Receiving the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Set Booc May Festival

On the evening of March 17, the People's Committee of Nhu Thanh district solemnly held a ceremony to announce the decision to list the Set Booc May Festival, Can Khe commune, as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Attending the announcement ceremony were comrades: Nong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage ( Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ); Colonel Le Van Dien, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Commander of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command; representatives of leaders of a number of provincial departments, branches and sectors.

Comrade Nong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) and delegates attending the announcement ceremony

Colonel Le Van Dien, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Commander of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command and delegates attending the announcement ceremony

Delegates attending the announcement ceremony

In the historical flow of the Thai ethnic group in Can Khe commune, the Set Booc May Festival was formed and developed, becoming a beautiful traditional festival that is indispensable in the spiritual and cultural life.

Legend has it that in the chaotic times, the sky and earth were dark, demons and beasts harassed the people, and the people's lives were extremely miserable and dark. Faced with this situation, the Jade Emperor sent his three talented and virtuous sons to save the people. These three are considered extremely important angels in the spiritual life of the Thai people. They are responsible for helping the Thai people have food, medicine, and to destroy demons and evil spirits so that the people can be healthy and peaceful, and the elderly can live longer; the daughters and sons have strong hands and strong legs to work in the fields to earn food and clothing. Each person has a task, through rituals such as planting cotton trees, praying for rain, and the Set Booc May ceremony, they have guided and helped the people to do business, conquer nature, conquer all difficulties and challenges to build a prosperous family, and build the Thai village to develop more and more.

Art performance of Thai ethnic people in Can Khe commune.

And of course, every time Tet comes (on the 10th day of the first lunar month every year), the Thai ethnic people in Mo 1 village, Can Khe commune organize the Set Booc May Festival to affirm their gratitude to their ancestors; at the same time, they also pass on to the next generation the tradition of resilience and indomitability of their ancestors, reminding their descendants to constantly strive, be creative, develop economically and enrich their cultural and spiritual life.

Comrade Nong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, presented the Decision to recognize the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of the traditional festival "Set Booc May festival", Can Khe commune.

With the tradition of “When drinking water, remember its source”, for many generations, the Set Booc May Festival has been preserved and passed down by generations of Thai ethnic people in particular and the people of ethnic groups in Nhu Thanh district in general until today. From there, the next generations have more pride, national self-esteem, and respect for the precious cultural heritage values left by their ancestors. At the same time, they understand more, love more and are proud of their roots, their homeland, and their country.

A large crowd attended the announcement ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Colonel Le Van Dien, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Commander of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command warmly congratulated and commended the Party Committee, government and people of Nhu Thanh district, especially generations of artisans and people of Can Khe commune for their efforts, joint efforts, and unity to preserve, conserve, practice and promote this precious and unique cultural heritage, so that the traditional festival heritage - Set Booc May festival will increasingly have lasting vitality and spread widely in the community.

Colonel Le Van Dien, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Commander of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command, spoke at the announcement ceremony.

The event of receiving and honoring the Set Booc May Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage is both an honor and pride, but also places high demands on the responsibility of all levels and sectors of the province and of Nhu Thanh district; of generations of folk artisans and the community of ethnic groups in Nhu Thanh district in preserving, maintaining and promoting the value of this heritage.

To continue to create new vitality, spread and strongly inspire the value of the Set Booc May Festival, Colonel Le Van Dien, Commander of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command, suggested that the district should focus on performing well the following tasks:

Authorities and people of Nhu Thanh district need to closely coordinate with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant units to seriously and effectively implement the protection and promotion of the value of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Set Booc May Festival. In particular, it is necessary to preserve, conserve and promote the value of the heritage with enthusiasm, with heart, with pride, with internal strength, so that the values of Set Booc May Festival continue to be preserved, developed and widely spread in the community of ethnic groups. At the same time, it is necessary to continue to research and clarify the values of Set Booc May Festival, to introduce and promote the heritage to the public in and outside the province.

At the same time, it is necessary to clearly recognize that the Set Booc May Festival is a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, therefore, it is necessary to have appropriate actions. Preserving, conserving and developing the Set Booc May Festival is not only a responsibility towards ancestors and gods, but also a responsibility towards the ethnic communities in the province and the whole country. Therefore, the departments and branches of the province, first of all Nhu Thanh district, need to pay attention to preserving, conserving and promoting the cultural values of the festival; need to maintain and organize the festival effectively; pay attention to building extensive and creative promotion and communication programs to promote social cohesion, raise awareness of identity and responsibility of local people in spreading and practicing in the community...

Overview of the announcement ceremony

Nhu Thanh district needs to closely coordinate with relevant units to continue researching and have practical and specific solutions to preserve and promote the identity, traditions, and good cultural values of the Set Booc May Festival in socio-economic development, especially tourism development closely linked to culture, people and history, contributing to turning heritage into assets, turning potential into resources for local economic development, improving the material and spiritual life of the people. At the same time, it is necessary to pay due attention to the lives of artisans who are knowledgeable and dedicated to heritage; create favorable conditions for the festival practice environment in accordance with new development conditions.

Nguyen Dat

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/don-nhan-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-le-hoi-set-booc-may/209289.htm