Giay ethnic group’s “Roong Pooc” festival opens

The festival attracted a large number of domestic and international visitors, contributing to promoting the development of community-based tourism.

Annually, on the day of the dragon of the first lunar month, the Giay in Sa Pa, Lao Cai northern province, opens Roong Pooc(going down the field), the festival dedicated to the Jade Emperor, fairies and deities, praying for their blessing for prosperity, peace and fine weather throughout the year. Giay people believe if they fail to celebrate Roong Pooc in a year, they will encounter numerous difficulties in that year, suffering misfortunes such as illness and natural disasters.

Roong Pooc starts with a sorcerer’s ritual offering. The offerings, which symbolize prosperity, include cloth, eggs, bamboo shoots, silver coins and 6 qua con (cloth balls) made by unmarried girls. Closing the ritual, the sorcerer gives the cloth balls to prestigious old villagers to throw them through a ring put on a high bamboo pole. Symbolizing the sun and moon, this ring has one side stuck with red paper and the other with yellow paper. When the ball is thrown through the ring, each family in the village burns incense on the altar set up for the offering rite to pray for good luck for their family and village.

Some images at the festival: