Don Village Festival to feature various activities, Dak Lak Festivals

A great many of unique activities are due to take place at the Don Village in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, said organisers. They said the festival would feature folk games such as buffalo stabbing, food and drink, and an elephant race. The Don Festival is expected to take place from March 22 to 26, 2006 in the Buon Don District, said director of York Don National Park, one of official members to join the festival. This is an annual traditional festival of the Don Village, which will also show visitors performances of gongs, UNESCO’s oral-transmitted and intangible heritage of humanity. Sports competitions such as football, volleyball and a dug-out canoe race will be held at the festival as well. So far, many central and local media agencies have registered to report the event. The festival is an opportunity for Vietnamese and foreign tourists to come and learn about the Don Village and York Don National Park of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak

Do Temple Festival, Bac Ninh

The festival takes place from the 14th to the 16th days of the third lunar month. Legend has it that the 15th day of the third lunar month was the coronation of King Ly Cong Uan. Later generations chose the day as a common festival to pay homage to kings of the Ly Dynasty. According to customs in Dinh Bang Village, a chief officiant appointed to administer the festival. The person then presents himself to the genie in a set of solemn rituals and votive offerings including a drum, a platter of betel, and a small bottle of wine. Residential groups, mass organizations and local authorities administer the festival. Pieces of work are assigned according to ages and kinds of person. On festival days, they have to fulfill their assigned tasks. On the 14th, preparatory work finishes. Those appointed for such posts as the King's bodyguards (the tuong), flag holders or palanquin carriers have prepared their costumes and equipment. Others have to clean the road, pagoda and temple. The palanquin procession takes place on the afternoon of the 14th day, starting from Do Temple to Dan Pagoda, where prayers will be read. This ritual aims to take kings Ly to the place where the founder of the dynasty was born and grew up and pay gratitude to those who brought him up and gods and Buddhist spirits at the pagoda. After that, the king’s mother is taken to the temple for the coronation. On the early morning of the 15th day, the procession returns from Dan Pagoda. By then, it is accompanied by another palanquin and altar representing the king’s mother. On the way, the procession drops at Dinh Bang Communal House. The festival manager enters the house to do presentation rituals in front of the village’s tutelary god. After that the procession continues on its way back to the temple. When the procession arrives at the temple yard, dragon-dancing starts, followed by senh tien castanets dancing. Next, three men in the role of the king’s bodyguards, enter the dragon yard. The two palanquins are placed alongside the yard: the one carrying the king’s mother on the right and the other carrying the king on the left. The chief officiant steps into the main sanctuary and reads King Ly Thai To’s edict on the movement of the capital to Thang Long. After that, he puts the document on the main altar. Then he starts the incense offering and festival inauguration rituals. Others follow him to do the incense offering. On each of the 15th and 16th, there is a ceremony solemnly held with votive offerings. There are a lot of fun games during the festival: cock fighting, chess playing, and cheo and tuong performances. Fun activities take place in the temple yard, pond, and other places in the region, attracting a lot of visitors from elsewhere.

Leaving the tomb festival

Time: Not fixed, often lasting from 3 to 7 days in spring time
Place: The cemetery
Objects of worship:The deceased people
Characteristics:Rituals of sacrifice offerings, eating, playing of the whole community beside the tomb house.
Unlike other ethnic minorities in Vietnam, some groups in the Central Highlands, including E-de, Gia Rai, Ba Na do not have the practice of worshipping their ancestors and deceased persons. The bereaved only look after the tombs of the deceased for a period of three, five or seven years, and thereafter perform a “leaving the tomb” ceremony to bid farewell them to the village of the death, and the tomb is left unattended. The “leaving the tomb” Festival is the most important one reserved for the deceased held by their family members. All the local villagers attend the festival that lasts for three or four days. It involves two to three slaughtered buffaloes and hundreds of small jars of liquor.
The meaning of the “Leaving the tomb” festival is to see off the spirits of the deceased to their permanent world so that they can reincarnate and continue a new life. As for the living, they finish their duties and are free to remarry.
The festival is associated to the cycle of agriculture. It is held in the lunar first months that is the transition time between the two cycles of production. The festival is also an opportunity for farmers to give thanks to the gods and pray for a new bumper crop.

