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

Typical types of beliefs

In Son La province, there are 12 ethnic groups living together, of which the Thai ethnic group has the largest population, accounting for 53.72% and plays an important role in the cultural and religious activities of the community. Through the development process, the Thai people have created a unique culture, imbued with national identity. Not only that, these traditional cultural features also bear the mark of creativity, the ability to perceive a rich and vivid worldview and outlook on life with many contents such as literature, history, religious beliefs...

Since ancient times, the Xip Xi festival of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai and Phu Yen districts has been considered a typical form of 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 Xip Xi festival atmosphere with the White Thai people, even just once, will surely have a special impression of this unique New Year.

Elders in Thai villages recount that the legend of Tet Xip Xi dates back to ancient times. The story goes that, in those days, after harvesting and plowing, children in the villages raced to the forest to graze the buffaloes, while adults stayed home to hold a ceremony to put down the plows and harrows, then slaughtered pigs, chickens, and ducks and organized a grand feast, but the children who went to graze the buffaloes were not called back and were not given any food. Seeing that the adults were treating them unfairly, the children tied the buffaloes' mouths shut and did not let them eat grass. When they returned at night, the herd of buffaloes were hungry, just like the children were hungry, and were not cared for by the adults. Knowing that they had treated the children wrongly, the adults felt regretful. From then on, they agreed to hold Tet Xip Xi on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month every year, also known as "Children's Tet".

For the Thai people, Tet Xip Xi is an occasion for children to pay their respects to their ancestors, and adults pay special attention and care to the younger generation. Children are given colorful clothes by their grandparents and parents to wear during Tet. In addition, Tet also has the meaning of a "summary" and celebration of the results of hard work in the first 6 months of the year. During Tet, children do not have to herd buffaloes or do housework but can play freely.

In the past, Tet Xip Xi was usually celebrated only on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month. But now, Tet Xip Xi is combined with the plowing and harrowing ceremony and the summary of the days of production, becoming an occasion for people to have fun together and connect the ethnic communities. For children of the White Thai ethnic group, Tet Xip Xi is a special Tet because in addition to eating with their families with many typical dishes such as grilled fish, fish salad, bon soup, sour soup, moss stone, five-color sticky rice, smoked meat, buffalo skin salad..., they also get to pack the best food so that when they go out to herd buffaloes or play games, they can display it for the festival.

On the day of Tet Xip Xi, the more guests a family invites, the more fortune and luck they will receive that year. In particular, when the guests leave, the family will give them banh it uoi as a gift to show their sincerity and gratitude to the honored guest who visited the house and attended Tet Xip Xi with the host. For the White Thai people, Tet Xip Xi is an opportunity for them to show their appreciation for their guests. Therefore, along with attending the party with delicious dishes, guests will participate in fun activities, cultural exchanges, culinary competitions, traditional ethnic costume competitions, bamboo dancing, throwing con, xoe dancing... Whether they are strangers or regular guests, when they come to the house, they will be warmly and thoughtfully welcomed by the host, enjoy the xoe dancing festival and immerse themselves in the unique cultural space of the Thai ethnic group.

Preserving cultural identity

Nowadays, through the process of cultural exchange and acculturation between ethnic groups, the Xip Xi festival has gradually changed over time, as well as the form of organization, but the meaning and humanity of the Xip Xi festival has never faded. With the policy of preserving and promoting the beautiful cultural traditions of the White Thai people in general and the Xip Xi festival in particular, over the past years, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Son La, the Party Committee and the authorities of Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts have made efforts to restore the Xip Xi festival at the village and commune level, associated with the development of community tourism in the area. This is also an opportunity for tourists to learn and explore the people and customs of the White Thai people in Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts, so that the customs and beliefs of the ethnic group are always promoted and spread in the community.

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

In the atmosphere of Tet Xip Xi, visitors from near and far and the ethnic communities of Son La province can meet, interact, exchange experiences in work, production and life, and wish each other luck, peace and happiness. On that happy day, the unique traditional cultural features of the nation are also revived in a real and vivid way. Although happy and devoted, people do not forget to remind each other to eat and drink in moderation so that Tet Xip Xi is sacred, safe and healthy. Because Tet Xip Xi also has an important meaning, which is to have fun healthily and economically, especially drinking alcohol in moderation, drinking enough to have fun, not drinking too much to limit accidents and risks.

Tet Xip Xi only organizes a lunch, in the afternoon, people visit each other, drink a few cups of wine and just like that, go around the village. On this day, there is no taboo, no distance, no distinction between ethnic groups, rich or poor, strangers or familiar guests, they hold hands and join in the fun, enjoy the strong aroma of wine and the skillfully prepared dishes of the host. From the lyrics, singing, and friendly handshakes, they forgive each other the conflicts and disagreements in daily activities and life.

Now, not only the White Thai people celebrate the Xip Xi festival, but other ethnic groups living together in Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai districts also celebrate the festival but do not perform worship ceremonies like the Thai people. This further proves that the good meaning of the Xip Xi festival has spread strongly in the community and the solidarity among ethnic groups living together in Phu Yen and Quynh Nhai is increasingly close and harmonious.

As a stream of preserving and conserving culture, even though today, when society is increasingly developed, children no longer have to worry about herding buffaloes but focus on studying and exercising, but that does not mean that Tet Xip Xi is forgotten. Thai people always value the connection and unity between family members and the community, at the same time, preserving the national cultural identity, therefore, Tet Xip Xi will always be preserved through many generations. When traditional cultural elements are preserved and inherited, it will help future generations deeply understand the traditional culture of the nation, about the rituals imbued with spiritual and humane elements, deeply connecting the community on 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. In which, the social customs and ritual beliefs of the Xip Xi festival of the White Thai people in Quynh Nhai and Phu Yen districts, Son La province were recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Thuy Le