New Year festival with folk games

Since ancient times, folk games have been an indispensable activity every Tet holiday to connect the community in the joyful and bustling atmosphere of the first days of the new year. Tug of war, top spinning, throwing balls, blindfolded duck… these folk games have been deeply ingrained in the childhood subconscious of many generations of Vietnamese people. In Quang Ninh , where 43 ethnic groups live together, folk games are also extremely rich and diverse, bearing the imprint of traditional culture, preserved and promoted by the people in modern life today.

Pole pushing competition at the Tea Flower Festival (Hai Ha district).

Not only is it a time for family reunion, the beginning of the new year is also a season of festivals. During this time, most localities across the province organize traditional festivals with many interesting and unique folk games. Each locality will organize different folk games according to the culture and characteristics of each region. However, wherever, folk games have truly become spiritual food, traditional cultural features preserved and passed down through many generations.

Some popular folk games that everyone knows and can play include: Tug of war is known as both a traditional folk game and a popular sport in Vietnam, not only during the Lunar New Year but also on occasions such as village festivals or daily recreational activities. Not only showing cultural beauty, tug of war is also a game that promotes collective spirit and solidarity of players. Stick pushing is also one of the traditional sports, often held on the occasion of the New Year festival. Not only attracting men, women also participate with an equally martial spirit.

People enthusiastically participate in spinning tops at the festival "Golden season of the Dai Duc palm wave" (Dai Duc commune, Tien Yen district).

In addition, each region in the province also has its own unique folk games. Coming to the western plains of the province stretching from Dong Trieu City, Uong Bi City to Quang Yen Town, the folk games carry the identity and culture of the Northern Delta. The atmosphere of the old Vietnamese Tet is also vividly recreated with unique games such as: playing with clay cannons, playing human chess, blindfolded pot smashing, cockfighting, wrestling, boat racing...

In the eastern districts of the province from Ba Che, Tien Yen, Binh Lieu to Dam Ha, Hai Ha, Mong Cai, where the majority of ethnic minorities Tay, Dao, San Chi, San Diu... live, folk games and traditional sports such as crossbow shooting, blindfolded duck catching, stilt walking, throwing con, spinning top, are always enthusiastically participated in by people every spring or during traditional festivals held annually.

Ms. Chieu Moc Xenh, Khe Lac village, Dai Duc commune, Tien Yen district, shared: Folk games are usually not too difficult, the tools are also very simple, people can make them themselves from easy-to-find materials, so almost everyone can participate. Stick pushing, spinning top, throwing shuttlecock... are folk games that are familiar to the villagers, from the elderly to children can all play skillfully. It is thanks to folk games that each festival becomes more bustling and exciting.

Human chess competition at Bach Dang Traditional Festival (Quang Yen Town).

Each game in each region has its own rules, with different nuances, but all have the same purpose of entertainment, physical training, agility, dexterity and above all, community cohesion. Nowadays, not only appearing in festivals, folk games are also recreated in programs, entertainment activities, cultural experiences at museums, schools, amusement parks... Thereby, contributing to preserving, transmitting, educating the cultural and historical traditions for the young generation while promoting and introducing to tourists from all over the world the traditional cultural beauty of the nation.

Accordingly, in recent years, the province has directed departments, branches and localities to pay attention to building and implementing projects and plans on research, restoration, preservation and promotion of cultural values in order to strongly mobilize the participation of all classes of people in preserving folk games in particular and traditional cultural values in general. At the same time, many resources have been allocated to invest in a synchronous system of cultural institutions, especially in ethnic minority areas, to restore and maintain the organization of traditional festivals, cultural exchange activities, arts and sports to create conditions for people to participate in activities and enjoy culture.

Youth Union members dance together at the "Aspiration to contribute - youth's way of life" festival organized by the Provincial Agencies' Youth Union.

Organizing folk games during the spring festival is an affirmation of the everlasting strength of national cultural identity. Spring day, the beginning of the new year, of aspirations, being immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of folk games and sending wishes for a year of favorable weather, a life of warmth, fullness, peace and health is what all people desire.

Source