NorthWestern

Cultural Beauty

1. The traditional Costume of the Red Dao………………………………………………………………… 2. The distinctions in costume of The White Thai and The Black Thai …………………. 3.The traditional custom of the Thai ethnic “Xoe” Dance……………………………… 4. Love Market in Moc Chau…………….. 5. The marriage custom of black Thai in Dien Bien………………………………………… 6. “Then” sing – a fairy tune of people in the Northwest region……………………

7. Ban flower festival…………………………..

8.“Trầu Sun” festival of te Red Dao……..

9. Thang Co – a special dish in Lao Cai….

10. The flavor in highland……………………

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Content

Northwest is the mountainous area in the northwest of Viet

Nam. The region has borders with Laos and China. Northwest

Vietnam consists of six provinces: Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien,

Lai Chau, Lao Cai & Yen Bai. Despite being one of

disadvantageous regions in Vietnam in term of

geography. Northwestern Vietnam attracts people from

everywhere to come and discover. People living in

Vietnam belong to many ethnic minority groups

such as H ‘Mong, Dao, Thai, Muong, Tay etc.

They are very friendly and extroverted. The cultural

features are reflected through customs (The

Marriage Custom, Worship, etc), costumes

(“Pieu” scarf ... cuisines (Thang Co, “Can” wine),

family relationship and community. Coming

to mountainous northwestern area in Vietnam.

you will not forget images of Thai girls in colorful

and brilliant dresses. Besides, many festivals are

organized annually here. Typical festivals in Northwest

are Ban flower festival and Trau Sun” festival. These

festivals in Northwest are often organized in spring

attracting a lot of attention of tourists. Here is also famous

for “Xoe” dance, “Then” sing, and others special arts.

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Overview

Each ethnic community of Vietnam has a different costume, shows different

cutural values. However, there are still common points in the costume such as

materials derived from plant, made of natural colored fabric, the craft of

traditional weaving, self diligence, ingenuity and the aesthetic human.

The traditional Costume

of the Red Dao

Sapa - Laocai

Northwest is not only the land of breathtaking moutains, of ban flowers, of plum flowers blooming white around the forest but also the residence of plenty of ethnics minorites with unique culture colours.

The Dao of Vietnam originate from China, divided into different groups such as Dao Do (Red Dao), Dao Tien, Dao Tuyen, etc. They usually live in the Northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam and mainly on the argriculture. Each of Dao groups has its own unique culture.

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The Dao in Sapa, Lao Cai province is mainly Red Dao group. One of the most original

nuances making distinction of them is costume. A complete costume of the Red Dao’s girl

includes jacket, trousers,

waistband, leggings and turban.

The jacket and the trousers are

made of indigo fabric producted

by themselves, then decorated by

different vignettes. To make a

complete costume, It takes quite

much time and by many stages,

from dying cloth to sewing

together the pieces of brocade

fabric into a set of clothes in

which the most difficult step is

creating the brocade patterns with

the motifs arranged overlapping. The motifs in the costume are generally the hems and

embroidered with the familiar images to their life with different colours such as white, pink of

the forest flowers, green of the trees or the bright colour of the sun. All of these are performed

on the indigo background creating a harmonization of colour. By the various imagination with

the patence, the meticulousness and the skillfulness in each needle and thread, they made the

costume to become strange and beautiful.

The Red Dao really loves red because they think that it

is the colour of luck and brings a lot of good things, so

the major colour is red, especially the brilliant red of the

turban. Somewhere, their clothes also includes red

woolen fringes to make them outstanding in the green

background of forest. Besides, to make them more

attractive, the Red Dao women wear extra other jewels

like earrings, necklet and bracelet

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Differing from the women’s

costume, the men one is more

simply. They also wear turban

but the colour is mainly indigo

or black.

Nowadays, Red Dao people

still maintain their traditional

culture. That is because

embroidering and needling are

regarded as necessary skills for

a girl to find a good husband

so girls are usually taught to embroider when they were young. However, to sew a beautiful

costume as well as durable one, the girls have to be very careful and meticulous in each

needling. The brocade embroidering to make a costume shows the skillfulness and talent of

the women. Also, it becomes the traditional ethnic culture passed by tradition from one

generation to other.

