Tens of thousands of locals in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang as well as tourists flocked to Chiem Hoa district on February 12 to join the Long Tong (going to the field) festival.
The Long Tong festival is celebrated annually by Tay ethnic minority people in the province on the eighth day of the lunar year to pray for peace, verdant crops and prosperity throughout the year.
A ploughing ceremony
Beating drum for opening the festival
Art performances welcome the festival
The annual event this year began with a parade of nine trays of local specialties as an offering to gods to thank them for good crops and hope for a prosperous and peaceful time.
In addition, the festival also featured folk games such as nem con (throwing con through the ring on the top of the con pole), tug of war, stick pushing and cloth ball throwing.
Tay ethnic community in Tuyen Quang comprises about 160,000 people, accounting for 24 percent of the province’s population. Long Tong festival, the most typical festival of the Tay people, has been named as a national intangible cultural heritage.
PH (dantocmiennui.vn)
