Every mid-September in the lunar calendar, the village of Hanh Thien (Nam Dinh) celebrates the Keo Pagoda Festival. This tradition holds significant importance in the community’s life, deeply ingrained in the consciousness of every resident of Hanh Thien. With deep-rooted cultural customs reflecting the agricultural lifestyle of rice cultivation, the Keo Hanh Thien Pagoda Festival…
Category: Miền Bắc
“Tằng Cẩu” – the sacred hair bun of black Thai ethnic women
In the worldview of the Black Thai people (Tay Dam), human beings are formed by “van/khoan” (soul/spirit) and exist in the connection between Muong Pha (Heavenly Realm) and Muong Din (Earthly Realm). This belief system forms the spiritual and religious foundation of the community, giving rise to a rich network of rituals and worship practices….
Ly Mí Cường takes the sounds of Sáo H’Mông From Hà Giang to international stages
Born in 2005, Ly Mí Cường has brought sáo Mèo to international music competitions twice in his life — and he managed to take home the first prize both times. Cường’s anchor is always H’Mông culture, the wellspring that has nurtured his soul ever since he first took up the flute of his people, sáo…
In suburban Hanoi, with summer comes the red-purple cascade of mulberries
In suburban Hanoi, this is the season when mulberry branches heavy with bright red fruits dangle in the summer wind. The sunshine of April arrived with blasts of sweltering heat, dispelling the waterlogged curtain of March’s humidity. It was officially summer in Hanoi, a time for countless types of fresh fruits to showcase their vivid…
In Tây Hồ, an Artisan Community Holds Fast to Their Lotus Tea Traditions
Every sip of lotus tea encapsulates all the essences of the natural landscapes of Tây Hồ. The arrival of lotus season in Quảng An Ward, Tây Hồ every year ushers in a flurry of activities for local tea dryers. Venerated by many as “the best tea of the ancient eras,” Tây Hồ’s lotus tea is…
The fish-catching festival of the Dao Cham people in Quan Ba, Ha Giang
Every year, during the Thanh Minh festival (Day of the dead), the Dao Cham people in Nam Dam, Quan Ba, hold a fishing festival. The fish caught are evenly distributed among households in the village to prepare meals offered to ancestors and deities as a gesture of gratitude. This act also seeks blessings for a…
The Hanoi Village Where Making Folding Fans Involves Every Family
Located around 25 kilometers from central Hanoi, Chàng Sơn still retains distinctly northern traits like an ancient village entrance, banyan trees, and raucous street markets. Tiny lanes run along walls of worn-down bricks in between the shadows of tall heritage trees. The gentle lilac flowers of bằng lăng trees stand out amongst the many shades…
Thổ Hà – a rustic village on the Cau riverside
Located in Van Ha commune, Viet Yen district, Thổ Hà village is approximately 45 kilometers away from the capital city of Hanoi. Thổ Hà preserves a typical Northern Vietnamese countryside atmosphere, still maintaining distinctive features such as the village gate, communal house, banyan trees, and wells. Despite being situated in the delta, the land of…
Mèo Vạc Sunday market
Every Sunday morning, people from all over the Ha Giang rocky plateau wake up early, on winding roads snaking around the mountain slopes, heading to the central market of Meo Vac for the weekly market gathering. People from various ethnic groups like H’Mong, Dao, Lô Lô… all dressed vibrantly, carrying local products, from livestock, fabrics,…
The mysterious fire jumping ritual of Pa Then community
Barefoot men leap into a burning fire without getting burned or singeing their clothes. This perplexing fire jumping ritual is a unique cultural aspect of the Pà Thẻn people. Every year, from the 16th of the lunar October until the full moon of the first lunar month, the Pà Thẻn people in Hồng Quang commune,…
Visiting the H’Mong six-generation family crafting traditional silver jewelry
In Lao Xa, Hà Giang, there’s a lineage that spans six generations, meticulously crafting silver jewelry—a distinctive cultural trait of the H’Mong people. The winding paths on the mountain slopes leading to Lao Xa, Sủng Là commune, Đồng Văn district, Hà Giang province, weave their way back to this secluded village. Lao Xa, a quaint…
Ngẩn ngơ mùa thu vàng Trùng Khánh, Cao Bằng
Cuối tháng 9 đầu tháng 10, khi mùa thu vẫn chậm rãi bước những bước chân trên núi rừng Đông – Tây Bắc, thời tiết dịu mát. Đây cũng là thời điểm những cánh đồng ở Trùng Khánh, Cao Bằng phủ sắc vàng ươm của lúa. Không quá tấp nập khách thập phương như những…
XUAN PHUONG 