Other costumes of the Red Dao - Sapa

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The Thai migrated from the South of China to Vietnam for a long time and they reside

mainly in provinces : Thanh Hoa, Nghe An ,Dien Bien,Lai Chau, Son La, Hoa Binh.The Thai in

Dien Bien have the largest number of people in total ethnics living here. They are devided into

many different groups in which Black Thai and White Thai are two major groups. To

distinguish between these two groups, people might base on their costume. Although they are

common in many points, each of costume has the distinction. In old times, Thai’s costume

was praised for the simplicity and eligance but very few people know that to have an

”attractive” one like that, Thai women must be skillful in combining each detail to create a

very distinct costume.A traditional costume of Thai women includes a short blouse which is

called “xửa cóm”, long blouse “xửa chái và xửa luổng” , dress, waistband, “Piêu” scarf, “xà

cạp” , “xà tích” and other jewells.

The distinctions in costume of

White Thai and Black Thai women

Đien Bien

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Normal days, the White Thai women wear short

blouse (xửa cóm) with bright colour , regularly white,

and the black “V-shaped” collar. Skirts are often long,

discreet and tube shape. The skirt of Thai has 2 layers,

the white layer inside and the outside is black. It is

combined with the waistband(made of silk fabric) making

the sharp line of Thai women. In the important holidays,

they wear long black blouses (xửa chái và xửa luổng) and

wide brim hats.

The Black Thai’s costume is quite the same as White Thai one. They also wear black dresses,

short blouses. However, the blouses are dark in colour, often black or indigo and their collars are

round. Especially, a detail which both of two costumes share is the 2 button rows of silver

butterflies, one row is male butterflies and the rest one is the female. It is not only decorated for

beauty but also shows a subtle meaning. The married women will have the even row of button and

the young girl will have the odd one. Besides, Black Thai wear an extra turban on their heads

called “Pieu” scarf. It is embroidered fussily by the skillful hands of Thai girls. On important

occasions, they wear the long blouses with more various kinds of styles, colours and decoration

than White Thai.

The Thai wear extra other jewells to make them more

fascinated such as bracelet, necklet, earrings, silver button,

hairpin, etc. All of them are often made of silver.

Although there are different Thai groups, their costume generally

shows the effects together. All of them are very proud of their own

identity and keep developing the traditional value of ethnic group.

Also, that plays an integral part of building an advanced culture of

Vietnam deeply imbued with its national identity.

By Hoàng Thi Ve

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“Xoe“ is a popular dance reflecting daily labour and the struggle for life between man and nature. It

also expresses a dream of peaceful life, a comfortable and happy lifen of million of Thai ethnic groups .

Being an agricultural population, Thai people usually come into the communities living near water

sources along rivers, streams, sustainable settlements in the hill. They have rice paddies and forest

profession. Therefore the Thai have many traditional customs and diverse cultures such as:

costumes, music theory, folk songs, not to mention “Xoe” dance. It is one of the traditional beauty of

people here.The sound of drum along with shout for joy of the youth will make a cirle. It draws the

interviewee’s attention intens intenselyand no distinguish the youth or aging people. When traditional

instruments ring, everyone can participate in spreading round, gather by the fire. And

that cirle is expanded constantly. The main instruments are culvert

and sewer. Sewer is a kind of drum with 1 meter long and 45

centimeters in diameter made of perforated hollow wooden trunk.

Two sides is covered by skin of buffalo or cow. Culvert and 5-7

centimeters in is about 1.5-3 meters long diameter. Culvert can also be

used for signal when villages need to have an inportant meeting.

Besides the sound of culvert along with gong appeals audiences to join

the fun.They ring 2/4 rhythm accompaniment made atmosphere

become more jubilant and sweet. In particularly, dancing gait of music

players creat an eventul space.

The traditional custom

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“Xoe” Thai has red towel put on around neck and

embellished the beautiful and unique dress. “Xoe” Thai is

to attract hundreds, thousands of participants, called "Dai

Xoe". Culture of Thai ethnic group has been preserving six

ancient dances: dance “ khắm khen" represents the unity

of ethnic groups in the Vietnamese community; dance”

khấm khăn mởi lẩu "means that people serve the towel

and offer a drink to show the hospitality; dance “ phá xí"

represents the four corners of the earth solidarity and

people’s motion dance “ đổn hôn " means that in spite of

strong storms and troubles, people are always side by side

with each other in the life and death struggle Dance “

nhôm khăn” expresses getting a victory of havest, building

a new home, giving a birth, getting marriage ổm lọm tốp

mư” presents pleasure and loath to part with each other

after finishing “Xoe” dance

“Xoe” dance shows love of ethic people as well as personal feelings. When dancing if there is

only one cirle, they will dance clockwise and more than one will do anticlockwise. One of the

factors that attract participants are rustic, natural dance, and understandable fascinating of Ly

music. Nowadays flower festival spread is to show solidarity in peaceful life, the hospitality of

the people of the Northwest. In the system Vietnam folk dance, “Xoe” dance plays an

important role in contributing significantly to treasure traditional folk dance. Thai ethnic group

is always proud of their traditional cultural characteristics. After working hard ethnic people

gather under moonlight and the fire flickering, drum, gong as if invited partner to cluster round

together and holding hands in the sparkling and beautiful dance of spreading flowers festival.

