VI
EN
The Na Nhem Festival (meaning "dirty face" in the Tay language) is a unique traditional festival of the Tay people in the area of the village temple gate in Lang Mo village, Tran Yen commune, Bac Son district, Lang Son province, held on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The Na Nhem Festival is a ritual and ceremony to worship the tutelary deities Cao Son and Quy Minh Dai Vuong, as well as King Mieu Tinh and King Cao Quyet. It is associated with the legend of fighting invaders to defend the village and the country, and includes various cultural activities, games, and performances.
The most distinctive feature of the Na Nhem festival is the procession of male (Tang Thinh) and female (Mat Nguyet) phallic symbols.
Here, six strong young men from the village will be tasked with carrying the "tàng thinh," a symbolic male figure. This is a unique ritual to pray for good fortune, peace, and fertility during the Ná Nhèm spring festival.
Ngoc Anh (TH)
