The Vietnam National Villages for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Hanoi will host a series of cultural events, themed “Sac Hoa” (Colours of Flowers), next month to recreate the New Year atmosphere of ethnic minority villages in northern Vietnam.

The events will be held from December 1, 2018 to January 2, 2019, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

One of the highlights is the recreation of a highland market of ethnic people ahead New Year which features the distinctive cultures of mountainous tribes, like H’Mong, Lao, Khang, Thai, Tay, Dao and Kho Mu, and their folk games and traditional food.

At the market, visitors can also see how H’Mong people practice traditional blacksmithing and how craftsmen from the Lao ethnic minority group in Dien Bien province make unique pieces of brocade. Lao people’s brocade weaving has been recognised as an intangible cultural heritage.

Khang ethnic people from Quynh Nhai, Son La province will bring to the event their traditional festival of “ruou can” (fermented rice wine drunk out of a jar using pipes) which takes place from Lunar January to Lunar March to wish for health, solidarity and prosperity. 

The making of “xoi ngu sac” (five-colour sticky rice) and “banh day gac do” (white, flat round cake made of glutinous rice and gac fruit) by Dao people will also be on display.

A folk music show named “Hoa cua Da” (Flowers of Stone) will be held in the garden of Tam Giac Mach, or buckwheat flower, in the Vietnam National Villages for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, featuring ethnic songs and dances that depict the beauty of the nature and people of the northwestern region. 

Buckwheat flower is a tiny wild pink flower with triangular-shaped leaves that blooms on the rocky Dong Van highlands in the northernmost province of Ha Giang. –VNA