Long Tong Festival: Tay People's Cultural Colors Amidst Modern Life

In the mountainous region of Northern Vietnam, every spring, when peach blossoms bloom and the sound of lion drums echoes throughout the villages, the Tay people begin to prepare for the Long Tong festival - one of their most important traditional festivals. This festival is not only an occasion to honor tradition and culture, but also a moment of harmony between people and nature, between the past and the present, bringing a colorful picture of the spiritual life of the Tay people in modern life.

When the first rays of spring sun began to appear, groups of people in colorful traditional costumes gathered at the village's large field, where the Long Tong festival took place. From afar, one could hear the bustling laughter and joyful cheers of people from all over. The Long Tong festival began with solemn rituals, imbued with the Tay people's belief in worshipping deities. Village elders and village chiefs, in traditional costumes, held offerings in their hands, respectfully offering them to heaven and earth, praying for a new year of favorable weather, bountiful crops, and a prosperous life. At that moment, people seemed to feel the deep connection between humans and nature, and the vast universe.

Plowing ritual at the Festival. Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper

After the solemn ceremony, the Long Tong festival moves into the vibrant atmosphere of the festival, with folk games and interesting traditional cultural activities. The most prominent part of the festival is the game of throwing con - an old folk game that not only requires dexterity and agility but also has a deep spiritual meaning. The con, made from colorful pieces of cloth, symbolizes prosperity and luck, and is thrown through a circle on a towering pole, symbolizing the connection between heaven and earth, between humans and gods. Cheers and encouragement resounded endlessly, creating a bustling, colorful festival atmosphere.

Along with the game of throwing con, Long Tong festival also attracts the attention of tourists with its unique traditional art performances. Then dances, bamboo dances, along with the sound of Tinh lutes and Then singing resound in the mountains and forests, as if telling stories about the history, culture and beliefs of the Tay people. Each dance and each song contains profound cultural values, expressing the gratitude and respect of the Tay people towards their ancestors and nature.

The festival took place with many cultural exchange activities: Then singing, Tinh lute, and love singing. Photo: Binh Phuoc Newspaper

But the Long Tong festival is not only a place to show respect to the gods, but also an opportunity for the community to meet, connect, share joy and solidarity. In the festive atmosphere, everyone enjoys traditional dishes such as five-color sticky rice, black sticky rice cake, smoked buffalo meat, and raises a glass of rice wine, wishing each other a peaceful and happy new year. Those moments, though simple, contain sincere and warm feelings, are the link connecting members of the community, preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values ​​of the Tay people.

In the modern life, when many traditional cultural values ​​are gradually fading away, Long Tong festival still maintains its strong vitality, is the place where Tay people entrust their faith, hope and love for their homeland and country. The festival is not only a part of the national cultural heritage but also a symbol of the longevity, strength and pride of the Tay people in the face of the challenges of the times. Looking back, Long Tong festival is not simply a festival, but also a vivid expression of culture, a mirror reflecting the soul and lifestyle of the Tay people. Amidst the constant development of society, Long Tong festival is still the place where Tay people return to, to find the values ​​of their roots, to connect the past with the present, and to maintain the vitality of their traditional culture through each generation.

Hoang Anh