Although this ceremony is associated to the death, it is very cheerful, bearing the nuance of a festival. The festival includes three steps: taking the tomb to pieces, erecting the new tomb, and seeing off the death’s spirits to their world and treating the villagers with a feast.
Source:(Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism)

Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival, An Giang

Ba Chua Xu Temple (the local tutelary goddess) lies at the foot of Sam Mountain, Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province. It is said that the goddess is so sacred that anyone who offers incense to her can realise all his/her wishes. Therefore, during the festival of Ba Chua Xu (also called the Via Ba ceremony), numerous pilgrims from everywhere flock to the temple. The festival is held annually from the 23rd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month with the ceremonies as follows: The statue of Ba Chua washing rite: This rite takes place at midnight of the 24th day. The first ritual is to light two big candles in front of Ba Chua statue. It is followed by the rites of offering incense, wine, tea, burning joss-sticks and praying. A group of four or five women that selected before open the curtain to go inside and perform the bathing ritual for the statue. At the foot of the statue is a small fragrant water basin. These women wash the statue of Ba Chua and spray it with perfume. And then, they change the statue into a new robe and hat. This rite often lasts one hour. After that, pilgrims burn incense pray for good things. The procession from Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum to Ba Chua Xu Temple. At 3 p.m. of the same day, locals hold a procession that starts from Ba Temple to Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum. They want to express their gratitude to Thoai Ngoc Hau who had merit to reclaim this land. The members of procession offer incense and flowers to Thoai Ngoc Hau. Then, they bring three tablets of Thoai Ngoc Hau, ladies Chau Thi Te and Truong Thi Miet, and one tablet of those who had merit to help Thoai Ngoc Hau to the Ba Temple. These four tablets are placed at the sanctuary. Tuc Yet rite: The rite begins at midnight of the 25th and continues into the early morning of the 26th. Participants dressed in smart traditional costumes stand on the two sides and the master of ceremonies stands in front of the statue of Ba Chua. The offerings include a white pig, a dish of pig's blood and a little hair, called mao huyet, a tray of sticky rice, a tray of fruits, a tray of areca and betel, a dish of rice and salt, which are place on a table before the statue. The master of ceremonies and notables burn incense on the altar. Following are the rituals of offering incense, wine, tea and an oration. One person reads the oration, and then the master of ceremonies burns this oration and votive papers. The pig is turned over before it is taken away. It marks the end of the tuc yet rite. Xay chau rite: The xay chau rite is performed after the tuc yet rite. In order to prepare for this rite, people replace the table before the altar with a drum. The master of ceremonies holds two drumsticks and says his prayers before the altar. After that, he dips a branch of willow into a water bowl on the left of the altar, and sprinkles water on the floor. When he finishes the ritual, he put the bowl and the willow branch on the altar, and beats three salvos of drumbeat to begin the hat boi (classical opera) performance. Chanh te rite: The chanh te rite takes place at 4 a.m of the 26th with the rituals similar to tuc yet rite. On the afternoon of the 27th day, the four tablets are brought back to Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum, marking the end of the festival. During the festival days, many traditional cultural activities are organised, including unicorn dance, dance with dishes and cups. Ba Chua Xu Festival is rich in the national identity and the southern colours.

