Spring Festival in the Western Village of Nghe An

At the beginning of the Canh Ty New Year, we had the opportunity to visit Men village, Nghia Tho commune (Nghia Dan). After the ancestor worship rituals and the earth and sky were completed, the Thai people in Men village gathered together at the community cultural house to celebrate. The sound of gongs and cymbals echoed as if urging the footsteps of the elderly and the young, as if calling the Tho and Kinh people in the neighboring villages.

Thai ethnic women in Men village, Nghia Tho commune (Nghia Dan) organize the wrapping of cakes as offerings to the gods to pray for a peaceful life. Photo: Minh Thai

The villagers came in increasing numbers, all with excited faces and full of faith and hope. The sound of gongs and drums became louder and louder, the old and the young joined in the Lam Vong dance. The women in their traditional costumes, with graceful steps and rhythmic hands, created the charm of each dance, making visitors from afar captivated and moved.

At this time, the sound of the knapsack also resounds, the sound of the pestle pounding becomes louder and louder... For the Thai people, the knapsack is a musical instrument made up of two objects: a mortar (trough) and a rice pounding pestle. The pestles are tapped simultaneously on the edge of the mortar, creating a resonance of sound, contributing to the excitement of the "choir" including gongs, flutes, and reed pipes.

People of Men village, Nghia Tho commune (Nghia Dan) enjoy the spring festival. Photo: Minh Thai

The carving of furrows is often organized by the Thai people during Tet, Spring and village festivals, because it represents fertility beliefs, where villagers express their wishes for fertility, favorable weather, good crops, and many children.

Therefore, in the New Year's festivities, the women of Men village spend at least a few minutes to beat the pestle to carve the grooves with the hope that good luck and good things will come in the new year. Along with carving the grooves, the people of Men village also dance together - a unique traditional folk dance of the Thai people. The dance requires the players to be truly skillful and delicate in every gesture, both decisive and strong but no less flexible.

“The Thai people in Men village, from old to young, all know and love bamboo dance. Whenever there is a party, everyone gathers together. The props for bamboo dance are very simple, just a few bamboo poles arranged together and a not-too-big yard,” said village chief Luong Xuan Mai.

The Tet festival in Men village is getting more and more bustling, people from other villages also come to join in the fun, making the atmosphere in the village more exciting and bustling.

Thai ethnic women in Nghia Duc commune (Nghia Dan) compete in wrapping cakes. Photo: Minh Thai

Ms. Le Thi Quyen - cultural officer of Nghia Tho commune said: "It has become a tradition that on Tet, after completing the rituals at home, Thai people in Men village will return to the community cultural house and offer offerings to pray for a new year of peace and health. After that, everyone joins in the fun, dancing, singing and playing folk games together to strengthen the solidarity and connection of the village...".

From Nghia Tho commune, we continued to Nghia Loi and Nghia Duc communes (Nghia Dan) to witness the joyful and excited atmosphere in the first days of Spring Canh Ty. The Thai and Tho people here are also excitedly celebrating with unique folk songs, dances, and traditional sports and games. The mountains, forests and villages of the "red soil" region seem to be stirring in the resounding music.

Thai ethnic women in Nga My commune (Tuong Duong) prepare for spring outing. Photo: CK

And, not only in Nghia Dan, the Thai, Tho, Mong, Kho Mu and O Du people in the districts of Quy Hop, Que Phong, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong... are also immersing themselves in the Spring Festival. It can be said that Tet is an occasion for people to live in the fullest joy, temporarily putting aside all worries to immerse themselves in the scent of Spring and the deep Spring love.