Daniel Toohey, 31, an Australian tourist, was chosen to carry the 6m-long firecracker at the spring festival of the Dong Ky Village, Bac Ninh Province.

Daniel Toohey.

For centuries, tens of thousands have gathered at Dong Ky village in the northern province of Bac Ninh each New Year to celebrate the traditional firecracker festival on the 4th to the 6th day of the first lunar month.

This year, hundreds of villagers carried total two massive representations of firecrackers, which were engraved with the four mythical creatures (dragon, lion, tortoise and phoenix) to the communal house for the ritual.

To perform the ritual, more than 400 villagers, including 300 unmarried men, were mobilised to support the procession. Folk games such as human chess, badminton, volleyball, martial arts and cock fighting were also held during the event.

Four respected elders from each of the four hamlets in the village were selected to perform the ritual, praying for good weather, bumper crops and prosperity.

The festival has aimed to honour General Thien Cuong who helped Hung Kings recruit young villagers to fire on the enemy and was later considered the tutelary god of the village.

Ever since the Government banned the use of firecrackers, local people have made symbolic firecrackers and organised the ritual. 

The festival in pictures: