Get ready for a unique festival on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year in Cam Hung.

(Baohatinh.vn) - Cam Hung commune (Ha Tinh province) is finalizing preparations to organize the Buffalo Hunting and Forest Opening Festival in 2026 - a unique cultural activity closely associated with the lives of the local people.

The Buffalo Hunting and Forest Opening Festival will take place on February 23rd (the 7th day of the Lunar New Year) at the Temple of Eunuch Hoang Van Sy in Son Nam village, Cam Hung commune – home to an ancient banyan tree over 150 years old – a symbol of the spiritual connection between deities and the community. This is an opportunity for local people to express their gratitude to the village's patron deity, praying for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, thriving livestock, and a peaceful new year.

The festival is a long-standing cultural activity of the mountainous residents of Cam Hung commune. According to folk beliefs, the deity worshipped at the Thai Giam Temple has the ability to "guide" people in finding lost livestock and protect their lives and work in the mountains. From this belief, the festival was formed and maintained through many generations, becoming a distinctive cultural symbol of the locality. (In the photo: People preparing for the buffalo-finding and forest-opening ceremony).

Mr. Le Ngoc Nam, a resident of Son Nam village, Cam Hung commune, shared: " For generations, our people have grazed livestock in the forest. Whenever we couldn't find our buffalo, we would go to light incense at the shrine of Eunuch Hoang Van Sy, and the buffalo would automatically return. Therefore, the festival is held as a way of showing gratitude and appreciation to the village's patron deity who has protected our livelihoods ."

Stemming from spiritual beliefs, the 2026 Buffalo Hunting and Forest Opening Festival, organized by Cam Hung commune, aims to restore and standardize traditional rituals, promote the unique cultural values ​​of the locality, and contribute to attracting tourists and educating the younger generation about their homeland's identity.

The Buffalo Hunting and Forest Opening Festival of Cam Hung commune consists of two parts: the ceremonial part and the festive part.

The ceremony will include the ritual of presenting offerings. Under the ceremonial pole and pillars symbolizing the dwelling place of the deities, the people will offer gifts and perform sacrificial rituals, inviting the river god, mountain god, and local spirits to partake in the offerings. Following the ritual of presenting the offerings will be the ritual of welcoming the offerings. Accordingly, the people will... The offerings were brought to the Eunuch's Palace to be presented to the deities and to perform rituals... praying for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, thriving livestock, and a peaceful new year.

The festival will feature many unique cultural and artistic activities and folk games such as: call-and-response folk singing; blindfolded duck catching; pole climbing; walking on a raised bridge; tug-of-war competition...

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thinh (on the right) - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cam Hung commune, said: " Previously, the festival was organized by the people on a small scale. In order to revive the festival and preserve the traditional cultural values ​​of the locality, this year, the commune has developed a more systematic plan, standardized the rituals and expanded the scale so that the festival truly becomes a typical community cultural activity at the beginning of Spring ."

Currently, the Cam Hung Commune People's Committee is implementing comprehensive preparations to ensure the festival takes place safely and in a civilized manner, preserving traditional features while still creating appeal in a modern context.

With thorough preparation, the Buffalo Hunting and Forest Opening Festival of Cam Hung commune is not only a cultural gathering at the beginning of spring but also contributes to preserving the beauty of the spiritual life of the local people.

Video : Preparations for the festival in Cam Hung commune.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/cho-don-le-hoi-doc-dao-vao-mung-7-tet-o-cam-hung-post305728.html