In the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, the Ha Nhi celebrate their Tet (New Year) Festival more than two months earlier than the Kinh, the largest ethnic group in Vietnam.
People prepare traditional dishes such as sticky rice cakes, pork, and chicken as offerings to the ancestors and to pray for favourable weather and bumper crops.
The Ha Nhi people’s new year festival begins on the Thin day (the day of the dragon, according to the lunar calendar) and ends on the Thin day in the same month after harvesting their annual crop.
People of all ages wear their best clothes during the holiday, and take part in folk games and singing and dancing.
Local people also enjoy the new year more because incomes have improved thanks to policies from the State and local authorities encouraging agriculture and farming./.
