The maturity ritual will be featured at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism. (Photo: VNA)
 

Hundreds of ethnic dancers and musicians will be putting on shows for visitors over several days to celebrate the national holiday.

The Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism welcomes visitors to join a series of activities celebrating National Day on September 2.

Activities will be held from August 31 to September 3 at the village in Hanoi’s suburbs aiming at honouring and introducing the culture and customs of Vietnamese ethnic groups.

Visitors to the village will have an opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich culture of the ethnic groups through the programme entitled Vui Tet Doc Lap (Happy Independence Day).

The programme will highlight the khen (panpipe) dance of those of the Mong ethnic group, le cap sac (maturity ritual) of the Nung and the head washing ceremony of the Thai ethnic people.

Playing khen and khen dancing is a musical form that expresses deep feelings and connects this life to the spiritual world.

Mong people will play and dance khen at festivals and New Year celebrations. It expresses love, community and nature and making contact to the world of the dead. Young Mong men play the khen and dance to show off their strength, sensibility and skill.

The cap sac is a rite of passage declaring the coming-of-age of Nung men. The cap sac ritual is an indispensable part of the life of every Nung male as it helps him earn recognition as being mature enough to join in the community’s major activities. Cap sac ritual is a unique ritual, handed down through many generations in the community.

The Vui Tet Doc Lap programme promises a dazzling showcase of the rich traditional cultures through highland market, with enchanting folk dances, regional cuisines and other festive performances.

The northern province of Bac Ninh will have around 30 booths during the event to introduce its culture and architecture to visitors, along with folk games, traditional crafts and the UNESCO recognised quan ho (love duet). There will also be quan ho pictures on display.

Three hundred artisans and artists are set to participate in the event./.

VNA