Ha Nhi girls dress up for the festival. Photo: cpv.org.vn The “Kho gia gia” festival, the largest harvest prayer of the Ha Nhi Den ethnic community living in northern mountainous Lao Cai province, was credited as a national intangible heritage during a ceremony on July 30.
Taking place annually in Y Ty commune of Bat Xa district midyear in the lunar calendar, the long-standing custom reflects the local worship of old gods who influence agriculture, forest, water, land and marriage. The Ha Nhi Den people have long prayed for bumper harvests, thriving farming and a life of good health and contentment on the occasion.
The festival entails a ritual offering buffalo meat for the Gods. Each family taking part in the ritual prepares a platter of meat that is then carried from their home to a site within the forest where the entire village’s offerings are gathered. The food then will be distributed back to each household in the community and become offerings for ancestors.
Folk games, such as tug-of-war and sack jumping, are also highlights of the event.
The Ha Nhi Den people are currently celebrating the “Kho gia gia” festival which lasts through July 31 (June 16, Lunar calendar).
The festival has attracted a flow of tourists to the locality, generating better livelihoods for local residents.-VNA
