The Hmong people throw pao to celebrate Tet.
(Baonghean.vn) - Pao throwing is a folk game deeply rooted in traditional culture, unique and an indispensable source of entertainment during holidays and festivals for the Mong ethnic group.
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Every year, from the 1st to the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, the people of Luu Thong village, Luu Kien commune, Tuong Duong district, organize the pao throwing game to celebrate the new year. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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From early morning, Hmong girls donned their traditional ethnic costumes to participate in the pao throwing festival. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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This is one of the unique and long-standing cultural traditions of the Hmong people, passed down from generation to generation, and becoming a form of community cultural activity with profound humanistic significance during the Lunar New Year. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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According to our research, the pao ball was traditionally made by Hmong women by sewing together pieces of linen fabric to form a round ball, about the size of an orange, filled with flax seeds. Nowadays, many people use tennis balls as pao balls. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| Ms. Vu Y Do, Secretary of the Party Branch of Luu Thong village, Luu Kien commune (Tuong Duong district), said that in previous years, before the pandemic, in addition to the pao throwing game, the village also organized archery competitions, cockfighting, buffalo fighting, tu lu games, etc., and invited neighboring villages to participate. This year, due to the complicated pandemic situation, the activities are limited to within the village. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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For the Hmong people, pao throwing is the main game during Tet (Lunar New Year). This game helps them train their hands to be more agile, improve their reflexes, and sharpen their eyesight… Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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Pao throwing is a simple game, yet it holds many fascinating aspects. It reflects the spirit and identity of the Hmong community in western Nghe An province. Through this folk game, the Hmong people express their wishes and aspirations for the new spring – a spring of warmth, happiness, abundance, and unity. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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| The pao throwing festival includes not only young women and elderly people but also children. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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For the Hmong people, the pao ball is an integral part of their lives, from childhood to old age. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
