Celebrating Independence Day in the Northwest highlands

Independence Day - A bridge connecting ethnic groups

Since Uncle Ho read the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945), ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region have begun to build a new culture with a Tet holiday called "Independence Tet". On Independence Tet, a bustling atmosphere covers all the highland villages, people together participate in a series of activities imbued with the local cultural identity.

For many ethnic groups such as Mong, Muong, Thai,..., Independence Day is the biggest festival of the year. They all prepare sumptuous feasts with traditional dishes of the nation to worship their ancestors, prepare to go to the market and go to festivals with eye-catching, elaborate costumes. The most bustling Independence Day celebration is the Mong people in Moc Chau. The bustling atmosphere here later not only attracts Mong people in the districts of Song Ma, Thuan Chau, Yen Chau, Phu Yen... of Son La province, and Mong people in the provinces of Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An... but also attracts many other ethnic groups such as Thai, Muong, Kinh, Dao, Tay... in neighboring provinces and even in Laos to come here to celebrate Tet.

While the traditional Tet of the Mong people is limited to the family, relatives, or between villages, the Independence Day takes place more widely because of the connection between ethnic minorities in many regions. This beautiful cultural feature is still preserved and promoted by the Mong people in Moc Chau in particular and the Northwest mountainous region in general.

Going to the Independence Day festival with the Mong people in Moc Chau

The Mong people's Independence Day usually lasts from August 29 to September 2. During these days, people in all villages are excitedly preparing to attend the festival. Women are busy planting and harvesting, preparing their best clothes to go shopping at the market, while men work hard to get to the market early to attend the festival.

On all the roads leading to the center of Moc Chau town at this time, the Tet atmosphere is filled with a series of activities such as: trade fairs, art performances, photo exhibitions, sports competitions and folk games: crossbow shooting, stick pushing, tug of war, throwing con, to ma le, playing tu lu, throwing pa pao, pounding sticky rice cakes, dragon hatching egg game... Not only people from the villages go to the festival but also visitors from all over flock to Moc Chau to both travel and immerse themselves in the space of highland ethnic culture.

The most bustling atmosphere of the festival is the "white night" on September 1st. When the night falls, it is also the time when the only love market of the year of the Mong people in Moc Chau takes place. The market is beautiful because the Mong people's costumes are divided into many lines: Mong Do (white), Mong Du (black), Mong Si (red), Mong Lenh (flower), Mong Sua (Mong Man)... The colorful colors of the dresses blend together like a forest of flowers. The Mong men and women of marriageable age have an ideal opportunity to date and find a partner. The boys compete to play the flute with the beautiful young girls in colorful dresses. The boys and girls gather in groups, tease and sing love songs until morning.

Perhaps nowhere else is there a gathering to celebrate Independence Day like in Moc Chau plateau. With vibrant, bustling, unique festivals and moments of harmony with nature and people on the plateau with the sound of Mong flute calling friends, the stirring sound of panpipes and the folds of brocade skirts... creating an unforgettable impression for visitors to this land.

Besides learning about the culture of the Mong people and celebrating Independence Day with the Mong people, visitors to Moc Chau can also enjoy the mountain scenery here with tourist attractions such as Ban Ang pine forest, Dai Yem waterfall or Moc Chau tea hill,...

Minh Chi