The joys of Tet holiday of Mong people in Western Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Panpipe dancing, pao throwing, gourd fighting, cockfighting, and bullfighting are five of the many entertainments that the Mong people in the Western Nghe An region often organize during the New Year and Spring. Also from these games, many Mong boys and girls have become husband and wife.
Pao Throw
This is a game that has existed for a long time and has been passed down from generation to generation. The Pao throwing game is often held during Tet holidays and traditional festivals of the Mong people. The Pao balls are meticulously sewn by hand by Mong girls.
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| Pao throwing is a traditional folk game with noble humanistic meaning in the Mong ethnic community. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
The Pao throwing game takes place on relatively flat, wide areas of land. This traditional folk game is one of the forms of community cultural activities with noble humanistic meaning. Pao throwing shows solidarity between communities and Mong families. Although this is just a simple game, it has great value in the social life of Mong people from the past to the present.
Panpipe dance
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| Spring flute sound. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
During holidays and Tet, the sound of the Khen often echoes throughout the mountains and forests. Mong boys who play the Khen well and dance with it gracefully always receive the love and respect of many people. Mong boys know the sound of the Khen from a young age, many Mong boys know how to play and dance with the Khen from a young age.
For them, the Khen is not only a familiar musical instrument, close to daily life, but it also becomes a symbol of community culture that needs to be preserved for future generations. The sound of the Khen helps them find partners and build happy families.
Mahogany fighting
Choi gu is one of the popular folk games in festivals, New Year's Eve and Spring of the Mong people. This game is for men, from children to middle-aged people can participate.
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| Cockfighting is a hobby that Mong men love, especially during holidays. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
To have a solid mahogany stick that won’t break, you have to choose good, hard, and flexible wood to carve the mahogany stick. When playing, there are usually 2 or more teams participating, each team has at least 2 people. Playing mahogany stick not only helps to improve health, but also creates a joyful atmosphere for Tet, strengthening solidarity in the community.
Cockfighting
Cockfighting is an almost indispensable pastime for the Mong people every Tet holiday.
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| Cockfighting is a familiar game for the Mong people every Tet holiday. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
Cockfighting is not about winning or losing, there is no betting, it is just for fun. On the spacious, flat ground, many people, young and old, men and women, gathered together, excitedly watching, cheering and commenting on the fighting cocks when they entered the arena.
The Mong people are very good at raising fighting cocks. They often put the cocks in open spaces in the house, on the porch, or on a tree branch in front of the house... and take very good care of them, so the cockfighting arenas in early spring always give the audience very dramatic performances from the "classy" cocks.
Bullfighting
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| The bull fighting festival is considered a cultural feature by the Mong people in Ky Son. Photo: Lu Phu |
Every year, in the first days of the new year, people eagerly participate in the bullfighting festival held in the villages where Mong people live. For Mong people, bullfighting is a traditional cultural feature and a festival in their spiritual and cultural life, demonstrating diligence and creativity.
The bullfighting festival is also a place for cattle breeders to meet and exchange experiences. Here, the Mong people will ask questions and share experiences in raising and fattening this familiar animal in the life of the community./.
