People in the mountainous region of Quy Chau celebrate the Long Tong festival at the beginning of the year.
(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of January 31st, the People's Committee of Quy Chau district organized the Long Tong Festival (Farming Festival) and Tree Planting Festival in Dong Minh village, Chau Hanh commune.
The "Going Down to the Fields" festival is a unique and distinctive cultural feature of the Thai ethnic group in Nghe An province, prevalent in the districts of Quy Chau, Quy Hop, and Que Phong. It is one of the most anticipated spring festivals, linking spirituality with cultural and artistic life, and agricultural production.
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| The cultural performances were presented by the Thai Culture Club's performing arts team from the villages. Photo: Luong Nga. |
According to the Thai people, every spring, after celebrating the Lunar New Year, the seasons begin to change, and this is the most suitable time to plant rice. At this time, the village's chief shaman will choose the most auspicious day for everyone to hold the Lồng Tồng Festival.
The festival begins with rituals to worship deities such as the ancient Pu, mountain and forest gods, and heroes who founded the villages, with the hope of a year of favorable weather for rice and corn cultivation, for ponds full of fish, and for the village to be prosperous and happy.
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People celebrate with gong music, furrow carving, and bamboo pole dancing, demonstrating the spirit of unity and solidarity within the Thai community. Photo: Luong Nga |
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Rice planting competition. Photo: Luong Nga |
At the festival, a ritual offering to the gods took place in Dong Minh village, Chau Hanh commune. The offering tray included chicken and traditional Thai cakes such as buffalo horn-shaped cakes, sticky rice cakes, and Han cakes. All were made from upland sticky rice.
After the spiritual rituals are completed, the strongest young men of the village bring the strongest male buffalo down to the field to plow, while the Thai girls go down to the fields together to compete in rice planting.
The competition featured five teams from various villages within the commune. Dressed in traditional attire, the Thai women skillfully planted rice seedlings amidst the cheers and shouts of encouragement from the villagers.