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Love Market in Moc Chau, Son La provincen is the

only one on the night of 1st Septemper and on 2nd

Septemper at dawn every year. It is also considered as the

Independence Day holiday of The Muong to remind them

of the success in the war against the French colonialist.

Love Market is the desire and expectation of adolescence.

Before a month, girls have been already busy preparing a

wide variety of bright colorful dresses, whoever they are

Thai, Muong, or Dao and boys have tried to work hard so

as to have enough money to go down to the Market and

find themselves “a spouse”.

On these days, from all walks of Northwest, a thousand

of Mong people from all over Northwest, Viet Bac, Thanh

Hoa, Nghe An and neighbouring ethnicities such as Dao,

Thai, Muong and so on, flock to Moc Chau town and

celebrate the holiday with Muong. The stream of people

pours into Moc Chau like “an endless river of flower”,

from children, girls to older people, all are extremely

excited and happy. Besides, Love Market is a tourist

attraction for visitors inside and outside the country.

Love market in Moc Chau

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On 1st Septemper, families go to the Market,

and then members go her or his own way. Girls

stand together into groups; they gossip and

help each other make sure that they are

perfect with their appearances. Boys bring

small radios, “Khen” to market, play their

favourite songs in order to attract girls and

hopefully find their spouses. Everyone can

take part in traditional games such as spining-

top game, rice cake making race, enjoy

traditional foods and drinks, sing and dance as

well.

When the night falls, people immerse in sounds of flutes, panpipes, melodies and songs

which are performed to make friends by girls and boys. Love Market in Moc Chau is the

beginning of an innocent love. Many couples meet each other here and become husband and

wife, others cannot end with a marriage, but they still keep friendship, often talk and encourage

each other at other next Love Markets every year. At 3 a.m, on 2nd Septemper, family members

meet again and return to the village together without asking about what the other people did

before.

For ethnics, it is time for people to relax

after a hard working period. Although 2

short days cannot make them forget the

lack and difficulties in the life, it gives

ethnics encourage to keep going. For Kinh

people and foreign visitors, it is a chance to

explore Mong’s Traditional customs,

cuisine and costumes of other ethnicities

in Vietnam. Especially, it is a way for

people to escape from busy and noisy

cities.

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Like other ethnicities, the marriage

custom of Black Thai in Dien Bien province

is one of the most important events for each

person in the life. Hundreds of years have

passed, but Thai people have remained their

own characteristic of marriage custom. The

ritual includes: matchmaking, engagement

and official wedding.Matchmaking

ceremony is held after a courtship between a

boy and a girl. The purpose of matchmaking

is for two families to meet and acquaint with

each other and decide a suitable day for

engagement. When going to the

matchmaking, the boy’s family simply brings

some gifts and one compulsory thing that

the boy has to get is a list of the girl’s

relatives, because he must visit all of them

and ask them for their permission to marry

her.

Engagement ceremony will be carried out

just after the matchmaking. The girl’s family

asks offering gifts to bride, the custom of

staying with the wife’s family, During the time

with the family of the spouse, he is behaved as

a family member. His work through months

and years will be converted into silver or

artifacts for the wedding. The time of staying

with the wife’s family depends on each family,

perhaps about 2 -3 months or 2-3 years. After

this custom finishes, his family brings some

things to the alliance and carrys out “Tang

Cau” (chignon ceremony).

The Marriage

Custom of Black

Thai

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After finishing all the ceremony of the

family-in law, the groom will take the

bride to his house, and the wedding

begins. They also worship his ancestors

and join their own party with the groom’s

relatives. It can be said that the custom of

wedding brings the unique traditions of

Black Thai as well as reflects positive

spirit, love of life, the concept of

happiness and human morality of the

ethnics. Besides, it is a joyful reunion of

all family and relatives.

By Doan Thuy Oanh

The representitive of the boy’s family will

wash the bride’s hair with a pot of scented

water, and then comb, pull her hair back and

twist it into a smooth knot at the back. During

the ceremony, 2 sides will drink and sing in

return so as to tell about conditions of the

families as well as bless the couple.

At last, the wedding will be held at houses of

2 families in different times. It is done in the

bride’s family first. The bride and groom will

worship her ancestors 3 times and then greet

her parents and relatives. When all people are

sharing happiness with the couple and family,

the ceremony of spreading out mattresses will

be carried out by some villagers. They often put

clothes of groom and bride under the matresses

(bride’s one and groom’s the other). They also

tie the sleeves of the couple together and 3 days

later they give the couple the clothes to put on,

which are believed to make husband and wife

happier.

