Come to Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh to discover the Khmer cultural specialties of the Southern people on the occasion of April 30 - May 1

Spring trip on Ba Den Mountain Tay Ninh .

Not only famous as a sacred spiritual destination associated with the legend of Linh Son Thanh Mau at the Ba Pagoda system and the statue of Buddha Tay Bo Da Son and the statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva on the top of the mountain, Ba Den Mountain is also a must-visit place for those who love to explore the unique indigenous culture of the Southern people, especially during holidays.

Khmer dancers .

There are 29 ethnic groups living together in Tay Ninh, of which Khmer is the largest ethnic minority with more than 7,500 people, and Tay Ninh is considered the cradle of Khmer culture in the South. Therefore, Chol Chnam Thmay - the festival to welcome the new year in April according to the Khmer calendar is always held on a large scale in Tay Ninh.

Many tourists watch the traditional Khmer art performance during the Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival.

Since the beginning of April, the Khmer Chol Chnam Thmay festival has been vividly recreated on the top of Ba Den Mountain, opening a series of summer festivals on the highest mountain in the South. Coming to the top of Ba Den Mountain this April, visitors will be able to witness many unique art performances with the unique sound of the Khmer people.

Chhay dam drum dance .

Chhay-dam drum dance is an indispensable part of the Khmer folk culture in Tay Ninh. Initially formed mainly during the Chol Chnam Thmay festival, Ok Om Bok festival, Sel Dolta festival or in worshiping and welcoming the gods, then Chhay-dam drum appeared in community activities in phum and soc and became a typical cultural activity symbolizing the Khmer ethnic group. At Ba Den mountain, this intangible cultural heritage will be skillfully performed by Khmer artisans in Tay Ninh.

Chhay dam drum dance requires harmony between movement and sound, with movements that are sometimes as strong as martial arts, sometimes graceful in beautiful dances. This type of performing art is meant to honor brave heroes of the past.

The Chhay-dam drum dances also represent the strength and bravery of men. The more beautiful and skillful the Khmer boys dance, the more girls will pursue them and the more they will be loved by the people in the village.

Khmer dance

Along with Chhay-dam drum, Khmer dance is a traditional dance that demonstrates talent and cultural lifestyle, and also demonstrates community solidarity, associated with the beliefs, religion and customs of the Khmer people.

Coming to Ba Den Mountain on weekends, visitors will be able to witness the vibrant Khmer dances, performed by Khmer girls wearing long sampot skirts that cover their heels with colorful silk shirts, and Khmer boys in traditional sarongs.

Pentatonic Performance .

Pentatonic music performance is also a typical art form of the Khmer people that many tourists eagerly await at Ba Den Mountain this April. As an orchestra, composed of 5 sets of musical instruments, made from 5 different materials, creating 5 distinct tones: bronze, iron, woodwind, wind and leather, the traditional Khmer Pentatonic music when played together will create unique sounds, from very low to high, from sweet, melodious to deep, heroic.

Golden tray dance

If in the North, there is the belief of Mother worship associated with the ritual of Hau Dong and Chau Van singing, then in the South, there is the belief of Lady worship associated with the performance of Bong Roi dance. Bong Roi dance (also known as Golden Tram dance) is an art form that has existed since the time of land reclamation and settlement in the South more than 300 years ago, showing respect for the gods, thanking the Lady for protecting people, and at the same time expressing the dream of a peaceful life, settling down and working of the people of the South.

Golden tray dance

In the hands of the gold tray dancers are votive offerings made of colored paper to create a tower, pasted on an aluminum tray. The gold tray dance requires flexibility and dexterity with many movements such as using hands to roll the tray to offer, placing the tray on the head, forehead, chin, lips, passing the tray on the shoulder, back, and even using the feet to offer the tray.

The dances, which blend sacred and spiritual elements with the real joys of the Southern people's lives, have become a specialty of the border region of Tay Ninh, and are vividly recreated on the highest mountain in the South.

With its unique Khmer cultural space, cool temperatures like a “miniature Da Lat” and amazing cloud phenomena such as cloud caps, seas of clouds, galaxies… continuously appearing in April, Ba Den Mountain is becoming an ideal destination during the April 30 holiday this year with convenient and quick travel from Ho Chi Minh City.

HT

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/den-nui-ba-den-tay-ninh-kham-pha-dac-san-van-hoa-khmer-nguoi-nam-bo-dip-le-30-4-1-5-a171625.html