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On February 11 (the 21st day of the lunar New Year), people in Tho Ha village, Van Ha commune, Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province eager to organize Tho Ha Festival, a typical festival of the village
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This year, Hamlet 3 of Van Ha village is selected to conduct the big procession. Right from the early morning, the local elderly and young children are busy making up and dressing up.
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The procession is held biennially. The previous one was cancelled due to the COVID-19. This year, locals are excited with and wear the best costumes for the event.
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At 10a.m., the procession starts. Participants depart from hamlet 3 to the village’s communal house. The procession is led by a general with majestic appearance holding a big flag in hands and a ginseng root in his mouth.
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Two guards with pennants carefully checking two sides of the procession delegation. The procession slowly moves forward 3 steps after each time the two men change their position.
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The procession aims to commemorate Dao Tri Tien, who is said to be the village's pottery ancestor.
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Three gods representing Happiness, Wealth, and Longevity at the festival
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Two kids, Trinh Tien Duc and Nguyen Nhat Le, act as little fairies at the festival. The two are selected from hundreds of kids aged 8-10 in the village.
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Eight men aged over 55 going ahead the palanquin
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Going after the palanquin is a pretty girl carrying flowers.
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Tho Ha Festival is recognized as intangible cultural heritage in 2012.
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One of the offerings to the god
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The palanquin of the holy mother carried by local women and female youths
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Dancing during the procession. It takes nearly 2 hours to process the palanquins from the hamlet to the communal house with a distance of just nearly 300m.

Translated by Chung Anh