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Tan Bac commune, Quang Binh district, Ha Giang province is home to mainly Pa Then ethnic people. |
Pa Then is one of the 14 ethnic minority groups with a small population and extremely difficult living conditions. They possess a rich cultural life, which is expressed through the cultural heritage of housing architecture, language, writing, folk literature, social customs, rituals, festivals, folk performing arts, traditional crafts, to name but a few.
In Ha Giang province, Pa Then people mainly live in Quang Binh and Bac Giang districts. In Quang Binh district alone, there are more than 5,500 Pa Then people in Tan Bac, Tan Trinh, Yen Thanh, Xuan Minh communes and Yen Binh townlet. Local people have retained many traditional customs and rituals, creating a special attraction in the cultural life of the community.
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The fire dancing carries the spiritual and mystical features of the Pa Then ethnic group. |
Apart from the fire dancing festival, Quang Binh district will organize a series of activities, including the Media Festival; the ninth boat racing festival on the Chung river Hydropower Reservoir; and the announcement of the list of Pao Dung folk singing performing arts of the Dao people in Ha Giang province.
Meanwhile, many other activities will be organized for tourists and locals, offering an opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultural space of ethnic communities. They will experience daily production activities with locals; harvest moss, weave conical hats and cycle around villages; visit a Tay ethnic brocade weaving craft village, play traditional folk games, such as stick-pushing, tug-of-war, stilt walking, etc., and enjoy typical local cuisine; to name but a few.
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The traditional boat racing festival promises to bring fierce and exciting competitions on the Chung River. |
According to Tang Trung In, Vice Chairman of Quang Binh district's People’s Committee, in order to preserve and uphold the traditional cultural value of Pa Then ethnic people, over the past time, the district has paid much attention to educating young people on folk culture and organizing traditional festivals, including fire dancing, pestle pulling and traditional wedding, and others. The fire dancing festival not only shows the Pa Then people’s bravery and spiritual strength but is also a symbol of the connection between man, nature and deities.
To leave good impressions on tourists and local people, localities in the district have made thorough preparations for the fire dancing festival and are ready to welcome tourists and people.
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Within the framework of the festival, the organizing panel will announce the list of Pao Dung folk singing performing arts of the Dao people in Ha Giang province. |
The successful organization of the fire dancing festival of the Pa Then people and cultural activities will contribute to popularizing the cultural heritage values and tourism development potential of Quang Binh district to domestic and foreign tourists; preserving and promoting good traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development in the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas.
Translated by Quynh Oanh