Hanoi (VNA) – Tugging rituals and games of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea wereperformed at Tran Vu temple in Long Bien district, Hanoi during an exchangeheld on November 23.
At the event,managers and researchers also discussed cooperation measures to protect thefolk games of the two countries in the future.
Tuggingrituals and games of Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the RoK were addedto the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ofHumanity on December 2, 2015.
Tuggingrituals and games are prevalent in the rice-farming cultures of East Asia and Southeast Asia as a form for communities to pray forabundant harvests and prosperity. They mark the start of the agricultural cycleand often begin with commemorative rites to local deities.
Typically held near a communal house or shrine,two teams on either end of a rope try to tug it from the other. The practice isnon-competitive, strengthening community solidarity and identity, UNECO said onits website.
In Vietnam, tug-of-war is a folk gamethat is practiced in a number of traditional festivals and communityevents.
Apartfrom tugging rituals and games, Vietnam boasts other 11 UNESCO-recognisedIntangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity, comprising Nha Nhac - Vietnamesecourt music, Space of gong culture in the Central Highlands, Quan ho Bac Ninhfolk songs, Ca Tru singing, Giong festival of Phu Dong and Soc temples, Xoansinging of Phu Tho province, the worship of Hung Kings in Phu Tho, the art ofDon ca tai tu music and song in southern Vietnam, Vi and Giam folk songs ofNghe Tinh, practices related to Vietnamese beliefs in the Mother Goddesses ofThree Realms, and the art of Bai Choi in central Vietnam.-VNA
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