Xen Dong Festival recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Xen Dong festival is a particularly important festival of the Black Thai community to show gratitude to the gods, pray for favorable weather, bountiful crops, peaceful villages, and a prosperous and happy life for the people.

Leaders of the Department of Cultural Heritage and Yen Bai province presented Certificates and flowers to congratulate Nghia Lo town. (Photo: Dinh Thuy/VNA)

On the evening of December 21, the People's Committee of Nghia Lo town, Yen Bai province held a ceremony to announce the Decision and award the Certificate of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Xen Dong (forest worship) Festival of the Thai people in Nghia Lo town. At the ceremony, authorized by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Yen Bai province announced the Decision to list the Xen Dong Festival of the Thai people in Nghia Lo town, Yen Bai province as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage Nong Quoc Thanh presented the Certificate to Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Yen Bai province Nong Viet Yen. Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Lo town Luong Manh Ha emphasized that Nghia Lo town - the western gateway of Yen Bai province, is not only a land rich in revolutionary traditions, but also a place where the unique cultural features of ethnic minorities converge. The Thai ethnic group accounts for the majority with long-standing cultural heritages imbued with profound human values. The town currently has 5 relics ranked as National and Provincial Historical Relics. In particular, the town has 3 Intangible Cultural Heritages; of which, Thai Xoe Art has been recognized by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Xen Dong Festival is a particularly important festival of the Black Thai community, held annually to pay tribute to the gods, pray for favorable weather, bountiful crops, peaceful villages and a prosperous and happy life for the people.

An art performance at the announcement ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Thuy/VNA)

This is not only a spiritual activity, but also an opportunity for the community to exchange, connect feelings, preserve and promote the precious traditional cultural identity of their people. With its special historical, cultural and artistic values, the Xen Dong Festival has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is a great pride not only for the Thai people of Nghia Lo but also for the people of other ethnic groups in Yen Bai province. The People's Committee of Nghia Lo town pledges to continue to carry out practical activities to promote and practice the heritage. The town will promote the Xen Dong Festival in association with the development of community cultural tourism, contributing to making Nghia Lo an attractive destination; continue to support and create conditions for the Thai people to organize and teach festivals, preserve traditional rituals; promote the role of the community in preserving and protecting heritage, especially the young generation, so that this cultural beauty is passed down forever. Xen Dong Festival (in Thai, "Xen" means worship, "Dong" means forest; "Xen Dong" means worshiping the forest). Xen Dong Festival includes a ceremony and a festival with folk performing arts such as: Xoe dance, singing, bamboo dancing, musical instrument performances... and traditional folk games of the Thai people in Muong Lo, Nghia Lo town. For the Thai people in the Muong Lo basin, forest protection, especially upstream forests, is of great significance and is considered the responsibility of every Thai resident for generations. Xen Dong Festival is a typical intangible cultural heritage, with great spiritual value, with positive significance in protecting forests, protecting nature, regulating water resources and maintaining ecological balance, towards a green, harmonious and sustainable living environment./. Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/le-xen-dong-duoc-cong-nhan-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-post1003492.vnp