A wide range of activities will be held to honour cultural identities of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups at a festival in Hanoi from February 12-13.

The “spring colour in every corner of the country” festival will take place at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism with the participation of 200 people from 25 ethnic communities of 17 provinces.

Dozens of the participants are from 11 ethnic minority groups in the border region such as Si La, Cong, Lu, and La Hu (Lai Chau province), Bo Y, La Chi, and Pu Peo (Ha Giang province), O Du (Nghe An province), Chut (Quang Binh province), Brau and Ro Nam (Kon Tum province).

Dao ethnic people at “Tet nhay” festival

There will be a music show, a re-enactment of the Aza koonh festival of Ta Oi ethnic group from Thua Thien-Hue, and “Tet nhay” (dancing festival) of the Dao ethnic people.

The Aza festival is a long-standing practice of the Pa Co – Ta Oi ethnic community in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue.

It is a traditional custom to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one while paying respect and gratitude for gods, favourable weather and bumper crops for the upcoming year.

Meanwhile, Tet nhay festival is an important one of the Dao ethnic group, which is prepared carefully. Before the festival, male youths revise their dancing skills while the female ones embroider new clothes.

It is the combination of various traditional popular forms of arts including dancing and singing./.

( VNF/VNA )