Mong people perform traditional festival rituals in Hanoi
Cleaning up or replacing the altaris the most crucial ritual in the festival of the Mong people. It is believed to please their ancestors, who will protect and bless them during the upcoming year.
Video by VNA
Rice-cake pounding is an indispensable activity during the festival. The round rice sticky cakes (known as banh day) symbolise the Moon and Sun, which are the origins of life, according to Mong people’s belief.
During the festival, a line-up of cultural activities such as rice-cake pounding, khen dancing, pao pillow throwing, a folk ritual to chase off ghosts and monsters and ancestral worship were also performed.
The festival organised in the village is a chance for visitors in Hanoi and adjacent provinces to experience Mong ethnic culture, thus promoting diverse mountainous cultures to both foreign and domestic visitors.
