Traditional Tet games of Mong people in Western Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Like other ethnic minorities, the Mong people in Western Nghe An also have many attractive and engaging folk games during Tet.
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Every time Tet comes, the Mong people organize spring activities with unique folk games imbued with national identity such as: gong fighting, cockfighting, khen dancing, pao throwing... These activities not only create a joyful and healthy atmosphere, but also express and convey the dreams and rich cultural and spiritual values of the ethnic minorities here. In the photo is the scene of Huoi Co village - a Mong village in the border commune of Nhon Mai (Tuong Duong). Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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Mahogany fighting is one of the favorite pastimes of the Mong people and is often held during holidays and Tet. Mahogany fighting is a folk game reserved for men. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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The wood chosen to make mahogany is usually good wood such as ironwood, ironwood... (hard wood), if the wood is not good, it is easy to break when playing. The mahogany body has 2 ends, 1 pointed end and 1 flat end; In the past, people used linen strings to play mahogany, now they use parachute strings to play mahogany. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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There are many different ways and forms of playing the mahogany, but the most popular are still performance competitions and fighting competitions. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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In addition to the game of fighting on holidays and Tet, the Mong people in the Western Nghe An region also organize other games such as cockfighting, crossbow shooting, stick pushing... For the Mong people, these games are not important to win or lose, especially no betting, but just to create more joy during Tet. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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Cockfighting also attracts many people to participate. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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In the past, the Mong people used crossbows as a tool to hunt wild animals. But today, crossbows are mainly used by the Mong people to show off their skills during holidays and Tet. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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The game of stick pushing, which was originally for men, is now also very attractive to women. Photo: Dinh Tuan |
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Despite being affected by the integration trend and changes in the development process, the Mong people are still considered one of the ethnic groups that best preserve their identity among ethnic minorities. For the Mong people, every time Tet comes, Spring comes, there are activities imbued with cultural identity, typically their ethnic folk games. Photo: Dinh Tuan |