Neu tree in the Gau Tao Festival bears the symbol of the sacred tree connecting the heaven and the earth. 

Gau Tao Festival of the Mong ethnic people is a traditional folk festival, a cultural and religious feature that has existed for a long time and it has been restored since 2017. The festival is divided into two parts, including the ceremony part and the festival part. After the opening part of the festival, a special ceremony in the Gau Tao Festival is the ceremony of setting up Neu tree. Neu tree in Gau Tao Festival bears the symbol of a sacred tree connecting the heaven and the cearth. The tree is planted on a wide, flat land, the top of the tree is always facing the East - the direction of birth with the desire to have children, and it is also the direction of the sun with the desire for a bountiful harvest. When Neu tree have been set up, the shaman perform a ceremony right under the tree so that the heaven and the earth, the gods bless the village with peace and happiness, a good harvest in the new year, the favorable weather and they wish everyone a peaceful and happy lìfe, and healthier and healthier with good livestock and crops. 

Arriving at Gau Tao Festival this year, in addition to enjoying a special art program imbued with the cultural identity of Mong ethnic peopel, visitors can also visit food stalls, agricultural products, and typical products of Mong ethnic people. They can also visit the Culinary Competition, the contest of pounding Banh cakes, Pao throwing and the Costume Contest, the beauty contest. This year, walking on stilts also takes place at Gau Tao Festival. 

This is an opportunity to preserve and promote the national cultural identity, strengthening the introduction of the history, culture and tourism potential of the two communes, Hang Kia - Pa Co in Mai Chau district to domestic and foreign tourists. At the same time, it helps build the annual traditional activities, gradually building the habit of regularly organizing folk games associated with physical and sports training, improving health, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere for the people in 2 communes and welcoming Quy Mao spring in 2023. Gau Tao festival takes place from December 31, 2022 to the end of January 1, 2023.

Related Topics

Lac Son district preserves Muong ethnic people’s cultural heritage

Building space to preserve Muong ethnic culture in Tan Lac district

Outstanding young artisan promotes national cultural heritage values

Gov’t agrees to submit Mo Muong heritage dossier to UNESCO

---

Building a special national archaeological relic in Lac Son district

The mobile propaganda contest “Returning to Dien Bien”

In the evening of March 28th, in Hoa Binh, the Department of Grassroots Culture (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) coordinated with the provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the city to organize a mobile propaganda contest to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7th, 1954 - May 7th, 2024) with the theme "Returning to Dien Bien”. There ứa the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; the representatives of the leaders from a number of departments, branches and numerous veterans and Hoa Binh people.

Kim Boi district boosts cultural lifestyle building movement

In responding to the movement of "All people stay united to build cultural lifestyle”, over the years, Kim Boi district has conducted many practical and effective activities to promote solidarity and mutual support among the local community in sustainable poverty reduction and building cultural lifestyle and a healthy cultural environment, and maintaining national cultural identity.

119 officials, civil servants and public employees were trained the language of Muong people

Hoa Binh Pedagogical College has just held the closing ceremony of the training class and issued the certificate of the language of Muong ethnic people to the oficials, civil servants and public employees of courses I and II in 2023.

Hoa Binh works to preserve values of world-famous civilisation

Hoa Binh is an ancient land home to limestone mountains running along the southeast direction and in parallel with Truong Son Mountain Range in the West, forming many basins and valleys with a rich diversity of fauna and flora. Humans came to reside here in the pre-historic period, creating the world-famous Hoa Binh Civilisation.

Dance festival – traditional ritual of Dao ethnic minority people

The Dao ethnic minority group in Hoa Binh province has preserved many unique cultural identities, especially rituals and belief. In particular, Nhay (dance) festival is the most important ritual with a long history, vividly reflecting the religious life of the local Dao people.