Mr. Giàng A Phư hangs the national flag to celebrate Independence Day. Photo: Ái Vân

According to the elders of the Hmong ethnic group in the highland commune, the Hmong people have two major festivals in the year: the traditional Hmong New Year and Independence Day. The traditional Hmong New Year is for worshipping ancestors, setting aside daily hard work to rest, go out, visit relatives in the village, and wish each other the best. Independence Day, on the other hand, is an occasion for the Hmong people to go to the town to participate in cultural and artistic activities. During these two days, the local government organizes many recreational activities such as volleyball competitions, archery, playing the Hmong flute, making sticky rice cakes, tug-of-war, throwing pao (a traditional game), etc., and also shows films with revolutionary content, about the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, promoting the policies and guidelines of the Party and the State.

The Hmong people in Son La celebrate Independence Day over two days, September 1st and 2nd. In the past, the Hmong would organize a "love market" during this time for young men and women to date, get to know each other, and traditionally, for couples to "choose" a wife. Nowadays, people in the villages often gather in open fields to participate in various cultural and artistic activities. Young men and women in traditional costumes dance with the khene (a type of bamboo flute), perform the tha khenh dance, throw pao (a traditional ball game), and engage in traditional folk sports and games, creating a joyful atmosphere and fostering a strong sense of unity.

To prepare for Independence Day, the family of Mr. Giàng A Phư, in Chiềng Đi 2 village, Vân Hồ commune, Vân Hồ district, woke up very early to clean and decorate their house. He took out the national flag, which he had carefully kept in a glass cabinet for a long time, and hung it in front of his house. His wife, Ms. Giàng Thị Dịa, temporarily set aside her daily farm work to tidy up her traditional dresses and outfits to wear during Independence Day celebrations.

Mr. Giàng A Phư shared: "For the Mong ethnic people here, National Day on September 2nd is an important holiday, an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to the Party and President Ho Chi Minh for regaining independence and freedom for our nation, creating the prosperous life we ​​have today. We prepare for National Day on September 2nd from August, from preparing new clothes to cleaning our houses and repairing the roads to celebrate the holiday. Throughout the inter-communal roads in the highlands of Vân Hồ district, flags and flowers are brightly displayed. Mong people from neighboring communes such as Chiềng Khoa, Lóng Luông, and Xuân Nha gather at the district center to meet, socialize at the highland market, and celebrate Independence Day." The atmosphere during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) here is very lively; groups of Hmong boys and girls in colorful traditional costumes happily go to the market, stroll around, shop for essential items, enjoy traditional dishes, or use their phones to take pictures to capture beautiful moments.

Cultural, artistic, and sporting activities took place throughout the holiday. Photo: Ai Van

In Moc Chau these days, the Mong ethnic people from the highland communes flock to the district center, filling the streets with lively crowds of young Mong men and women in their colorful traditional costumes, heading to the market. For many years, Moc Chau district has maintained cultural activities during the National Day on September 2nd, such as sports exchanges, cultural performances, folk art shows, and ethnic food cultural camps. Therefore, during this time, the Moc Chau plateau is not only home to the Mong people but also other ethnic groups such as the Muong, Thai, Dao, Kinh, and Kho Mu from neighboring areas, along with thousands of tourists from all over the country who come here to celebrate the holiday.

Independence Day celebrations in Long Sap are organized with many rich activities, such as competitions in traditional sports and folk games, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere among the local people. Particularly noteworthy is the cultural and artistic exchange program between villages, featuring many unique performances rich in cultural identity. People from Lao villages across the border also come to celebrate with traditional dances from the Land of a Million Elephants. On Independence Day, the Long Sap border gate is not only a unique market in the highlands border region, but also a cultural space for people on both sides of the border to exchange thoughts and feelings, introduce the unique cultural identities of their ethnic groups, and contribute to strengthening the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

Mr. Le Trong Binh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Moc Chau District, said: For the Mong people in Son La, Independence Day is a gathering place that revives the beauty of traditional culture, thereby promoting and developing local tourism, showcasing the beauty of the land and people of Son La. At the same time, it plays an important role in preserving and promoting cultural identity and strengthening national unity. On this occasion, people on both sides of the border have the opportunity to exchange culture, sports, trade goods, introduce, promote and develop the unique characteristics of their localities, contributing to building and consolidating the special solidarity and friendship between the two countries, especially between the governments and people on both sides of the border, becoming a beautiful traditional culture that the Mong people preserve and develop.

Ai Van