Harvest Festival in Chieng Cang Commune, Song Ma District.

Song Ma district has many ethnic groups living together, of which the Thai ethnic group accounts for over 70% of the district's population and lives mainly in communes along the Ma River and lowlands, such as: Muong Hung, Chieng Cang, Chieng Khoong, Chieng Khuong, Chieng So, Nam Ty, Yen Hung, Na Nghiu. The Mong, Sinh Mun, Kho Mu, and Khang ethnic groups live in the high mountains and along the border. Also attached to this land, since 1975, the Kinh people have come to build and develop the economy and live interspersed along the Ma River. In addition, there are some people from the Son La Hydropower resettlement area in some communes in the district. Each ethnic group has its own characteristics in terms of customs, traditions, and festivals, creating a diverse and rich culture, which is preserved, conserved, and promoted by the ethnic communities.

Implementing Decree No. 110/2018/ND-CP dated August 29, 2018 of the Government on the management and organization of festivals and celebrations, the District People's Committee has directed and guided communes and towns to annually supplement regulations on implementing civilized lifestyles in weddings, funerals, and festivals into the conventions and covenants of villages and residential groups. Strengthening propaganda and dissemination of the Law on Cultural Heritage and issuing documents directing and guiding the management of relics, organizing annual festivals; propagating and mobilizing people to implement civilized lifestyles and civilized behavior in public places.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Chung, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said: From 2023 to now, the district level has organized the 70th anniversary of the district's founding (March 7, 1953 - March 7, 2023); The incense offering ceremony at Hai Ba Trung Temple, Chieng Khuong commune of the Kinh ethnic group, was organized by the district for the first time in early spring 2024, to educate the tradition of patriotism, demonstrating the morality of "When drinking water, remember the source" of the nation. At the same time, promote and advertise the value of the relic, create highlights, and turn the relic into an attractive cultural and spiritual tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists. The commune level organizes the New Rice Celebration and Xen Ban festivals in Na Nghiu commune; Incense offering ceremony and Boat racing festival in Muong Hung commune; Harvest praying festival in Chieng Cang commune; Gau tao - Po pao festival (Outdoor playing - throwing pao), Huoi Mot commune. The festivals are organized on a large scale and systematically, ensuring the preservation and promotion of the cultural identity of the ethnic groups in the area. This is also an opportunity for the locality to introduce and promote the beauty of ethnic culture, attracting tourists from inside and outside the district to visit and experience.

The Harvest Festival of the Thai ethnic group in Chieng Cang commune was held for the first time in early 2024. In the form of dramatization, the rituals were solemn and brief, expressing the wishes of everyone for good health and a bountiful harvest. The festival took place vibrantly with competitions, folk games, and performances imbued with national identity. Mr. Lo Van Tuoi, Secretary of the Chieng Cang village Party cell, said: Organizing the festival is to show the people's respect for their ancestors and roots, and is also an opportunity to introduce to visitors from near and far the customs, practices, and friendly land and people, contributing to promoting the national cultural identity.

In addition, the district has also effectively implemented the work of preserving and promoting cultural heritage. Currently, the district is managing two provincial-level historical and cultural relics, including Hai Ba Trung Temple and Muong Hung Banyan Tree. The relics have been places for cultural and spiritual activities of local people for generations. At the same time, they are also places to educate young generations about morality and lifestyle, and national pride. Currently, the relics and temples have been renovated, with signs and instructions for performing rituals in accordance with regulations; arranging, guiding and reminding people and tourists to keep the environment clean.

The management board of relics and temples propagates, inspects and controls to prevent superstitious activities and encroachment on relics. The management of donation boxes is carried out openly and transparently. Specialized forces increase human resources and means to guide traffic flow, increase patrols and controls to ensure security, order, traffic safety and prevent and fight fires and explosions at historical and cultural relics.

Song Ma district continues to promote historical relics, the significance of festivals and disseminate legal regulations to the people; restore traditional cultural activities and folk games in festivals; improve the effectiveness of festival management and organization, associated with tourism development, attracting visitors, promoting unique traditional cultural features of the locality to the majority of people and tourists.

Article and photos: Nguyen Thu

Preserving and promoting the value of traditional festivals (baosonla.org.vn)