Ba Chua Xu Temple (the local tutelary goddess) lies at the foot of Sam Mountain, Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province. It is said that the goddess is so sacred that anyone who offers incense to her can realise all his/her wishes. Therefore, during the festival of Ba Chua Xu (also called the Via Ba ceremony), numerous pilgrims from everywhere flock to the temple. The festival is held annually from the 23rd to the 27th of the fourth lunar month with the ceremonies as follows: The statue of Ba Chua washing rite: This rite takes place at midnight of the 24th day. The first ritual is to light two big candles in front of Ba Chua statue. It is followed by the rites of offering incense, wine, tea, burning joss-sticks and praying. A group of four or five women that selected before open the curtain to go inside and perform the bathing ritual for the statue. At the foot of the statue is a small fragrant water basin. These women wash the statue of Ba Chua and spray it with perfume. And then, they change the statue into a new robe and hat. This rite often lasts one hour. After that, pilgrims burn incense pray for good things. The procession from Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum to Ba Chua Xu Temple. At 3 p.m. of the same day, locals hold a procession that starts from Ba Temple to Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum. They want to express their gratitude to Thoai Ngoc Hau who had merit to reclaim this land. The members of procession offer incense and flowers to Thoai Ngoc Hau. Then, they bring three tablets of Thoai Ngoc Hau, ladies Chau Thi Te and Truong Thi Miet, and one tablet of those who had merit to help Thoai Ngoc Hau to the Ba Temple. These four tablets are placed at the sanctuary. Tuc Yet rite: The rite begins at midnight of the 25th and continues into the early morning of the 26th. Participants dressed in smart traditional costumes stand on the two sides and the master of ceremonies stands in front of the statue of Ba Chua. The offerings include a white pig, a dish of pig's blood and a little hair, called mao huyet, a tray of sticky rice, a tray of fruits, a tray of areca and betel, a dish of rice and salt, which are place on a table before the statue. The master of ceremonies and notables burn incense on the altar. Following are the rituals of offering incense, wine, tea and an oration. One person reads the oration, and then the master of ceremonies burns this oration and votive papers. The pig is turned over before it is taken away. It marks the end of the tuc yet rite. Xay chau rite: The xay chau rite is performed after the tuc yet rite. In order to prepare for this rite, people replace the table before the altar with a drum. The master of ceremonies holds two drumsticks and says his prayers before the altar. After that, he dips a branch of willow into a water bowl on the left of the altar, and sprinkles water on the floor. When he finishes the ritual, he put the bowl and the willow branch on the altar, and beats three salvos of drumbeat to begin the hat boi (classical opera) performance. Chanh te rite: The chanh te rite takes place at 4 a.m of the 26th with the rituals similar to tuc yet rite. On the afternoon of the 27th day, the four tablets are brought back to Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum, marking the end of the festival. During the festival days, many traditional cultural activities are organised, including unicorn dance, dance with dishes and cups. Ba Chua Xu Festival is rich in the national identity and the southern colours.

Chol Chnam Thmay Festival

* Time: From the 1st to the 3rd day of Chet month (according to Buddhist calendar, equivalent to the 12th to 15th day of April by solar calendar).
* Objects of worship: Welcoming the God of the New Year, Buddha and ancestors.
* Characteristics: The traditional Tet (New Year) of the Khmer community, seeing the old year off and welcoming the New Year.
* Participator: The Khmer people in the southern provinces.

Khmer people’s new year festival lasts three days and four days in leap years. Each of these days has its own name. Apart from worshipping the Buddha, Khmer people believe that every year the heaven sends a god called Tevoda to the earth to look after human beings and their life. At the end of the year, the god returns to heaven and another one will replace him. Therefore, in the new year’s eve, every family prepares a party, burns incense and lights up lamps in a ceremony to see off the old Tedova and greet the new one. They also pray to this god for good luck.

Khmer people always prepare for the new year ceremony very carefully. They clean and redecorate their house and buy necessary food for the holidays. They stop all farm work, relax and set free their cattle. The three official festival days are held in a joyful and exciting way.

The first day is for the ceremony to receive the great calendar. Moha Sang-Kran is considered a calendar which gives a detailed account of dates and festivals in a year and a forecast of rainfall so the villagers can foresee if they get a good or bad crop that year. On this day, at a selected hour no matter it is in the morning or afternoon, people take a bath and put on their best clothes in anticipation of the new year. They take incense, lamps, flowers and fruits to a pagoda where they do the great calendar-receiving ceremony. At the pagoda, Moha Sang-Kran, put on a red-lacquered, gilded tray, is placed on a palanquin and carried three times round the main sanctuary. This rite is to welcome the new year and wait for omens for a bad or good new year. Then the official ceremony is carried out inside the sanctuary. After that, every participant prays to the Buddha and chant prayers for a happy new year. Young males and females walk out to the pagoda yard and join in fun activities until late at night.

