Then, in the second part, there are various activities such as singing, dancing, and traditional performances.
This Spring Festival is a traditional ritual of the Lao ethnic group that consists of two parts: a ceremony and the festival itself. During the ceremony, Lao people pray for rain and perform a water splash dance. Then, in the second part, they enjoy various activities such as singing, dancing, and traditional performances. This festival is a great opportunity for Lao people to come together and celebrate the spirit of their culture.
The festival culminates in a culinary competition, a bamboo basket weaving contest, and ethnic sports competitions such as tug of war, throwing a scared ball through the ring, and stick pushing game. In addition, there are plenty of folk games to enjoy, including snake catcher game, badminton, and crossing the bridge – all celebrating Lao people’s identity.
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| (Photo:Thu Minh – Phương Thanh) |
For Lao people, this is an immensely important event in their spiritual and cultural life. Apart from offering an opportunity for them to express their gratitude to their ancestors and gods, it also serves as an occasion for families, villages, and people to come together and partake in various activities such as traditional dances and games. Among the most popular of these is the “Xoe dance”, which is a cherished part of the Lao people’s indigenous culture.
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| Water splashing scene at the festival (Photo:Thu Minh – Phương Thanh) |
One of the rituals of the festival is the worship ceremony to the gods. The Lao people believe that when starting any important event, they must offer a prayer to the gods in order to ask for permission and blessing. This helps to ensure that the task proceeds smoothly and yields excellent results.
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| The worshiping ceremony to the gods (Photo:Thu Minh – Phương Thanh) |
The Seasonal Worshiping Ceremony is reenacted during the festival. This ritual is conducted to pray for the crops not to be damaged by pests and diseases, to grow well, and to have bumper crops. This is done after each harvesting season to ensure that the crops are healthy and bountiful.
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| A long line of people go to get water.(Photo:Thu Minh – Phương Thanh) |
The ceremony to pray for rain is to offer thanks for good weather, good health, peace, and protection from epidemics and natural disasters. Additionally, it is hoped that livestock and poultry will thrive.
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| An ethnic Lao boy in Na Tam commune instructs each other on how to weave a Brocade scarf (Photo:Thu Minh – Phương Thanh). |
The Bun Voc Nam festival of the Lao ethnic group in Na Tam commune is an incredible event that not only helps preserve and promote traditional cultural values, but also creates unique tourism products, appealing to tourists near and far. This event is an invaluable contribution to the tourism development of the Lao ethnic group, and it is sure to become even more popular in the future.
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| Music performance by Lao people at the festival (Photo:Thu Minh – Phương Thanh). |
Programme of National Tourism Year 2018 in Quang Ninh announced
NDO/ VNA – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on September 22 announced the theme and activities of the National Tourism Year 2018, which will be hosted by the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh.
Khmer people celebrate cultural, sports and tourism festival in An Giang
NDO – The 12th Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of the Khmer people in the Mekong River Delta province of An Giang was officially opened at Spel Loi pagoda in Vinh Trung commune, Tinh Bien district, on April 11.
Festival highlights ethnic minority culture in Binh Phuoc
NDO – The distinguished cultural identity of ethnic minority groups in the Southern province of Binh Phuoc was in the spotlight at a festival held in Dong Xoai city on March 26-29.
Unique Vat Cau Festival
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Discovering Tuyen Quang’s culture and cuisine in Hanoi
NDO – The women with traditional costumes of Tay, Dao and Cao Lan ethnic groups, together with specialty products, agricultural products and cuisine of Tuyen Quang province are featuring at the walking street around Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi from August 31 to September 1, creating a cultural – culinary space that attracts many visitors during the weekend.
