Kho Gia Gia is the most significant spiritual and cultural festival of the Black Ha Nhi ethnic community in Bat Xat, Lao Cai Province (formerly Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district). It is a time for the community to express gratitude to heaven, earth, deities, and ancestors, while praying for bountiful harvests and peace for the village.

Fostering unity through highland cultural space

The Kho Gia Gia Festival is traditionally held in the sixth lunar month, with the exact timing based on each village’s agricultural calendar and production conditions. In preparation, villagers clean the communal water source - deeply connected to daily life and spiritual practices - and rebuild a thatched community house to host the festival’s main rituals.

Spanning three days, the festival features numerous traditional rituals. Offerings such as glutinous rice cakes, sticky rice, pork, and rice wine are prepared meticulously. Among them, glutinous rice cakes are indispensable, symbolizing wishes for abundance and fulfillment. The cake-making process is a communal activity, engaging many households and reflecting the spirit of unity and cultural preservation.

During the main ceremony, a shaman represents the entire village in offering sacrifices and communicating with the spiritual world. The offerings are arranged in ceremonial trays placed in an open courtyard, with the solemn participation of all villagers. This sacred moment reflects deep reverence and a collective belief in divine blessings of peace, good health, and fruitful crops.

Following the rituals, households gather in the communal house for a shared meal, reinforcing intergenerational bonds and a collective spirit of joy and harmony after completing the ancestral rites.

Preserving heritage through community traditions

The festival’s celebratory section features lively traditional games like tug-of-war, stick pushing, and bamboo swings. These joyful activities not only enliven the event but also help preserve and pass down cultural values to the younger generation.

Kho Gia Gia is also a time for all community members to actively participate - preparing offerings, joining rituals, organizing games, and contributing to collective activities. This widespread involvement ensures the festival’s continuity and embeds it as a vital cultural pillar in the spiritual life of the Ha Nhi in Vietnam’s mountainous regions.

Promoting heritage in a modern world

In 2014, the Kho Gia Gia Festival was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This designation honors the unique cultural values of the Black Ha Nhi people and affirms the festival’s place on Vietnam’s cultural heritage map.

Today, Kho Gia Gia is not only a traditional cultural space but also a distinctive cultural tourism attraction, drawing visitors eager to experience the spiritual and daily life of Vietnam’s highland communities. By linking the festival with tourism, the region gains greater exposure and the resources needed to preserve its traditions in a rapidly changing world.

Preserving and promoting the Kho Gia Gia Festival is not just about safeguarding an ancient rite - it reflects a vision for sustainable cultural development, where heritage is a resource and the community its steward. In the highlands of Bat Xat, this sacred celebration continues to be passed down through generations, shaping the cultural identity of the Ha Nhi people amid ongoing modernization and integration.

Nhan Dan