Promoting cultural values ​​through festivals

The Hung King's Commemoration Ceremony was solemnly held according to the national cultural tradition at Lac Giao Communal House (Buon Ma Thuot City) on the 10th day of the third lunar month, attracting a large number of people and tourists to attend. The ceremony included a ritual of respectfully offering incense, flowers, and hometown products by the government and people of all ethnic groups in the province.

At this year’s Hung Kings Commemoration Ceremony, there were performances of making Chung cake and pounding Day cake, showing solidarity and remembrance of the offerings to the Hung Kings of the past. The performance attracted a large number of local people, especially young people. The interaction between generations made the performance space warmer and spread profound traditional values.

Cultural exchange performance at the Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony 2025 at Lac Giao Communal House.

In addition, people and tourists visited the photo exhibition, watched calligraphy and figurine making demonstrations, traditional cuisine displays, enjoyed cheo and quan ho singing performances, and gong and street music performances. Ms. Lai Thi The (Buon Ma Thuot City) said: "The Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony was very grand, with many activities, bringing us more experiences."

Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of Cultural Activities at the Lac Giao Communal House, said that every year, the Provincial People's Committee chooses Lac Giao Communal House as the place to hold the Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony. This is an opportunity for the people of all ethnic groups in the province to return to their roots, show their respect, and remember the Hung Kings' contributions to building and defending the country, thereby contributing to consolidating and developing the great solidarity of the ethnic groups in the province. Thanks to that, the Hung Kings' Commemoration Ceremony has increasingly profound significance in the cultural and spiritual life of the community.

At festivals, the role of the community as a creative subject is increasingly enhanced, contributing to preserving, maintaining and promoting the value of heritage.

Hang Po Festival, Ea Sien Commune (Buon Ho Town) is usually held at the end of January, the festival begins with a solemn ceremony with rituals to worship gods, heaven and earth, praying for a peaceful new year. This is the most important ritual of the festival, the elders offer offerings including wine, sticky rice, chicken, fruit to express their respect...

In the Viet Bac folk culture festivals in localities in the province such as Hang Po Festival, Ea Sien commune (Buon Ho town); Thai ethnic traditional festival, Hoa Phu commune (Buon Ma Thuot city); H'Mong ethnic cultural festival, Cu Pui commune (Krong Bong district); Khai Ha festival of Muong people, Hoa Thang commune (Buon Ma Thuot city); Viet Bac folk culture festival, Ea Tam commune (Krong Nang district)... many attractive cultural and artistic activities also took place.

People enjoy the Hang Po Festival in Ea Sien commune in 2025.

The people stepped onto the stage, performing their ethnic cultural specialties with all their hearts, such as the Xoe dance of the Thai people, the Then singing and Luon singing melodies combined with the Tinh lute of the Tay and Nung people; the youth of the villages and hamlets formed teams to compete in folk games. Mr. Nguyen Van Tan (Dliêya commune, Krong Nang district), a Tinh lute and Then singing artist, confided: “Every time there is a festival, my partner and I arrange time to participate, because on this occasion we have the opportunity to perform the folk art of Then singing of our people; at the same time, we also learn and know more about many other cultures…”.

According to the assessment of the cultural sector, festivals taking place in the province have become a place for cultural convergence and exchange, customs and practices of ethnic communities inside and outside the locality; thereby, contributing to the transmission and promotion of good values ​​of ethnic cultures that are increasingly rich, advanced, and imbued with identity.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with units to compile a scientific dossier of intangible cultural heritage to propose inclusion in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Hang Po Festival of the Tay - Nung people, Ea Sien commune, Buon Ho town.

Hang Po Festival is a unique traditional cultural event of the Tay - Nung community in Ea Sien commune, Buon Ho town, usually taking place at the end of January every year. This is an opportunity for people to rest and have fun after a year of hard work, praying for favorable weather, bountiful crops, and family happiness; at the same time, it is also an opportunity for cultural exchange, community connection and a "love market" for couples to get to know each other and exchange love.

The dossier is prepared based on field research (fieldwork), collecting information and documents related to traditional festivals according to the guidance of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. According to the plan, in the first quarter of 2025, field surveys, inventories, collection of documents, images, and information about the heritage will be organized; in the second quarter of 2025, a heritage profile will be compiled; in the third quarter of 2025, the dossier will be completed, experts and managers will be consulted, etc., and submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for inclusion in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The completed scientific dossier of the heritage will make an important contribution to the organization, management and proposal of a number of solutions to preserve and promote values ​​in accordance with the characteristics of each heritage.

To date, Dak Lak has had 6 intangible cultural heritages included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritages, including: Khan (Epic) of the Ede people (2014); Social customs and beliefs of the longevity celebration of the M'nong people in Lak district (2022); Folk literature and rhyming words of the Ede people in Cu M'gar district (2022); Social customs and beliefs of Mo Muong people in Dak Lak province (2024); Pottery making of the M'nong people in Yang Tao, Lak district (2024); Knowledge of growing and processing coffee in Dak Lak (2025).

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202504/phat-huy-gia-tri-van-hoa-qua-cac-le-hoi-91e19bc/