What is the Gau Tao Festival?
The Gau Tao Festival is a typical traditional festival of the Hmong people, held mainly in the northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam, especially in Lao Cai. In the Hmong language, "Gau Tao" means "playing place," but in reality, it is an occasion for the community to gather, have fun, and more importantly, to thank the spirits after the host family's prayers have been fulfilled. The festival is often associated with wishes for children, health, and good luck, and is held for three consecutive years during the spring.
Origin and Spiritual Significance
According to Hmong beliefs, when a family faces difficulties in having children (no children, few children, or children of only one gender), has someone who is sick, or experiences bad luck in business, they will seek a high, open hill to pray to the spirits for protection. That hill is called "Hau Tao" (assembly hill). If the wish comes true, the family will organize a Gau Tao ceremony to give thanks, usually for three consecutive years, once each year at the beginning of spring.
The deeper meaning of the festival goes beyond thanksgiving; it also expresses the desire for reproduction and development. The Hmong believe that the Gau Tao hill symbolizes the host's fortune. The hollow space in front of the hill represents unfortunate things, while the higher hills behind symbolize growth: children surpassing their parents, and increasing wealth. Therefore, the festival is not only a time to express gratitude but also a way for the community to send wishes for a better future.
Scale and Organization
Unlike many other festivals, Gau Tao is often organized by three families who are related by blood or marriage. These families share a common circumstance, such as being childless or having sick members, and they jointly perform the festival to make it more solemn and to strengthen their bond. The venue is a low hill with a flat top, forming a wide area surrounded by higher hills. The hill must face east so that the erected Neu pole can receive the sunlight, a symbol of life and luck.
The festival is held for three consecutive years, once each year. Each year, a Neu pole is planted, and in the third year, the three hosts take turns bringing the Neu pole and its hanging items home to "receive fortune." The three-year duration shows the host's perseverance and sincerity toward the spirits.
Preparation Rituals: From Cutting Bamboo to Erecting the Pole
Preparation for the festival begins at the end of the twelfth lunar month, with two important rituals: cutting bamboo and erecting the pole.
Bamboo Cutting Ritual
The host must invite a master of ceremonies (called Tru Tao) and a female helper (Ne Tao), both of whom are from prosperous and happy families. Additionally, there are two young men and women who assist the master, called Tu Tao and Say Tao. On the day of cutting, the host prepares an offering tray, the master performs the offering, drinks wine, and sings the "say gie" song (fortune-telling) to explain the reason for the ceremony. Then, the master opens an umbrella, sings the "say din se" song (searching for the pole) and leads the group to the chosen bamboo tree.
The bamboo used for the pole must be straight, with even nodes, 9 to 12 meters tall, free from pests and diseases, not broken at the top, not flowering, and its tip must face the direction of the sunrise. While cutting, the master sings the "chia din se" song (cutting the pole) and walks around the base, striking once per circle. The bamboo must fall towards the sunrise and be carried on shoulders without touching the ground. Then, the trunk is smoothed, leaving the top branches intact to symbolize the "dragon's mane" or sacredness.
Erecting the Pole Ritual
After cutting, the pole is carried to the festival ground without touching the ground or resting on the way. At the site, a hole is dug to plant the pole, ensuring it does not overlap with previous years' holes. The master ties symbolic items to the top of the pole: two strips of black and white linen (black symbolizes gathering strength, white invites ancestors to the festival), a gourd of wine, three sticky rice panicles (symbolizing wealth), and a bunch of "sưi" plant (a fern) symbolizing fertility. The pole is erected with its tip facing the sunrise.
Immediately after erecting, an offering ceremony is held with chicken, wine, and rice. The master lights incense, burns votive paper, walks counterclockwise around the pole, and sings the "Tinh chay" song (appointment day) to inform the spirits that the family is fulfilling its promise of thanksgiving. Then, everyone shares the offerings at the base of the pole.
Main Festival Activities
The main festival is often held from the 2nd to the 4th day of the Lunar New Year, with the date chosen according to the host's age. On the main day, the master and helpers hang offerings on the pole, place votive paper at the base, and kneel in prayer. After the offering, the master declares the festival open.
Entertainment Activities
The Gau Tao Festival is an occasion for the Hmong community to showcase its rich cultural identity. A highlight is the khen (bamboo panpipe) dancing performances, featuring skilled tunes, tones, and dance movements, performed and taught to the younger generation by artisans. There are also traditional martial arts demonstrations, stick dances with coins, and the "Chu Gau Tao" festival singing. Notably, antiphonal singing between men and women, hosts and guests, takes place vibrantly, offering young people a chance to meet, get to know each other, and express feelings that are hard to voice in daily life.
The festive atmosphere spreads throughout the region: when the pole is erected, everyone knows there is a festival that year. They invite each other to go to the market, spread news, and practice cultural and martial performances to "show off their talents" on the festival day.
Lowering the Pole and Conclusion
The festival lasts three days. On the afternoon of the third day, the master announces the lowering of the pole. The ritual is as solemn as the cutting: the pole is made to fall towards the sunrise, its trunk not touching the ground, then carried back to the host's home. Near the house, a section of the base about 1 meter long is cut, the seeds of the three sticky rice panicles are separated, and money is placed in a winnowing basket. The host closes the door and waits, singing in response with the master to receive the pole, then opens the door to welcome it. The pole is carried into the house base first. The master gives the host the linen strips and the pole section: the base is used to "line" the bed, and the linen to make clothes for the child born thanks to the prayer or for the person who recovered from illness. This important ritual concludes the festival, bringing fortune to the family.
Cultural Value and Conservation Status
The Gau Tao Festival is considered the largest and only community-scale festival of the Hmong, closely tied to their spiritual and mental life. It is not only a time for thanksgiving but also a place to preserve and transmit traditional cultural values such as music, khen dancing, martial arts, and folk songs.
However, the festival is at risk of fading. The artisans who hold the skills and rituals are elderly, but they only teach their eldest sons, which limits transmission to the next generation. Moreover, the younger generation is increasingly less interested in participating in rituals and traditional performances. This leads to the risk of losing these unique cultural values.
Recognizing the historical, cultural, and scientific value of the festival, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has included the Gau Tao Festival of the Hmong in Lao Cai in the list of national intangible cultural heritage. This is an important step to protect and promote this heritage, while encouraging the community to continue preserving and transmitting it to future generations.
Conclusion
The Gau Tao Festival is a unique cultural beauty of the Hmong people, expressing aspirations for life, fertility, and family happiness. With its solemn rituals and rich community activities, the festival is not only an occasion to thank heaven and earth but also a bond that unites the community and preserves ethnic identity. Preserving and promoting this festival is the responsibility of the whole society, so that these precious cultural values do not fade with time.
