TL;DR: Lùng Tùng is the Thai people's annual agricultural ritual in the Northwest, praying for a bountiful harvest. It includes a ceremonial part to worship spirits and a festive part with folk games.
Lùng Tùng Festival: Agricultural Aspirations of the Thai People in the Northwest
The Lùng Tùng Festival, also known as the Going to the Field ceremony, is a distinctive cultural and religious activity of the Thai ethnic group in Vietnam's Northwest region. It is not merely a spring celebration but a vital agricultural ritual marking the start of a new farming season, with hopes for favorable weather, abundant harvests, thriving livestock, and a peaceful community.
When is the Lùng Tùng Festival held and what does it mean?
Lùng Tùng is deeply rooted in ancient agricultural practices. The Thai people believe that starting a new crop season requires solemn and proper ceremonies to show respect to the spirits and seek their blessings. The festival is typically held at the beginning of the lunar new year when the weather warms up, preparing for the new rice planting season.
What happens during the ceremonial part of the Lùng Tùng Festival?
Elders meticulously prepare offerings for the festival, including boiled pork and chicken, colored sticky rice, fruits, votive papers, betel nuts, cakes, wine, honey, grilled fish, and salted fish. Villages select the strongest buffaloes and the best plows for the year's first furrows.
The ritual begins with a ceremony in the village where the elder or shaman (mo) reports to the local spirits. This is followed by a ceremony dedicated to Nàng Han, a deity considered the protector of the village. Four additional offering trays are prepared for wandering souls, the village guardian deity, deities of the heavens, seas, and underworld, and deities of mountains, forests, and land.
After the village ceremony, a procession carries flags, drums, and offerings to a chosen field, which is flat and spacious enough for the rituals and subsequent festivities. There, after the offerings to the deities, the symbolic plowing and seed sowing take place, marking the sacred start of a new agricultural cycle.
What happens during the festive part of the Lùng Tùng Festival?
The festival's second half features vibrant cultural performances and folk games. The sound of drums and gongs signals the opening of a lively spring atmosphere. Locals and visitors participate in games like nem con (throwing a cloth ball), pushstick wrestling, crossbow shooting, swinging, to ma le, and tug-of-war. These games showcase strength, skill, and dexterity.
Traditional Thai folk performances, including xoe dances and songs, are highlights, creating a joyful atmosphere in the open field.
How was the Lùng Tùng Festival revived and why does it matter today?
In Than Uyên district, Lai Châu province, a longstanding Thai settlement, the Lùng Tùng Festival was last held in 1958 before fading away. In 2018, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism revived the festival, significantly contributing to preserving the Thai cultural identity.
Today, Lùng Tùng is not only a community cultural practice but also an attractive tourist product. It serves as a bridge for visitors to understand the rich spiritual life of the Thai people and promotes the local landscapes and culture. The festival fosters community bonds and helps preserve the traditional cultural values of Vietnam's ethnic groups.
Summary table of data groups about the Lùng Tùng festival of the Thái people.
| Content | Details |
|---|---|
| Other names | Lễ xuống đồng |
| Ethnic group | Thái |
| Region | Tây Bắc |
| Time of organization | Beginning of the new year, after Tết Nguyên đán |
| Offerings | Boiled pig, boiled chicken, colored sticky rice, fruits, votive paper, betel and areca, cakes, wine, honey, grilled fish, fermented fish |
| Ritual host | Village elder or mo |
| Offering trays | Tray for wandering souls, tray for the village tutelary god, tray for deities of the fairy realms, the sea, and the underworld, tray for mountain gods, forest gods, and earth gods |
| Folk games | Tung còn, đẩy gậy, bắn nỏ, đánh đu, tó má lẹ, kéo co |
| Restoration location | Than Uyên District, Lai Châu Province |
| Year last organized | 1958 |
| Year restored | 2018 |
