In recent years, Son La province has implemented many solutions and organized activities to encourage the preservation of folk games that evoke national spirit and community solidarity, developing them into competitive sports at various levels. The folk games of the ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas of Son La, which have existed for a long time, are still preserved and developed, contributing to the promotion of mass sports among the people.
For generations, playing and competing in folk games has become a familiar cultural activity in the ethnic communities of Son La province, especially during festivals and holidays. Originating from the needs of daily life, these folk games are close and useful to the people. Most folk games are entertaining, bringing laughter and joy during gatherings and festivals, such as: throwing the ball, playing "to mak le," and stilt walking of the Thai ethnic group; playing "tu lu" and throwing "pao" of the Mong people… In addition, there are games that train physical strength, technique, and teamwork, such as: tug-of-war, stick pushing, and crossbow shooting, which are considered folk sports that train skills, reflexes, and concentration in crossbow users.
The "Project for the Development of Mass Sports and Physical Education in the period 2021-2030," currently being implemented by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Son La province, has created momentum for the development of ethnic sports to a new level.
The project aims to fundamentally transform both the scale and quality of mass physical education and sports in the province. This includes diversifying mass physical education and sports activities, promoting traditional sports, and encouraging sports movements in agencies, units, schools, and families. It also aims to promote the "National Movement for Physical Training Following the Example of the Great President Ho Chi Minh," focusing on developing the physical education and sports movement in rural areas, remote areas, and border regions, contributing to improving the physical and mental health of the people and building a cultural life at the grassroots level.
Over the years, traditional folk games such as tug-of-war, stick pushing, throwing the ball, stilt walking, and shooting have become major sports events at various levels of sports competitions and provincial-level sports festivals. Many tournaments focus on ethnic sports, such as the Son La Provincial Student Tug-of-War, Stick Pushing, and Archery Tournament; and the Son La Provincial Ethnic Sports Tournament celebrating the Party and the Lunar New Year in 2024, which featured six disciplines (tug-of-war, stick pushing, archery, throwing the ball, stilt walking, and stilt walking). The participating athletes are selected from mass sports movements, receive systematic training, and improve their skills.
Son La City boasts a strong mass sports movement and consistently achieves high results in provincial-level competitions. At the 2024 Son La Province Traditional Sports Competition celebrating the Party and the Lunar New Year, the city's sports delegation excellently won first place overall. Son La City currently maintains over 100 mass sports clubs. Each year, it organizes 7-10 city-level sports competitions, creating opportunities for mass sports athletes to interact, learn from each other, and promote the strong development of the city's sports movement.
From traditional folk games, ethnic sports have now developed and been elevated to competitive events at various sports competitions of different scales, especially at the national level. This further affirms the attention of all levels of government to the preservation and development of ethnic sports, and to rekindle national pride.
Le Minh