“Then” sing - a fairy tune of

People in the Northwest

“Then” singing is a specific

characteristic of Tay, Nung, Thai

ethnic groups in the Northwest.

Then could be understood like

“heaven”. Therefore, “Then” is

considered as a fairy tune of

people here. Then singing is a

form of folk art including both

cultural factors and spiritual

ones. It also has a strong

relationship with cultural and

spiritual life of Tay, Nung, Thai

ethnic groups. Then is originated

in believes of people about

mystical world which has

characters with marvellous power

such as Buddha, God and so on.

At first, there is only one person

singing: both accomapany on

“đàn tính”, sing and “sóc nhạc”.

The lyric of

song along with the rhythm of

“dan tinh” and the sound of

“sóc” will take Mr.Then or

Mrs.Then to heaven. Thus, singer

will be presentative here on the

holidays to commuicate with

God and pray for good harvest,

peaceful and happy life. “Then”

singing is not just a regular folk,

but it is the effect on

combination of arts and other

customs: singing, dacing, playing

musical instrument. The lyric of

song is polised with great care. It

is not only lyrical verses and

natural rhythmes but also

coulsel, encouragement and the

experiment of best behaviours.

Therefore, when young people

listen to songs, they can get a lot

of precious lesson of life, how to

behave other people. Each area

has different “Then” tunes. But

one the whole, there are some

types of performance with the

following main functions: Then

Kỳ Yên (for peace), Then cầu

mùa, Then chúc tụng, Then chữa

bệnh, Then cấp sắc (Lẩu Then).

There is a contribution of “đàn

tính” which makes the singing

reach to the heaven. It plays an

important role in “then” art.

Gourd of “dan tinh” is made

from dry gourd. Two strings are

made fom heart of silkworm. The

gourd seems to be the earth

connected to the neck of this

instrument. The head is

considered as the heaven .

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FESTIVAL

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Ban flower of Thai people – 2013

Source: from internet 17

Annually, on the second lunar month, when Ban white flowers bloom over all

mountains, the Thai (Red Thai and Black Thai) go out together to participate in the Ban

flower festival. This festival (including: Sen ban and Sen muong festival ) is held so as

to pray for good harvests, fine weather and happiness to all the Thai.

Legendarily, there was a boy named Khum falling in love with a beautiful Thai girl named

Ban. However, their love was not allowed by Ban’s father because of Khum’s poor condition.

Ban was obliged to get married with another rich man. She sought Khum for his help but

unluckily, he was not at home. She crossed mountains to mountains until being exhausted and

died in a peak. In this place, people saw a white flower tree. When coming back home, Khum

went to find Ban but became exhausted. After death, he turned into a bird flying freely in the

forest. Each year, people often see the bird coming and singing when the flowers bloom. Later,

people call the flower Ban.

During the time holding the festival, the

sounds of drums and gongs clang through

ways in this mountainous region.

On these days, the Thai get up earlier than

other days to make fire in the kitchens and

prepare for ritual items such as: sticky rice,

boiled chicken, bamboo and wine. But, these

work are just done by the mid-aged and old,

young boys and girl must be busy choosing the

most beatiful dress to go picking Ban flowers.

They call each other and drums and gongs,

whereas the young girl dances “Tham Le”,

which is only used for picking Ban

Ban festival

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flowers. Besides, they also organize some other games such as:

“hoa mai” gun shooting, longbow, “con” throwing, and cock

fighting. Especially, the circle of people spreads for dancing and

singing in the jubilant sounds of drums and gongs.

At night, it is always the most special time for the young. In

the charming scenery and the sound of gongs and drums, they

can show their love each other. Almost all of romantic stories of

the Thai come from this festival. Some couples couldn’t get

married but they would remember their first love in the Ban

flower.

Unlike many people’s belief, Ban flower festival is not only an

occasion for the young to show their love and happiness, but

also an opportunity for the Thai to worship and show their

gratitude to their ancestors.

By Vu thi Van

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Nowadays, together with groups of ethnic minority, the Red Dao play an important

role in developing the economy and society in the Northwest. They have reserved and

developed the unique traditional culture. There are many festivals of the Red Dao, but

“Trầu Sun” becomes one of the most famous festivals here.

