The unique traditional stream fishing festival of the Muong people.

The traditional stream fishing festival in the Muong region (Phu Tho province) is a unique folk cultural activity associated with the rice-farming agricultural life of the ancient Muong Tlo people, now residing in Chieng Doi, Doi Be, and Tan Lap hamlets of Toan Thang commune.

The traditional stream fishing festival in Toan Thang commune attracts a large number of locals and tourists from within and outside the province.

The festival is held after the rice planting is completed (in May), when people organize collective fishing in the streams to pray for favorable weather, a bountiful harvest, and a prosperous and happy life.

Early in the morning, the festival grounds in Tan Lap hamlet and the streams of Khoang Lo and Khoang Tlo resonated with the sounds of gongs and drums, blending with the vibrant colors of the traditional costumes of the Muong people. Local residents and tourists enthusiastically participated in cultural activities, sports , and folk games that reflected the unique identity of the ancient Muong region.

According to Nguyen Vu Hung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Toan Thang commune, the festival is a traditional cultural and religious activity of the Muong people, contributing to educating the younger generation about preserving national cultural identity, enhancing community solidarity, and protecting natural resources.

From a traditional community cultural activity of the Muong people in Thach Bi area, the traditional stream fishing festival in Toan Thang commune has now become a major festival deeply rooted in the folk culture of the Muong region, contributing to the development of community tourism and promoting the image of the homeland and local people.

Currently, the local authorities are finalizing the application to include the traditional stream fishing festival in the national list of intangible cultural heritage. This is an important step towards preserving, promoting, and enhancing the value of this unique folk festival in contemporary cultural life.

The stream fishing festival, also known as the "Rice Weeding Festival," carries profound spiritual significance and gratitude towards the ancestors who pioneered the land, guided the people in rice cultivation, and engaged in fishing. According to Muong legend, Hun, Hin, and Khang Ba Uoi Tluc were instrumental in building dams, digging irrigation canals, and teaching production techniques to the local inhabitants. Therefore, the largest fish caught are selected by the people to be offered to the tutelary deity at the temple according to sacred rituals, expressing gratitude to their ancestors and their responsibility to Mother Nature.

The highlight of the festival is the collective fishing activity in the streams. Hundreds of locals, dressed in traditional work clothes and carrying nets, traps, and seines, head down to the streams to catch fish amidst the enthusiastic cheers and encouragement of tourists on both banks. The festival atmosphere is further enlivened by competitions and experiential activities such as raft rowing, net casting, crossbow shooting, tug-of-war, swimming, volleyball, and cross-country running. These folk games attract a large number of young people and tourists, creating a unique space for community cultural exchange.

A highlight of the festival was the performance of 200 Muong gongs, their resounding sounds echoing through the mountains and forests, recreating the distinctive cultural atmosphere of the Muong people in the ancestral land. In addition, the call-and-response singing, Muong folk song performances, traditional fishing tool weaving competitions, and ethnic cuisine cooking contests also left a strong impression on visitors.

The festival also showcased agricultural products and traditional handicrafts from 22 hamlets in the commune, attracting a large number of visitors and shoppers. Many distinctive local products such as bamboo shoots, fresh vegetables, rice wine, stream fish, and handcrafted woven products were widely introduced and promoted to tourists.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van, a tourist from Hanoi, said that the festival, held in a natural stream setting, with the resounding sound of Muong gongs and the enthusiastic sight of locals catching fish in the stream, created a very special, intimate, and culturally rich atmosphere. “I was very impressed with the community spirit of the local people. From the elderly to the young children, everyone participated in the festival with enthusiasm. Activities such as casting nets, rowing rafts, singing love songs, and cooking competitions all bore the strong imprint of folk culture that is difficult to preserve in many places today,” Ms. Van said.

In recent years, thanks to increased promotion on digital platforms and social media, the traditional stream fishing festival in Toan Thang commune has become increasingly well-known. Each festival season, thousands of tourists flock to experience the unique Muong culture and immerse themselves in the distinctive folk community activities.

A new feature of this year's festival is the integration of cultural activities with environmental protection and the regeneration of aquatic resources. Before the opening ceremony, the local authorities organized a fish release in the Khoang Lo area to replenish natural aquatic resources, contributing to raising awareness of ecological protection in the community.

TRAN HAO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/doc-dao-le-hoi-danh-ca-suoi-truyen-thong-xu-muong-post965763.html