The People's Committee of Quynh Nhai district organized a ceremony to receive the recognition of the Xip Xi Tet ritual of the White Thai people as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Photo: Thuy Le

Typical types of religious beliefs

Twelve ethnic groups live together in Son La province, among which the Thai people have the largest population, accounting for 53.72%, and play an important role in the cultural and religious life of the community. Throughout their development, the Thai people have created a unique culture rich in ethnic identity. Furthermore, these traditional cultural features bear the strong imprint of creativity and a rich and vibrant understanding of the world and human life, encompassing various aspects such as literature, history, and religious beliefs.

Since ancient times, the Xip Xi Tet ritual of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai and Phu Yen districts has been considered a typical form of religious belief with profound humanistic values, passed down through many generations. Anyone who has the opportunity to visit Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts and experience the atmosphere of Xip Xi Tet with the White Thai people, even just once, will surely have a special impression of this unique festival.

Elderly people in the Thai villages recount that the legend of the Xip Xi festival dates back to ancient times. The story goes that, after the harvest and plowing, children in the villages would race to the forest to graze their buffaloes. The adults stayed home, performing rituals to mark the end of plowing, then slaughtering pigs, chickens, and ducks for lavish feasts. However, the children who went to graze their buffaloes were not allowed to return, nor were they given any of the food. Seeing the adults' unfair treatment, the children tied the buffaloes' mouths shut to prevent them from eating grass. That night, the buffaloes were hungry, just like the children who were starving and neglected. Realizing their wrongdoing, the adults regretted it. From then on, they unanimously decided to celebrate the Xip Xi festival, also known as the "Children's Festival," on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month each year.

For the Thai people, the Xip Xi Tet festival is an occasion for descendants to honor their ancestors, and for adults to show special care and attention to the younger generation. Children are given brightly colored clothes by their grandparents and parents to wear during the festival. Furthermore, Tet also signifies a "summary" and celebration of the fruits of hard work during the first six months of the year. On Tet day, children are not required to herd buffalo or do housework, but can instead enjoy themselves freely.

Previously, the Xip Xi Tet festival was only celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month. However, nowadays, it is combined with the plowing ceremony and the summing up of the villagers' labor and production activities, becoming an occasion for people to celebrate together and strengthen community bonds among ethnic groups. For White Thai children, Xip Xi Tet is a special holiday because, in addition to enjoying a feast with their families featuring many characteristic dishes such as grilled fish, fish salad, bon soup, sour soup, moss, five-colored sticky rice, smoked meat, buffalo skin salad, etc., they also get to pack the best food to share during buffalo herding or games.

On the Xip Xi Tet festival, the more guests a family invites, the more wealth and good fortune they will receive that year. Especially, when guests leave, the family will give them "banh it uoi" (a type of sticky rice cake) as a gift to show their sincerity and gratitude for visiting and participating in the Xip Xi Tet festival. For the White Thai people, Xip Xi Tet is an opportunity for them to demonstrate their hospitality. Therefore, along with enjoying a feast with delicious food, guests will participate in fun activities, cultural exchanges, cooking competitions, traditional ethnic costume contests, bamboo pole dancing, throwing the "con" (a type of ball), and traditional dances. Whether they are strangers or acquaintances, upon arriving at the house, they are warmly and thoughtfully welcomed by the host, enjoying the traditional dances and immersing themselves in the unique cultural atmosphere of the Thai ethnic group.

Preserving cultural identity

Currently, through the process of cultural exchange and transformation between ethnic groups, the Xip Xi Tet ritual has gradually changed over time, as has its organizational form. However, the meaning and humanistic aspects of the Xip Xi Tet have never faded. With the aim of preserving and promoting the beautiful traditional culture of the White Thai ethnic group in general and the Xip Xi Tet in particular, for many years, the Son La Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Party Committee and the government of Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts have made efforts to restore the Xip Xi Tet ritual on a village and commune scale, linking it with the development of community tourism in the area. This is also an opportunity for tourists to learn about and explore the people, customs and traditions of the White Thai ethnic group in Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts, ensuring that the customs and beliefs of the ethnic group are always promoted and spread within the community.

People of the Thai ethnic group in Quang Huy commune, Phu Yen district, participate in the procession from the commune's traditional house.
Visiting the historical and cultural site of Dinh Chu during the Xip Xi Tet festival. Photo: Thuy Le

Immersed in the atmosphere of the Xip Xi Tet festival, visitors from near and far, along with the ethnic communities of Son La province, meet, interact, and exchange experiences in labor, production, and life, wishing each other good fortune, peace, and happiness. During this joyous occasion, the unique traditional cultural features of the ethnic groups are authentically and vividly revived. While joyful and enthusiastic, people remind each other to eat and drink in moderation to ensure the Xip Xi Tet festival remains sacred, safe, and wholesome. The Xip Xi Tet festival also holds an important meaning: healthy and economical celebrations, especially regarding alcohol consumption, which should be moderate and enjoyable, not excessive, to minimize the risk of accidents.

During the Xip Xi festival, people only have a lunch; in the afternoon, they visit each other, share a few drinks, and then stroll around the village. On this day, there are no taboos, no social distances, no distinctions between ethnic groups, rich and poor, strangers or acquaintances. They join hands and immerse themselves in the festivities, enjoying the strong aroma of the wine and the skillfully prepared dishes of the host. Through songs, laughter, and friendly handshakes, they overlook any conflicts or disagreements that may have arisen in their daily lives.

Now, it's not only the White Thai ethnic group who celebrate the Xip Xi Tet festival; other ethnic groups living interspersed in Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts also celebrate the festival, but without the traditional worship rituals like the Thai people. This further demonstrates the positive meaning of the Xip Xi Tet festival spreading strongly within the community and the growing solidarity and harmony among the ethnic groups living together in Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai.

As a continuous flow preserving and conserving culture, even though today, with the increasing development of society, children no longer have to worry about herding buffalo but focus on studying and physical training, the Xip Xi Tet festival has not been forgotten. The Thai people always value the bond and unity among family members and the community, while preserving their national cultural identity; therefore, the Xip Xi Tet festival will always be preserved through many generations. When elements of traditional culture are preserved and inherited, it will help future generations understand more deeply the traditional culture of the ethnic group, the rituals imbued with spiritual and humanistic elements, and the profound community bonds in the land of Phu Yen.

On August 9, 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 2313/QD-BVHTTDL, announcing the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Among them, the social customs and ritual beliefs of the Xip Xi Tet festival of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai and Phu Yen districts, Son La province, were recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Thuy Le