The festival has just ended last week at the regional Traditional House with over 400 participants including 11 companies from localities of Phu Giao district and 3 guest delegations from Dau Tieng, Ke Sach and Loc Ninh district. The opening ceremony involved national costume parade, gong – drum opening, “can” wine launching and ethnic performing items chosen from preliminary round. These were lively melodious gong sound from the performance of Khmer gongs teams of Loc Ninh district; lissome Khmer dance from Ke Sach’s team; gentle tone of Tay ethnic minority from Phuoc Hoa team; or Cham characteristic performances from Dau Tieng district of familiar songs like Apsara, Tinh lang gom (Love of pottery village)…
Also at the festival, there were sporting competitions of stilts walking, cau Kieu walking, sticks pushing, tugging, rice sacks running, football… Mr. Kim Niem, a representative of Khmer ethnic minority at An Binh, Phu Giao said that they wanted to introduce Khmer characterized costumes besides traditional performances. In the costume performance, men worn white T-shirts and sarongs; women dressed bamboo shirts (also called round collar shirts), sarongs and “sbay” tied with sparkling glass beads on sophisticated patterns.
Additionally, many good customs of ethnic minorities of Cham, Khmer, Tay, San Chi, Nung… were presented to the mass and received widely compliments. This activity contributed to preserve, uphold traditional values across the province. La Thi Tham, a San Chi ethnic minority people, expressed her joy as seeing many vivid folk performances including a dance from her San Chi minority and promised to learn singing, dancing in order to contribute to the next festival.
The festival was in an attempt to commemorate the 38th liberation day of the South Vietnam (April 30th) as well as generate useful playground for ethnic people to encourage special traditional values preservation. Major number of ethnic participants proved the necessity for cultural activities within the province. Shortcomings of this festival were also aware and remedied for a next better festival.
Reported by To Tam – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
