Aspiration to fly in the spring sky.

For the Tay and Dao ethnic groups in Lao Cai, throwing the ball is an indispensable folk game during the Lunar New Year. Hidden within these balls are humanistic values, dreams, and aspirations for a prosperous and fulfilling life in the new year.

Throwing the ball on a spring day.

The colors of spring

In the final days of the year, in her small house in Tuong 1 village, Hop Thanh commune, Mrs. Hoang Thi Lam is busy sewing by the window. The clicking sound of scissors cutting fabric blends with the lively conversations of the women in the village, creating a familiar rhythm every Tet holiday.

The colorful scraps of fabric left over from making Tet clothes will be collected by Mrs. Lam to make cones.

Ms. Lam shared: "The traditional New Year's attire of the Tay people is always more vibrant than usual. From the leftover scraps of green, red, purple, and yellow fabric after making clothes, I save them to make traditional balls. It's the same every year, and it's so much fun..."

Vibrant colors fill the space during Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

The Tay people of Hop Thanh still celebrate the spring festival.

The traditional Tay people's ball is made from many pieces of cloth pieced together into evenly sized segments. Sand is stuffed inside to give it enough weight so that it remains balanced even when thrown far. Small, colorful fabric tassels are attached to the four corners of the ball, creating a rainbow effect when it flies through the air. Making a perfectly round, balanced ball with harmonious colors requires skill and meticulous attention to detail.

Making perfectly round, well-proportioned, and harmoniously colored fruit requires skill and meticulous attention to detail.

Each bomb is also filled with sand inside to give it enough weight so that it can fly far while maintaining balance.

Ms. Tran Thi Hung, from Tuong 1 village, confided: "It has to be beautiful, with enough colors and shades to be true to tradition. At my age, only a few people still know how to do it. Every year during the spring festival, the women help each other to get everything ready for the festival and go down to the fields."

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, the hands of Mrs. Hung, Mrs. Lam, and the other women in the Tay ethnic village diligently preserve a part of the cultural soul of their people.

Embroidery is still there, and it's also about embroidering dreams.

Throwing the ball is also an indispensable game during Tet (Lunar New Year) for the Dao Tuyen people in Ta Cu Ty. Each ball is carefully prepared by the women in the village well before Tet.

Ms. Ly Thi Lam (sitting in the middle) meticulously embroiders to welcome Tet.

The process of making these fruits requires skill and patience.

Ms. Ly Thi Lam, from Ta Cu Ty village, Ta Cu Ty commune, said: "The 'con' (a type of ball) chosen by the Dao people has seven vibrant colors, called 'Tom,' and is meticulously embroidered. It's square-shaped, with five different colored fabric strings decorating each corner. Inside are plump corn kernels. The Dao people choose corn kernels to stuff inside the 'con,' making it heavy enough to throw, and also symbolizing a wish for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest. Each corn kernel represents the seeds that sprout and grow on the first day of the new spring."

The people of Ta Cu Ty village celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The traditional ball-throwing game of the Dao ethnic group in Ta Cu Ty village is a beautiful cultural tradition during the Lunar New Year. Ly Xuan Lin, Secretary of the Party Branch of Ta Cu Ty village, Ta Cu Ty commune, said: “In the Year of the Horse (2016), we organized the ball-throwing game on the 3rd day of the Lunar New Year. This is a meaningful activity that helps people become more connected in their daily lives and work.”

Soar high with aspirations in the spring sky.

The ball-throwing area was set up right in the courtyard of the village's cultural center. Against the clear blue sky, a small circle hanging high on a ceremonial pole – the target for the ball to pierce – stood out in the space filled with the colors of spring.

The ceremonial pole is erected for the game of throwing the ball.

Boys and girls in traditional costumes gathered in large numbers. Laughter and chatter mingled with the lively sound of festival drums. When the first ball was thrown into the air, everyone held their breath, watching the graceful trajectory of the colorful projectile.

Throwing the ball is not simply a game of strength. Participants need good arm strength to throw far, but also confidence. Skill and precision are needed to accurately aim the ball and land it within the circle above. The rhythmic tossing and catching create an exciting atmosphere and connect the players with each other.

Ms. Nong Thi Thu Ha, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Hop Thanh commune, shared: For the Tay people in Hop Thanh, throwing the ball in the spring also carries a profound meaning of praying for a good harvest. The colorful balls soaring high symbolize the image of a flying dragon - a sacred symbol associated with the spirit of the mountains, rivers, clouds, and water sources.

The flight path of the fruit also carries the wish for a new year with favorable weather, lush vegetation, and bountiful harvests in the fields.

As the ball pierced the high circle, cheers echoed throughout the festival grounds. It was a celebration of victory, a belief in good fortune and prosperity in the new year. The game wasn't just for one village; it also attracted people from neighboring areas. This interaction enriched the cultural space, bringing traditional beauty closer to the community.

In Nghia Do commune, where a large number of Tay ethnic people live, throwing the ball is also a traditional game played during festivals and holidays.

The Tay people of Nghia Do skillfully make colorful balls.

Each fruit also carries the wish for a lucky and happy new year.

Last April, the locality held its first festival, which was also an opportunity for the people to have fun and socialize, while introducing the beautiful culture of the Tay people of Nghia Do to tourists from all over, contributing to the development of community tourism .

The Nghia Do commune festival in 2025 attracted both locals and tourists.

“Activities such as the ball-throwing competition, ball-throwing performance, ball-making contest, display of ball-throwing models from northern localities, cultural exchanges, and folk games have attracted a large number of tourists, creating a highlight for community tourism in the locality. This year, we continue to encourage people to preserve and promote cultural identity and folk games, including the ball-throwing game, integrating them into cultural and artistic activities throughout the year to attract tourists,” said Ms. Nhữ Thị Tâm, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghĩa Đô commune.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, as many traditional folk games gradually fade away, the image of the brightly colored "con" balls soaring into the spring sky is a testament to the enduring vitality of traditional culture. Each toss of the "con" ball is an expression of hope; each festival season strengthens community bonds.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/khat-vong-bay-giua-troi-xuan-post893993.html