The cockscomb flower is indispensable in the flower Tet festival as it is the symbol of luck (Photo: VNA)Dien Bien (VNA) – The northwesternmountainous province of Dien Bien has recently had two more heritages recognisednational intangible cultural heritages.
On February 15, the cockscomb flower Tetfestival of Cong ethnic minority people and “Ga ma thu”, a traditional worship ritual of Ha Nhiethnic minorities, were listed among the 17 new national heritages announced bythe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Cockscomb flower Tet festival is held in lunarSeptember every year to welcome the new year and pray for good weather, bumpercrops, good health and peace.
According tocustoms, before the festival, Cong people choose the most delicious products tooffer to their gods and ancestors.
Previously, the festival took place over threeto four days, but is now shortened to only one day and one night.
From the early morning, the head of each familywill go to a field to pick flowers for home decoration. The cockscomb flower isindispensable as it is the symbol of luck.
This flower is alsoconsidered a bridge to connect the two worlds of yin and yang and the path theancestral soul takes from the sacred world to the place of worship.
The Cong is one of the five ethnic minoritygroups in Dien Bien, residing in Pung Bon and Huoi Moi villages (Pa Thomcommune, Dien Bien district), Nam Ke village (Nam Ke commune, Muong Nhedistrict), and La Cha village (Pa Tan commune, Nam Po district), with more than200 households and some 1,000 people.
Meanwhile, “Ga ma thu” is atraditional worshipping ritual of Ha Nhi ethnic minorities in Sin Thau, ChungChai, Sen Thuong and leng Su Sin communes in Dien Bien province
As one of the 19 ethnic groups in the province, Ha Nhi people have varioustraditional customs in different events, and “Ga ma thu” is seen as the mostimportant ritual, during which they worship Mother Nature, asking for supportfrom Gods to overcome challenges in their lives.
Days before the ritual, locals prepare six trays of food as offerings to theGods of Fire, Mountain, Land and Forest, wishing for a year of prosperity, goodhealth, bumper crops and safe cultivation.
Various cultural and sport activities like nem con (throwing a ball through aring for good luck), danh cu (spinning top) and traditional dances are heldduring the three-day ritual.
According to Pham Viet Dung, Director of the provincial Department of Culture,Sports and Tourism, with this latest recognition, Dien Bien province now haseight national intangible cultural heritages. The other six heritages are XoeThai (traditional dance of Thai ethnic group), Hoang Cong Chat Temple festival,Kin Pang Then festival, Nao Pe Chau festival (new year of Black Mong ethnicgroup), watering festival of Lao ethnic group and brocading art on traditionalclothes of Mong Hoa ethnic people.
The recognition of these two festivals is a vivid illustration of the Party andState’s attention to promoting the unique cultural features of ethnic minoritygroups, he said, adding that the local culture, sports and tourism sector has helpedpreserve the traditional rituals and festival of ethnic people in the locality.-VNA
VNA
