Lao ethnic group of Dien Bien celebrate water splashing festival

Boun Hot Nam, a traditional New Year celebration of the Lao ethnic group, is held to pray for favorable weather, bumper crops, and to wash away misfortune of the past year, welcoming a new year filled with blessings for families and the community.

At the event, both locals and tourists had the chance to immerse themselves in meaningful traditional activities of the Lao ethnic people. The organizing panel also promoted cultural tourism products, handicrafts, ethnic cuisine, local agricultural products, and OCOP specialties. In addition, there was a display of daily items that reflect the cultural life and community activities of the Lao ethnic group in Nua Ngam commune.

A resident of Nua Ngam commune, Lo Thi Tuong, expressed her hope for a peaceful and prosperous New Year, and her wish that younger generations will continue to preserve the beautiful traditional culture of their people.

The two-day festival also included a music and dance program with unique performances imbued with ethnic minority culture by art troupes from villages in Nua Ngam commune, units and communes in Dien Bien district, the native home of the Lao ethnic residents.

Below are photos of the festival. 

Local artists perform music and dance at the festival.

A blessing ritual to pray for good luck

The traditional wrist-tying ceremony

The water-splashing blessing ritual

The Lao ethnic people believe that water brings good luck, and during the Water Splashing Festival, everyone must get wet to receive blessings—the wetter, the luckier.

Many people from the Thai and Kinh ethnic groups enthusiastically join the festival.

Traditional dances at the festival create a joyful atmosphere.

Translated by Vu Huyen