Nhu Thanh district in the central province of Thanh Hoa is home to the four ethnic groups of Kinh, Muong, Tho and Thai. Of which, the Thai ethnic group accounts for 19.21%, living scattered in the communes of Thanh Tan, Thanh Ky, Xuan Phuc, Xuan Thai, and Can Khe.

Notably, for the Thai ethnic people in Mo 1 village, Can Khe commune, the Set Booc May festival is a unique folk belief activity handed down since ancient times. That eternal value has been preserved and promoted by generations of people in the village and is solemnly celebrated on January 10 every year.

According to the language of the Thai people: Set is Tet, and Booc May is trees, flowers, leaves and all kinds of things, animals, symbolizing the earth, sky, magnificent nature, the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The Set Booc May festival is held to pray for prosperity for all kinds of things, for good weather, for the protection of the gods, and for everyone to be safe and healthy.

The Set Booc May Festival is a spiritual product, recreating a part of the community life of the Thai people from the ancient time. It is a unique folk religious activity and a unique spiritual feature, the uniqueness of the Thai community that has been preserved, promoted and celebrated by the people of Mo 1 village, Can Khe commune, Nhu Thanh district on January 10 every year.

Through charming folk songs, sounds echoing throughout the mountains and forests of drums, gongs, khua luong, and bom bu sounds blending together, the Set Booc May Festival is heled with the hope of being blessed by the gods for good weather, lush crops, good health, and peaceful villages. The festival is also a place where good traditional cultural values converge, while building a healthy cultural and spiritual life, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere entering the new year.

In order to promote the cultural value of the Set Booc May Festival, Nhu Thanh district focuses on preserving and promoting the unique folk cultural values of the Thai ethnic group with promoting local advantages, especially the potential and advantages of tourism, natural factors, cultural history... to strongly develop the economy, culture, society, and build Can Khe commune to become a new upgraded rural commune in 2024.

According to Mr. Dinh Xuan Thang, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Nhu Thanh district: Over the past time, the district has deeply grasped and seriously, closely and effectively implemented the viewpoints and policies of the Party and the State for the task of preserving ethnic minority culture. On the occasion of the New Year and spring, the locality always organizes games and performs folk music performances in festivals.

The district has also focused on restoring and updating folk songs to meet the people's needs for enjoying art. It also establishes clubs to preserve and promote the cultural values of ethnic groups in the district, mobilizing the participation of folk artists, village elders, and reputable people in the community to participate in managing, organizing, and operating cultural activities, ensuring citizen rights in creating, practicing and enjoying cultural achievements.

Currently, the locality is promoting activities to preserve and promote the cultural identity of ethnic minorities in combination with economic development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction programs, especially the implementation of the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021-2030.

The district determines that preserving and promoting ethnic minority culture must go hand in hand with stabilizing and improving the quality of people's lives, integrating culture with tourism development, creating livelihoods for people, ensuring that ethnic minority culture is promoted and developed, and at the same time raising awareness and responsibility of ethnic minorities with the work of preserving the culture of the country. our nation.

PV