Spring festivals promote unique Vietnamese ethnic cultures

"In addition to Aza koonh and Dancing festivals, other ethnic folk activities are also organized like throwing Con or Pao balls made of colorful fabric. We’ve created a space where visitors can contemplate the beauty of blossoming peach and apricot trees. All is aimed at attracting more visitors, including foreigners and overseas Vietnamese, to celebrate spring with our ethnic groups," said Nguyen Thanh Son, Director of Vietnam’s National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism.

The Aza festival is a long-standing practice of the Pa Co-Ta Oi ethnic community in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. It is a tradition to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one while paying respect and gratitude to the gods and praying for favorable weather and bumper crops in the upcoming year.

"I think the unique culture of the Ta Oi is well presented here. Differences in cultural practices between the Ta Oi and other ethnic groups are also introduced to visitors," said Nguyen Huu Dien, a researcher of Vietnamese folk culture.

Meanwhile, Tet nhay festival is an important event of the Dao ethnic group, a way for them to show gratitude to Gods and Genies for all the goods they had in the old year and wish for a new year full of joys. Tet nhay is the combination of various traditional popular forms of arts including dancing and singing.

Director Nguyen Thanh Son told VOV "Topics introduced at this year’s spring festivals focus on ideas to boost national development while promoting cultural identities of our diverse ethnic groups, especially those in remote mountainous areas, to increase their pride and love for their own cultural values and practices."

Representatives of 25 ethnic groups from 17 provinces across Vietnam attended this year’s Spring Festival, which celebrates the cultural identities of ethnic groups and honors those who have made outstanding contributions to preserving ethnic culture.