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According to documents, the Gầu Tào festival is a unique traditional cultural feature of the H'Mông people in Lào Cai, preserved through many generations. This festival is associated with the belief in praying for children, health, and prosperity. When the prayers are answered, the family will hold a ceremony to thank the deities. In the H'Mông language, "Gầu Tào" means "place of play," and the festival is usually organized by three families related by blood or marriage in the spring for three consecutive years, each year erecting a ceremonial pole to bring blessings and good fortune.
The Gau Tao Festival is a unique traditional cultural feature of the H'Mong people in Lao Cai, preserved through many generations.
Today, Gau Tao has become a traditional spring festival and blessing ceremony for the entire village, hoping for favorable weather, good health for everyone, and peace and happiness for every family. This year's Gau Tao festival will take place over two days, February 28th and March 1st, 2026.
From early morning, the atmosphere in Ta Leng village was bustling. People eagerly lined up along the roads winding around the mountain, heading to the festival. Everyone, from young to old, shared the joy of enjoying the lively dances and listening to the melodious singing.
In the Hmong language, "Gau Tao" means "place to play," and the festival is usually organized by three families related by blood or marriage in the spring for three consecutive years.
From the homestay, we walked a short distance up the hillside, from where we could admire the entire festival scene on the opposite hill. Traditionally, the ceremonial site is Hau Tao Hill (Hoi Hill), a low, flat hill facing east so that the ceremonial pole can catch the sunlight. The Hmong people believe that Hau Tao Hill symbolizes the good fortune of the household; the low-lying area in front represents disruption and misfortune; while the higher hills behind symbolize growth, children surpassing their parents, and increasing wealth.
The Hmong people believe that Gau Tao Hill symbolizes the good fortune of the homeowner.
A large, tall, and sturdy bamboo pole is chosen to be used as the ceremonial pole, planted in the middle of a wide, flat area. Young women showcase their graceful beauty in traditional costumes and brightly colored, modernized ethnic outfits, while strong young men enthusiastically participate in folk games and characteristic sports such as pao throwing, crossbow shooting, blindfolded duck catching, and badminton…
In Hmong culture, pounding sticky rice cakes is a custom that symbolizes community bonding.
Among these games, the pao throwing game is particularly popular, with participants dividing into small groups, each group forming two rows of 8-10 people facing each other, continuously throwing and catching the pao. Some players are so skilled at pao throwing that they can catch the pao even with their eyes closed. The shuttlecock game is also quite unique; instead of the usual badminton shuttlecock, the locals use a round shuttlecock with two thin wings made of wood, and the racket is also made of wood, making a pleasant sound with each hit.
One of the most anticipated activities is the rice pounding competition. In Hmong culture, pounding rice is a custom that symbolizes community bonding. During Tet (Vietnamese New Year) or festivals, delicious glutinous rice is steamed and then placed in a wooden trough to be pounded. Two people work together in harmony, one pounding and the other stirring, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere. Once the rice is sticky, they shape it into smooth, white, round cakes, symbolizing abundance, happiness, gratitude to heaven and earth, and a wish for a bountiful harvest.
What we felt most strongly about the Gầu Tào festival was an atmosphere overflowing with love. Young couples in love laughed shyly, mothers carried their babies on their backs, embracing them with warm affection, elderly women gathered in groups in the courtyard, laughing and shielding each other from the sun… Above all, there was love for the mountains and forests, for their homeland. The faces of those returning home after a day of fun at the Gầu Tào festival shone with happiness – a gentle, serene, pure kind of happiness that perhaps only those who live in harmony with nature can experience.
The spring outing has only just begun, but witnessing and feeling the atmosphere of happiness all around me, I feel as if I've embraced all the joys of life. Ultimately, we wander from place to place just to grasp the different forms of happiness, don't we?
The spring outing has only just begun, but witnessing and feeling the joyful atmosphere all around me, I feel as if I've embraced all the happiness of life.
