Tuyen Quang ethnic groups observe Long Tong festival

Tens of thousands of locals in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang as well as tourists flocked to Lam Binh District on February 11 to join the Long Tong (going to the field) festival, a unique and typical agricultural festival of the Tay ethnic minority group in the locality.

Celebrated annually between the 1st and 15th days of the lunar New Year, the festival is a religious ritual dedicated to the god of agriculture to receive his blessing for verdant crops and prosperity for villagers throughout the year.

The annual event begins 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 ahead in the New Year.

It was followed by a lion dance performed by youngsters, a Tich Dien (ploughing) ceremony, and folk games such as tug of war, stick pushing and cloth ball throwing.

The festival, which is also popular in other northern mountainous provinces such as Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Lang Son and Ha Giang, has become a tourist attraction every Spring.

In addition to the Long Tong festival, Tuyen Quang Province boasts several other national intangible cultural heritage, namely Then singing of the Tay ethnic minority group, Cap sac (coming-of-age) ritual and Pao dungsinging of the Dao ethnic group.