The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has added Then singing andLong Tong festival – two typical cultural features of the Tay ethnicminority groups in the north – to the list of national intangiblecultural heritage.
Nguyen Viet Thanh, head of Tuyen Quangprovince's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced the newson January 11, adding that Then singing is practised by the Taypeople in the northern provinces of Quang Ninh, Lao Cai and TuyenQuang whilst the Long Tong festival is only found in Tuyen Quang.
Then singing, which expresses the emotions and reflects the dailyactivities of working people, is a distinctive musical genre of the Taycommunities.
The Long Tong festival, representing "going tothe fields", starts on the second of the first lunar month and runsuntil early lunar February. It reflects local people's desire for goodcrops, health and lots of children and grandchildren.
Theceremony involves solemn rituals in honour of local spirits to thankthem for the crops and to ask for their support so local people canenjoy favourable weather conditions and have a comfortable, healthy,safe and happy life in the New Year.
The event also featuresdiverse folk games including nem con (a game in which boys and girlsthrow cloth balls), tug-of-war and folk dancing and singing.
Thanh said the authorities plan to organise various activities in thenear future to preserve the Long Tong festival and Then singingrituals. -VNA
Nguyen Viet Thanh, head of Tuyen Quangprovince's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced the newson January 11, adding that Then singing is practised by the Taypeople in the northern provinces of Quang Ninh, Lao Cai and TuyenQuang whilst the Long Tong festival is only found in Tuyen Quang.
Then singing, which expresses the emotions and reflects the dailyactivities of working people, is a distinctive musical genre of the Taycommunities.
The Long Tong festival, representing "going tothe fields", starts on the second of the first lunar month and runsuntil early lunar February. It reflects local people's desire for goodcrops, health and lots of children and grandchildren.
Theceremony involves solemn rituals in honour of local spirits to thankthem for the crops and to ask for their support so local people canenjoy favourable weather conditions and have a comfortable, healthy,safe and happy life in the New Year.
The event also featuresdiverse folk games including nem con (a game in which boys and girlsthrow cloth balls), tug-of-war and folk dancing and singing.
Thanh said the authorities plan to organise various activities in thenear future to preserve the Long Tong festival and Then singingrituals. -VNA
