The H’Mong Celebrate Tet Doc Lap

Dating back to September 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the Declaration of Independence and founded the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the H’Mong community in Tay Bac (Vietnam’s northwest) celebrates Tet Doc Lap (Independence Festival) as a deeply meaningful tradition. The festival embodies gratitude to the Party and the State, while also serving as a time for family reunions, cultural exchange, and the preservation of age-old traditions.

 

 

Since the resistance war against the French, H’Mong families in the northwest have sheltered revolutionaries and sent their own sons to the battlefield. The sight of the red flag with its yellow star flying above their mountain villages after September 2, 1945, became a symbol of freedom and a turning point in their destiny. Stories of Uncle Ho, the revolution, and the struggle for independence and freedom have been passed down through generations, and is echoed in the soulful notes of the khen (H’Mong’s flute) and in song.

 

Preparations for Tet Doc Lap begin more than a month before National Day. In highland villages, traditional brocade costumes are washed and laid out in the sun, their colors glowing with renewed brightness. Fresh batches of corn wine simmer over warm hearths, releasing a sweet fragrance into the crisp mountain air. The quiet stillness of the mountain peaks is soon replaced by the sound of the khen, mingled with cheerful laughter and playful chatter. Children rehearse their dances, young men practice flute melodies, while women sew, embroider, and prepare festive meals, all done with a shared spirit of anticipation.

 

Moc Chau Plateau in Son La Province is often called the “cradle of the H’Mong Independence Festival.” In streets lined with red flags and flowers, people wear their most beautiful brocade outfits and join in the festivities. They enjoy local cuisine, play traditional games like pao throwing and spinning tops, shop for brocade dresses, and even join the famed love markets.

Li Mi Cuong, a student from Moc Chau now studying at the Vietnam National Academy of Music in Hanoi, said: “Even though I live far away, I always try to return home for this occasion. Tet Doc Lap brings families together and makes us feel our national pride more strongly than ever”.

For Mua A Lu from Moc Ly Ward, Son La Province, performing the khen for visitors at Moc Chau Stadium is a deeply emotional experience. He said, “In the past, the Independence Festival was simple and stayed within our villages. Now it is different, we celebrate not only for ourselves but also to share our cultural identity with the whole country, and even with international visitors”.

 

In Lao Cai Province, H’Mong communities also gather for their biggest festival of the year. “As September 2 approaches, H’Mong from surrounding villages flock to Mu Cang Chai to celebrate. There are traditional dances, rice cake pounding, pao tossing, tug of war, khen performances, and fashion shows of traditional costumes. It is not only a time for fun after the harvest but also a chance to make new friends and strengthen bonds. Many H’Mong couples have met and fallen in love at festivals like this,” said Sung A Hong, a H’Mong man in Lao Cai.

The sentiments of Li Mi Cuong, Mua A Lu, and Sung A Hong reflect the pride of nearly 1.4 million H’Mong people in Tay Bac. Through Tet Doc Lap, they continue to write new chapters of faith in the Party, in President Ho Chi Minh, and in a brighter, more prosperous future in the high mountains.

Story: Bich Van/VNP - Photos: VNA - Translated by Nguyen Tuoi