Unique cultural and religious activities at the beginning of the new year of At Ty

Many unique and long-standing cultural and religious activities of people across the country take place on the occasion of Tet and Spring.

Röong Pooc - Spring Field Festival of At Ty 2025 of the Giay people

The going down to the fields festival, also known as the Roong Pooc festival of the Giay Quang Kim people, takes place on the first day of the lunar year.

Röong Pooc - Rice field festival of the Giay people.

This is a unique crop praying festival that has been preserved and conserved through many generations, containing profound meaning, expressing pride in national identity, vividly reflecting the spiritual and cultural life of the Giay people here.

The first rice field festival of the year will take place from the morning of February 4, 2025 at Quang Kim Commune Stadium, An Thanh village, Quang Kim commune, Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province.

Carrying the sacred fire to welcome Tet

Coming to Canh Duong Sea Village, Quang Trach District, Quang Binh in the last days of the year, you will see the hustle and bustle of preparing items for the villagers to perform the "sacred fire" ritual. This is one of the rituals that the locals believe will bring luck and peace after bringing the fire home.

On the night of the 30th of Tet, at the moment of transition between the old year and the new year, the people of Canh Duong fishing village together bring the sacred fire home to pray for luck and peace. This custom originated from the days when fishermen were drifting at sea. In the face of natural disasters and storms offshore, fishermen rarely kept the fire intact, so calling each other in the midst of big waves and strong winds to ask for fire was a normal thing, thereby showing the solidarity of the villagers in the vast ocean.

People gathered at the village communal house to make fire.

People in this fishing village believe that the sacred fire is like a god that brings warmth, prosperity and happiness, especially during long sea voyages.

The village elders said that to prepare for the fire-making tradition, from the morning of the 30th of Tet, in front of the Canh Duong communal house yard, considered the center and most sacred place in the fishing village, the elders asked the strong, unmarried young men to prepare to chop wood and build a large pile in the middle of the communal house yard.

In the late afternoon, when the elders and villagers have gathered, the ceremony will begin. First, a prestigious person in the village will beat three big drums. After the three drums have sounded, the seniors will perform a ceremony to worship the gods, praying for favorable weather, wind, and peace for fishermen to go out to sea. After that, the fire is carried from the communal house to the communal house yard, where a large pile of firewood has been set up. The most prestigious person in the village is appointed to perform the fire lighting ceremony. Right at the moment of New Year's Eve, all families in the village go to get fire. The person who goes to get fire is usually a strong young man or the head of the family. The way to get fire and bring the fire home must be skillful so that the fire does not go out. The fire from the communal house of the village is brought back to warm each family, praying for luck and peace.

In addition, in Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province, fishermen in Thanh Trach, Hai Phu, and Duc Trach communes after December 23 are busy choosing beautiful bamboo to erect the Tet pole. This is not only a sacred symbol to welcome luck for the new year but also shows their spirit of turning to the sea.

For them, the pole is not only a cultural symbol to welcome the new year and ward off bad luck, but also shows their attachment to their village, their loyalty, their national unity and their homeland.