"Xen Dong" ceremony of Thai ethnic people recognised as national intangible cultural heritage

ABO/NDO- On the evening of December 21, at Golden Field Square, Nghia Lo Town, Yen Bai Province, a ceremony was held to announce the decision and award the Certificate of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for the “Xen Dong” (Forest Worship) Ceremony of the Thai People in Nghia Lo Town.

According to Luong Manh Ha, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Nghia Lo Town, the town currently has 5 ranked relics, including two national historical relics: Nghia Lo Cang and Don National Historical and Cultural Relic, and Tay Bac Regional Party Committee National Historical and Cultural Relic.

An art performance at the ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Son).

The three provincial-level relics are: Cam Hanh Temple Historical and Cultural Relic, Vieng Cong Citadel Historical and Cultural Relic, and Nam Toc Tat Historical and Cultural Relic.

In particular, there are three intangible cultural heritages, of which, Thai Xoe Art has been recognised by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity and two heritages have been included in the list of national intangible cultural heritages: Han Khuong Festival, and “Xen Dong” Festival of the Thai people in Nghia Lo Town, Yen Bai Province.

The Xen Dong Festival is a particularly important festival of the Black Thai community which is held annually to pay tribute to the gods and pray for favourable weather, bountiful crops, peaceful villages, and a prosperous and happy life for the people.

This is not only a spiritual activity, but also an opportunity for the community to exchange, connect feelings, and preserve and promote the precious traditional cultural identity of the community.

(Source: NDO)