How do Muong people set up a pole to welcome Lunar New Year 2025?

(CLO) Many items are decorated on the pole by the Muong people (Hoa Binh) to symbolize luck, and are placed at different doors in the house to protect the family, praying for a new year of luck and peace.

This morning, January 18, at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the Traditional Tet Experience activity took place, introducing the program Happy Spring At Ty 2025 "Cultural nuances of Muong, Hoa Binh". The event attracted many locals and international tourists to visit and experience Vietnamese culture.

According to Muong custom, before erecting the pole, people perform a ceremony to worship the local gods, the land gods, and ancestors, then perform the pole erection ceremony.

Among them, the most special activity that attracts the most people is directly watching the Muong people erect the pole before the Lunar New Year 2025. This is an ancient religious custom of the Muong ethnic group (Hoa Binh).

According to folklore researcher Bui Thanh Binh, Director of the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum, for the Muong ethnic group, the pole has a sacred meaning. Every year, on the occasion of the traditional New Year, the Muong people often have the custom of erecting the pole.

Usually, on days close to Tet, from December 23 onwards, families choose a date and time to pick up a tree to erect a pole, signaling that Tet is near and to ward off evil spirits and bad energy, praying for a peaceful new year.

According to Muong custom, before erecting the pole, people perform a ceremony to worship the local gods, the land gods, and ancestors, then perform the pole erection ceremony.

After the pole-raising ceremony, Mr. Bich Du, Hoa Binh city introduced: the offering tray to heaven and earth includes a plate of boiled pork. Muong people do not consider the tray high or full, much or little, but the important thing is that the pig has enough parts on the tray… Besides, there is also rice soup, vegetarian dishes.

The shaman performs a ritual before erecting the pole according to custom.

In particular, the Muong people's pole is decorated with cones of different shapes, sizes, and patterns, symbolizing good things and luck.

"The Muong people's tradition is to set up a large pole at the main door and small poles at the entrances, places where animals are raised or where tools for production and animal husbandry are stored, with the meaning that all things are spiritual, objects and animals celebrate Tet with humans" - Mr. Bui Thanh Binh added.

In addition to the experience of erecting the pole, visitors to the Museum also learn about the unique features of Muong culture such as gongs, bamboo poles, Muong calendar, and traditional cuisine.

On the Muong people's pole, there are decorated balls with different shapes, sizes, and patterns, symbolizing good things and luck.

Visitors can also experience many other special activities at the program "Traditional Tet Experience".

Experience the traditional Vietnamese activity of wrapping Chung cake.

Locals and tourists experience making traditional Vietnamese banh chung.

Many other unique cultural activities took place this morning at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, attracting many locals and international tourists.

Article and photos: Trung Nguyen

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguoi-muong-hoa-binh-dung-cay-neu-don-tet-nguyen-dan-2025-nhu-the-nao-post330981.html