Khau Vai Love Market – one of the most unique markets in Vietnam (Source: caonguyenda.edu.vn) Ha Giang (VNA) – The People’s Committee of the northern mountainousprovince of Ha Giang launched the 100th festival of Khau Vai Love Market – aunique cultural practice of locals in Khau Vai commune in Meo Vac district – onApril 29 evening.
Vice Chairman of theprovincial People’s Committee Tran Duc Quy said that the market has been heldannually in Khau Vai on the 27th day of the third lunar month since 1919.
On the day, localethnic women and men put on their best traditional costumes and go to themarket where they are free to meet their former lovers in public.
Husbands and wivesarrive at the market together and start looking for their past partners amongthe crowd. Spouses do not get angry or jealous because the meeting at themarket is supposed to be a temporary moment and does not affect their dailylives or relationship.
According to folklore,a man and a woman were deeply in love but were forbidden to be together becausethey were from different ethnic groups. A conflict later took place between thetwo tribes, resulting in bloodshed for both. To stop the fierce fight, thecouple decided to part ways with broken hearts. They, however, promised to meetonce every year in the market in Khau Vai commune on the 27th of the thirdlunar month.
Going to the festival,which will end on May 1, visitors are offered a chance to enjoy artperformances, participate in folk games, and watch rowing on Nho Que river andHa Giang International Marathon Race.
On this occasion, aceremony was organised to announce UNESCO’s recognition of Dong Van KarstPlateau as a global geopark for the second time.
Dong Van plateau wasrecognised as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks in 2010, becomingVietnam’s first geological park and the second in Southeast Asia.
Covering a total areaof 2,356 km2, it is 80 percent limestone and contains the fossils of thousandsof species of prehistoric creatures from 400-600 million years ago.
It is also home toover 250,000 people from 17 different ethnic groups, who boast unique culturesthat have been fostered over the centuries.-VNA
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