Similar to festivals of other

ethnic minorities, “Trầu Sun” is

organized by the Red Dao in the

beginning of the spring. The

aims of this festival are not only

to pray for rain, sunshine and

peaceful life but also to show

their respect to the gods of

mountain, sky and forest. The

Red Dao are also careful to

choose the place holding the

festival, normally in a large flat

place or on the hill.

On the official days of the

festival, almost families in the

village raise a fund to ritual

items and spend time to make

the altar carefully with several

compulsory trays.

The first tray holds some seeds

such as: rice, maize, cassava,

mustard and so on. From the

point of view of the Red Dao, they

believe heavily that Gods can help

these seeds grow quickly and

strongly. In addition, two other

trays are put on two sides. The

first one consists of some things

such as: 5 cups, 1 bottle, a bowl of

floating cakes, 9 eggs and votive

paper. The second one, floating

cake “dùa chíu” is put into the

bowl with 7 or 9 eggs inside.

After preparing all ritual items,

the oracle wearing a traditional

dress of the Red Dao stands in

front of the alter to pray to all

people for good weather, crops

and happiness. They believe that

the Gods always protect them and

make their pleas become true.

Then, there is an impressive

performance of hundred artists

and public actors. They dance and

sing the traditional songs together

with instruments such as gongs

and drums. Besides, all people, not

only the Red Dao but also visitors

participate in some traditional

games together, such as: “Pao” or

“Còn” throwing, kicking a shuttle

cock, tugging a war and so on.

Especially, according to the

viewpoint of the Red Dao, anyone

throwing “Còn” ball through the

hole will be the luckiest person in

this year.

The “Trầu Sun” festival is hold not

only to both pray for luck in new

year and to contribute to educate

solidarity spirit in the Red Dao

community.

By Vu thi Van

Trau Sun festival of the Red Dao

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Cuisines

Northwestern

special dishes

Viet Nam is a country of tropical lowlands,

hills and densely forested highlands. Going

around the “S” shape piece of the land from the

North to the South, there are many delicious and

unique foods in anywhere. When coming to Lao

Cai, we can not forget Thang Co dish. This is a

special dish of Mong people in the North of

highland. It tastes delicious and becomes familiar

to many ethnic groups of this region. Thang Co is

translated by Thoang language, which means

“water pot”. It is made from horse meat and now

added with pork, buffalo meat or beef.

Thang Co is cooked very meticulously. Horse meats and organs are cleaned, each kind of

meat is put in different bowls. Bones are boiled in a few hours into a cooker until they are well-

stewed.

People use a spoon to ladle the foam to make the water more sweet and tasty. All kind of meats

are put into a big saucepan, then stir-fried together. When the meat is scorched, they put all

into the boiling cooker. After that, people put the liver, heart, stomach into this cooker. The

most interesting thing of this special dish is the saucepan still put on the coal stove when the

customers taste. You should njoy Thang Co with a big bowl, each person use a pair of

chopsticks together.

Thang Co _a special dish of Laocai_

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Coming to Thai people in Northwest area in

spring, tourists enjoy not only some special

plates with traditional culture such as: sausage,

grilled fish, steamed sticky rice but also the

ardent flavors which Thai ethnic call “Lẩu xá –

Can wine”. In Thai language, Can wine is called

“lẩu xá” to distinguish between “lẩu siêu” –

alcohol through distillation. To talk about Can

wine, yeast and the process of making yeast

should be mentioned at first. Like other

ethnicities, Thai people use “men lá” to keep

wine. This type of yeast is made from rice flour

blended in the juice of roots, tubers, leaves in

the forest.

Can wine is made from ingredients available in nature by the skillful hands of the Thai.

Formerly, rice was used to make Can wine, which is both high wine Celsius and delicious.

However, instead of using rice, people use cassava to produce Can wine. The steamed cassava

mixed with the yeast along with a moderate amount of husk is kept in the jar under the ground.

Wine mixed with the husk brings the rice’s special flavor. After incubating them from three

weeks to more than one month, people can drink.

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Before drinking wine, The Thai pour cool – boiled water into jars of wine and then plug

rods into the jar. These rods are made of hollow, short bamboo logs. Each of them is about

80 centimeters or one meter long and bended. Depending on participants, the number of

rods can be put into the jar. Therefore, it is acceptable when two or three people can share

one rod to drink. The Thai often enjoy wine with a lot of people not only on the normal day

but also in special occasions such as Tet holiday, festival or to welcome guests They sit in

circle and around the jar. When drinking, they can sing, dance and blow flute together.

Can wine is distinctive flavor of Thai people in Northwest. So from the way of producing wine

to drinking ritual should be maintained and developed to become a deeply cultural beauty of

the Thai.

Hoa Binh’s Can wine 23 By Mai Thi Thu Trang

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