On March 23, the 3th Bun Vo Nam Festival (Water Festival) of the Lao people in 5 was held in Na Van village (Na Tam commune, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau) attracting a large number of people. and visitors.
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| Bun Voc Nam Festival in Lai Chau attracts a large number of people and tourists. |
Bun Voc Nam festival includes 2 parts: Ceremony and festival. During the ceremony, the Ceremony to pray for harvest, the Ceremony to pray for rain, the spreading dance and water splashing will be re-enacted. The ceremony begins with a ritual to worship the gods with offerings including: Pigs, chickens, banh chung, wine, tea, sticky rice, sugarcane, bananas, fruits, and candies. After completing the offering, the shaman begins performing rituals to worship the gods.
At the end of this ritual, the priest stepped up and ordered the group to ask for rainwater to worship the Buddha statue in the temple. The delegation went to ask for rainwater from families selected by the village. These families had a bumper crop last year, business was prosperous, and their families were prosperous and happy.
Families in the village bring rainwater and stand on both sides of the road to splash water on the procession with the desire to contribute water to worship the Buddha statue and pray for good luck, health, and prosperous business in the new year.
When the procession of water and flowers returned to the temple. The priest holds two sticks of incense and enters the temple to perform the incense offering rituals; Then receive offerings from the village elders to bring to the temple.
When the ceremony is finished, the priest allows the procession to enter the temple to offer flowers and water. The two offerings of flowers will be one watering in succession until all the flowers are offered.
Next is the Buddha statue washing ceremony with the hope of cleansing, washing away all the dust of the world in the past year and praying for the newest and cleanest things for the new year. The shaman began performing the ritual to pray for rain; Then let the whole procession go around the pagoda 3 times and then allow everyone to sing and dance in front of the pagoda.
Finally, delegates, tourists and people went to Nam Mu stream to immerse themselves in the water festival of the Lao people; Wishing for a new year of health, peace, good harvests, and abundant luck.
The Lao people in Tam Duong district are a community living mainly along streams, places with lots of water, convenient for agricultural production. Although the population is not large, the cultural and spiritual life of the people here has many unique, rich and diverse features typical of the Lao people in the Northwest.
Since ancient times, Lao people have attached great importance to water. Water is an essential living need for people and all things. From that wish, the Lao people relied on "ferry" and "din" (meaning heaven and earth) to pray for good weather, happy homes, and good things. This is the origin and tradition of the Lao people's tradition of praying for rain and is called Bun Voc Nam Festival or Water Festival.
The festival takes place many activities to attract people and tourists such as: Cultural exchanges, stream fish catching competitions, rafting competitions, culinary competitions, bamboo basket weaving competitions, organizing folk games (toss con, starting to shake legs, beat gongs blindfolded, balance bridge...) bearing the identity of the Lao people.
Coming from Vinh Phuc, tourist Nguyen Thi Nguyet said that she and her relatives decided to participate this year after learning that Laotian festivals are very good. The festival atmosphere is very bustling and joyful. She was impressed with the costumes of the people here. It is very beautiful and sophisticated. The old people here still dye their teeth black. There are many unique cultural features worth experiencing here.
Mr. Vang Van Keo, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Na Tam commune, said that Na Tam is a commune with nearly 100% Lao ethnic people living. The daily life of the people here has many unique cultural features that are preserved to this day, including the Bun Voc Nam festival - a traditional ritual of the Lao people.
This festival is held annually to pray for good rain, good winds, good crops, and good health.
(according to VNA)
