Unique cultural and religious activities at the beginning of the new year of At Ty

Many unique and long-standing cultural and religious activities of people across the country take place on the occasion of Tet and Spring.

Röong Pooc - Spring Field Festival of At Ty 2025 of the Giay people

The Going to the Field Festival, also known as the Roong Pooc Festival of the Giay Quang Kim people, takes place on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Rong Pooc - The Giay people's rice field festival.

This is a unique crop praying festival that has been preserved and conserved through many generations, containing profound meaning, expressing pride in national identity, vividly reflecting the spiritual and cultural life of the Giay people here.

The first rice field festival of the year will take place from the morning of February 4, 2025 at Quang Kim Commune Stadium, An Thanh village, Quang Kim commune, Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province.

Bringing the sacred fire to welcome Tet

Coming to Canh Duong Sea Village, Quang Trach District, Quang Binh Province in the last days of the year, one can see the hustle and bustle of preparing items for the villagers to perform the ritual of “bringing the sacred fire”. This is one of the rituals that the locals believe will bring luck and peace after bringing the fire home.

On the night of the 30th of Tet, at the moment of transition between the old year and the new year, the people of Canh Duong fishing village together bring the sacred fire home to pray for luck and peace. This custom originated from the days when fishermen were drifting at sea. In the face of natural disasters and storms offshore, fishermen could rarely keep the fire intact, so calling each other in the midst of big waves and strong winds to ask for fire was a normal thing, thereby showing the solidarity of the villagers in the vast ocean.

People gathered at the village communal house to make fire.

People in this fishing village believe that the sacred fire is like a god that brings warmth, prosperity and happiness, especially during long sea trips.

The village elders said that to prepare for the fire-making tradition, from the morning of the 30th of Tet, in front of the Canh Duong communal house yard, considered the center and most sacred place in the fishing village, the elders asked the strong, unmarried young men to prepare to chop firewood and build a large pile in the middle of the communal house yard.

In the late afternoon, when the elders and villagers have gathered, the ceremony will begin. First, a prestigious person in the village will beat the drum three times. After the three drum beats, the seniors will perform a ceremony to pray for favorable weather, wind, and peace for fishermen to go out to sea. After that, the fire is carried from the communal house to the communal house yard, where a large pile of firewood has been prepared. The most prestigious person in the village is appointed to perform the fire lighting ceremony. Right at the moment of New Year's Eve, all families in the village go to get fire. The person who goes to get fire is usually a strong young man or the head of the family. The way to get fire and bring the fire home must be skillful so that the fire does not go out. The fire from the communal house of the village is brought back to warm each family, praying for luck and peace.

In addition, in Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province, fishermen in Thanh Trach, Hai Phu, and Duc Trach communes after the 23rd of December are busy choosing beautiful bamboo to erect the Tet pole. This is not only a sacred symbol to welcome luck for the new year but also shows their spirit towards the sea.

For them, the pole is not only a cultural symbol that welcomes the new year and drives away bad luck, but also represents attachment to the village, loyalty, and national unity and the homeland sea.