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| Local artists perform music and dance at the 2024 Bun Huột Nặm Festival. VNS Photos Thu Phương |
ĐIỆN BIÊN PHỦ — Many traditional and entertaining activities were organised during the annual Bun Huột Nặm of Water Festival during the weekend in Điện Biên District, Điện Biên Phủ Province.
The two-day event, held at the Na Sang 1 Village in Núa Ngam Commune, is one of the most important traditional holidays and festivals of the Vietnamese Lào people when everyone gathered and welcomed the New Year.
During the event, people worshiped for good rain and wind and abundant crops. They prayed for all things grow and develop well and to wash away the bad luck of the old year and enter the new year with good luck for everyone, families and the community.
Bun Huột Nặm was also an opportunity for villagers to take part in folk games, perform traditional dances and especially join the amazing moments of water splashing.
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| The Lào people hold rituals to pray for good luck and water. |
Splashing water on others symbolises the cleansing of all bad things, including diseases and the welcome of a thriving and healthy New Year. The wetter a person becomes, the more luck and happiness they will receive.
This year’s festival included other activities such as worshiping, praying, tying thread on wrist to pray for good luck; lăm vông (circle dance) performance, knocking door to door asking for water; worship the gods of river and stream; and bathing in a stream, among others.
At the festival, there was also a space to display and promote cultural and tourism products, handicraft items, agricultural and OCOP products and local typical ethnic cuisine.
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| People enjoy water splashing during the Bun Huột Nặm in Na Sang 1 Village, Điện Biên District’s Núa Ngam Commune. |
At the same time, local people and visitors could also admire an exhibit of items associated with the traditional culture, daily life and community activities of the Lào people in Núa Ngam Commune.
The April 13-14 festival also included a music and dance programme with unique performances imbued with ethnic minority culture by artistic clubs from villages and hamlets in Núa Ngam Commune, units and communes in Điện Biên District, native home of the Lào ethnic residents. VNS
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