Unique features in traditional festivals in Phong Tho

Phong Tho district has 17 communes and towns, most of the people are ethnic minorities such as Mong, Thai, Dao, Ha Nhi... Currently, the district has 9 typical festivals: Nang Han, new green rice, Then Kin Pang, boat racing of Thai ethnic people in Muong So, Khong Lao communes and Phong Tho town; Gau Tao festival of Mong ethnic people in Dao San commune; Egg festival or Ga Ma Hu Gia of Ha Nhi ethnic people in Si Lo Lau commune; forest worship festival of Mong ethnic people in Tung Qua Lin commune...

Villages offer incense at the 2025 Nang Han Festival in Muong So commune.

Festivals have been restored and maintained by localities for many years at the commune level and are often held in the first months of the year with the purpose of praying for good luck, favorable weather, bountiful harvests, full granaries, and peaceful villages. In recent years, with the attention of Lai Chau province and Phong Tho district, some festivals have been raised in scale. For example, the Then Kin Pang Festival was raised from the commune level to the district level and 2025 is also the first year that the Then Kin Pang Festival was organized by the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee at the provincial level. The Gau Tao Festival of the Mong ethnic group in Dao San commune was restored in 2006 and maintained annually at the commune level. In 2020, the Gau Tao Festival was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. From 2023 to present, the Gau Tao Festival has been raised in scale to the district level.

Each festival has new features that create a more impressive and attractive impression than previous years, such as: expanding the number of participants, introducing new sports and activities of an experiential nature. However, there is a prominent content throughout the festivals that has been preserved over time, which is the rich cultural identity of each ethnic group in each festival. When coming to the Then Kin Pang Festival in 2025 held in Khong Lao commune on April 6 and 7, people and visitors from near and far can participate in and learn about many activities imbued with the cultural identity of the Thai people, from performing arts with Com shirts, velvet skirts and props: Tinh lute, flowers, conical hats, fans, scarves to competitions in traditional costumes of the Thai people on weddings and holidays.

Art performances imbued with the cultural identity of the Thai ethnic group at the Then Kin Pang Festival 2025 organized by the People's Committee of Lai Chau province in Khong Lao commune.

Ms. Phung Thi Loan - a tourist from Ninh Binh province shared, the first time I came to Lai Chau, I was lucky to come right when the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee organized the Then Kin Pang Festival in Khong Lao commune (Phong Tho district). I found the festival to have its own unique features with many delicious and unique dishes made from insects and a performance of 6 ancient xoe dances with hundreds of participants. I also really liked the Ap ho pang (hair washing) performance; reenacting the river life of the Thai people and reenacting the water ritual to pray for good luck.

Meanwhile, coming to the Nang Han Festival is an opportunity for people and tourists to freely learn about the story of the female general Nang Han fighting against foreign invaders; watch the Kin Lau Khau Mau festival performance; compete and experience traditional sports and folk games. The Gau Tao Festival of Phong Tho district in 2025 is attractive with the competition of wrapping black banh chung, performing arts and performing traditional costumes of the Mong ethnic group, cooking thang co, pounding banh day, grinding corn men men, and competing in traditional sports: pushing sticks, throwing pao, playing chicken badminton, tu lu, tug of war, crossbow shooting...

Comrade Tran Bao Trung - Chairman of Phong Tho District People's Committee said that in recent years, Phong Tho District has always paid attention to preserving the national cultural identity associated with tourism development. The district maintains the organization of traditional festivals to promote the culture of ethnic minorities to the people and tourists from near and far. In fact, many tourists know and come to visit and experience the district on normal days and festivals.

Teams competing in pounding rice cakes at the Gau Tao Festival of Phong Tho district in 2025 held in Dao San commune.

In 2024 alone, the whole district attracted over 55,000 tourists to visit and experience tourist attractions in the district, exceeding 10% of the plan, up 48.65% compared to 2023. Revenue from tourism activities is estimated at 20 billion VND, reaching 100% of the plan, up 8.11% compared to 2023. Meanwhile, since the beginning of 2025, there have been many tourists coming to visit, experience, promoting tourism development in the area.

It can be seen that the restoration and maintenance of traditional festivals in Phong Tho district have contributed to preserving, maintaining and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups. At the same time, it has contributed to the effective implementation of Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU dated February 17, 2021 of the Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee on preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural identity of ethnic groups associated with tourism development in the period of 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/van-hoa/net-doc-dao-trong-cac-le-hoi-truyen-thong-o-phong-tho-1232795