The Hair Washing Festival (Lúng Ta) is held in the area of ​​Linh Son - Thuy Tu temple and the boat landing of Pom Sinh village, Quynh Nhai commune, Son La province. Photo: Nhat Minh

On February 16th (the 29th day of the Lunar New Year), Quynh Nhai commune once again held its traditional Hair Washing Festival, called "lung ta" in the Thai language. The festival took place at Linh Son - Thuy Tu temple and the Hair Washing area in Pom Sinh village.

The White Thai people of Quynh Nhai commune, Son La province, perform the hair-washing ritual (Lung Ta), cleansing away the old and praying for peace and good fortune in the new year. Photo: Nhat Minh

The festival originates from the legend of Lady Han, a female general who disguised herself as a man to lead troops in battle to protect her village. After her victory, she ordered her soldiers to stop by a stream to bathe, celebrate, and welcome the new year. Since then, the ritual has been maintained on the last day of the lunar year.

Mr. Dinh Trung Dung, Secretary of the Party Committee of Quynh Nhai commune, said: "The festival is associated with the worship of Nang Han and is regularly held on the 30th day of the Lunar New Year. In January 2020, the festival was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage."

The festival consists of two parts: the ceremony and the festivities. The ceremony begins with offerings at the shrine of Lady Han and the Linh Son - Thuy Tu temple, praying for the blessings of the mountain and river gods. The shaman, on behalf of the villagers, asks for permission to hold the festivities, commemorating the contributions of their ancestors.

People's Artist Dieu Van Minh shared: "On the last day of the year, people from all the villages go down to the river to attend the ceremony. After the offerings, everyone uses water infused with xo xe leaves, soapberry, or rice water to wash their hair. This is a ritual to wash away bad luck and pray for health and peace."

The hair-washing ritual takes place by the banks of the Da River. The fragrant water is boiled from soapberry, pomelo leaves, lemongrass, and spring flowers. According to Thai beliefs, anyone who hasn't washed their hair on this occasion hasn't yet gotten rid of the bad luck of the old year.

Ms. Tong Thi Ban, from Bung Lanh village, said: "I participate every year. After washing my hair, I feel relieved, believing that any misfortune will be washed away by the water."

As someone who returned home for Tet after working far from home, Mr. La Van Quy from Phieng Nen village expressed: "I work far from home, and every time I come back during a festival, I feel very proud. I record these beautiful moments and share them on social media so that my friends can learn more about the culture of my ethnic group."

The Hair Washing Festival (lúng ta) is held at the boat landing in Pom Sinh village, Quỳnh Nhai commune. Photo: Nhật Minh

After the ceremony, the people joined in the traditional Xoe dance and the ball-throwing game in a lively atmosphere. The festival is not only a religious activity but also demonstrates the spirit of solidarity, contributing to the promotion of culture and tourism in the Quynh Nhai lake area every spring.