The second day is for the ceremony to offer boiled rice and heap up a sandy mountain. On this day, every Khmer family cooks rice and offers it to Buddhist monks at the pagoda in early morning and at noon. The monks chant prayers to thank those who make the food and bring it to their pagoda and say good luck to them.

On the afternoon the same day, people start to heap up a sandy mountain in search of happiness and luck. They make small mountains looking to eight directions and one in the middle which represent the universe. This custom originates from an age-old legend. It displays people’s aspirations for rain.

The third day is for the ceremony to wash the Buddha’s statue and Buddhist monks. After giving boiled rice to the monks in the morning, they continue to listen to Buddhist teachings. In the afternoon, they burn incense, offer sacrifices and use scented water to wash the statue in order to pay tribute and gratitude to the Buddha. This is also to get rid of the old year’s misfortunes and wish all the best for the new year. The monks do a ceremony to pray for peace in the dead’s souls. After that, the people return to their house and wash the Buddha’s statue at home. They offer dishes, confectionery and fruits to ask for happiness for their parents and grandparents and being forgiven for their mistakes made in the old year.

During these three days, Khmer people go to visit each other and wish good health, good luck and prosperity to each other. They also join in fun activities.

Chol Chnam Thmay festival shows Khmer people’s aspirations, like many others ethnic groups, to forget about the old year’s misfortunes and look for a better new year.

Cold Goods Tet

Cold goods Tet or Tet han thuc is celebrated on 3rd day of the third lunar month in almost regions of the Viet.

Tet han thuc offers glutinous rice flour cakes stuffed with plum of brown sugar (banh troi), glutinous rice flour cakes stuffed with green bean paste (banh chay) to worship ancestors. Tet han thuc also is an occasion for people to visit and tidy the burial graves of relatives and have funs in spring.

Worshipping Forest Festival in Lao Cai

(Cinet)- To Lao Cai border land, travelers probably will not miss the opportunity to mix with the festive character of the upland areas, including forest worship festival of the ethnic Nung, Dao, Mong ... traditions that through many generations have always been to preserve and develop.

Worshipping Forest Festival of the Nung take place on the 29th day of the first lunar month, in Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai Province.

Worship two ancient trees (Father and Mother trees), and worship people who sacrifice their life for reclaiming the village. Games: contest of leng hao, lan co singing, swinging, wood chess playing.

From the forest worship festival to remind people to protect forest green. After the ceremony, everyone signed commitment to protecting forests and planting more trees in the garden, hills and enjoy the aromatic yeast and other folk games with strong ethnic identity, such as blindfold catching goats, throwing, carousel, etc.

COW RACING FESTIVAL

Each year on the last day of the Khmer calendar, the Khmer, an ethnic minority group living in the Mekong delta province of An Giang, hold a festival to honor their ancestors. The festival begins with a visit to the pagoda, where Khmer families invite the souls of their ancestors to dine with the living. Should any visitors appear during the festival they will be warmly received since the Khmer believe that guests who arrive around New Year are messengers sent by their ancestors.
Following a visit to the pagoda people walk to the nearest stream or river where they tie the trunks of banana trees together to form rafts. Offerings are placed on these rafts, which are then pushed into the water to be swept away by the current.
These quiet ceremonies are sharp contrast to the highlight of the festival, a cow race. The racetrack, set in a muddy and slippery paddy field, is 120m long, with both the start and finish lines marked with red and green flags. Each race involves two pairs of cow, controlled by two young men. To further complicate their task, the teams must run in a straight line and will be disqualified for veering off course.
The races are both exciting and hilarious. People travel from miles for the show, bringing food and pots and pans for a picnic. Part rodeo, part race and part comedy, a Khmer cow race is an unforgettable spectacle.