also issued Decision No. 2261/QD-UBND (dated August 9, 2021) on promulgating the regulations on management and organisation of festivals in Quang Nam Province.
Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam Province, affirmed that thanks to proper investment and appropriate implementation, traditional festivals in Quang Nam have been preserved quite intact. This has promoted socio-economic development, strengthened community cohesion, strengthened village and neighbourhood relationships, and contributed to building cultural villages and new rural areas.
