Long Tong, an original farming festival of the Tay 20/02/2019 Held annually in the second week of the first lunar month, Long Tong (going to the field) is the most typical agricultural festival of the Tay in Lao Cai. The festival is dedicated to the god of agriculture to win his support for verdant crops and peace and prosperity for villagers throughout the year. Long Tong consists of three main parts: the offering ritual; the plowing ceremony; and folk game playing. The offering ritual is dedicated to the tutelary god, the god of earth, and the god of agriculture, who are believed to protect villagers, give favorable weather, and support crops and animals, respectively. In this ritual, the village offers a tray which includes a pig, sticky rice and votive paper, while clans in the village each prepare an offering tray consisting of a boiled rooster, sticky rice, votive paper, liquor, and fruit. The most exciting part of the festival is folk games which include nem con (throwing a cloth ball through the ring on the top of a pole), tug of war, and walking on stilts. This festive part also includes then singing, a genre of music of the Tay which combines folk music and songs. Long Tong festival reflects cultural values of the Tay and Nung in the northern region, being a “living museum” showing their spiritual life and beliefs, according to Dr Dang Chi Thong. By Tran Hieu
Long Tong, an original farming festival of the Tay 20/02/2019 Held annually in the second week of the first lunar month, Long Tong (going to the field) is the most typical agricultural festival of the Tay in Lao Cai. The festival is dedicated to the god of agriculture to win his support for verdant crops and peace and prosperity for villagers throughout the year. Long Tong consists of three main parts: the offering ritual; the plowing ceremony; and folk game playing. The offering ritual is dedicated to the tutelary god, the god of earth, and the god of agriculture, who are believed to protect villagers, give favorable weather, and support crops and animals, respectively. In this ritual, the village offers a tray which includes a pig, sticky rice and votive paper, while clans in the village each prepare an offering tray consisting of a boiled rooster, sticky rice, votive paper, liquor, and fruit. The most exciting part of the festival is folk games which include nem con (throwing a cloth ball through the ring on the top of a pole), tug of war, and walking on stilts. This festive part also includes then singing, a genre of music of the Tay which combines folk music and songs. Long Tong festival reflects cultural values of the Tay and Nung in the northern region, being a “living museum” showing their spiritual life and beliefs, according to Dr Dang Chi Thong. By Tran Hieu
Held annually in the second week of the first lunar month, Long Tong (going to the field) is the most typical agricultural festival of the Tay in Lao Cai. The festival is dedicated to the god of agriculture to win his support for verdant crops and peace and prosperity for villagers throughout the year. Long Tong consists of three main parts: the offering ritual; the plowing ceremony; and folk game playing. The offering ritual is dedicated to the tutelary god, the god of earth, and the god of agriculture, who are believed to protect villagers, give favorable weather, and support crops and animals, respectively. In this ritual, the village offers a tray which includes a pig, sticky rice and votive paper, while clans in the village each prepare an offering tray consisting of a boiled rooster, sticky rice, votive paper, liquor, and fruit. The most exciting part of the festival is folk games which include nem con (throwing a cloth ball through the ring on the top of a pole), tug of war, and walking on stilts. This festive part also includes then singing, a genre of music of the Tay which combines folk music and songs. Long Tong festival reflects cultural values of the Tay and Nung in the northern region, being a “living museum” showing their spiritual life and beliefs, according to Dr Dang Chi Thong. By Tran Hieu