Tradition

Quang Phu Cau Village Quang Phu Cau village on the outskirts of Hanoi has attained global fame for making incense sticks for more than a century. A woman collects incense sticks in a courtyard in Quang Phu Cau village. Photo by Shutterstock/An Vu. Here dozens are hard at work dyeing, drying and cutting bamboo to make the joss sticks ahead of the Lunar New Year. French news agency AFP made an introduction about the village on its news site in January this year when the village was entering its busiest season of the year. In March this year the photo of a woman collecting incense sticks in a courtyard in the village was named among the 100 best global travel photographs by CNN. Sales surge every year ahead of and during the New Year between mid-January and mid-February, when people visit temples and light incense or burn the sticks at the ancestral altar at home. The village’s products are consumed not only in Vietnam but also in India, China, Malaysia, and other countries. On … [Read more...] about Vietnam traditional craft villages attract global attention

Bunpimay festival is observed on April 14-16 annually to pray for good weather, health, abundant harvests and prosperity. At the event, Lao and Vietnamese students splashed water and tied threads on each other, which are traditional rituals of Bunpimay to wish for peace and a happy New Year. Participants also joined a traditional dance of Laos. Pham Hong Thai, a representative of the college, said the Bunpimay celebration is organised annually for Lao students. In addition, many sport events are frequently held to foster ties between Vietnam-Laos and the two nations’ students in particular. In accordance with the cooperation agreement of the Dien Bien’s People Committee with three Lao northern provinces of Oudomxay, Luang Prabang and Phongsaly in 2003, each year, Dien Bien welcomes 90 Lao students to study in the province. In 2017-2018, the province is hosting nearly 450 Lao students. … [Read more...] about Lao students in Dien Bien celebrate traditional festival

Nature, history, and culture combine to give Ba Ria-Vung Tau a great tourism potential. Major annual festivals include the Whale Worshipping festival at Thang Tam Temple, the Shrine of the Lady festival, and the death anniversary of Saint Tran Hung Dao. In addition to traditional festivals, new culture and tourism festivals, kite festivals, and sea festivals are being organized every year to attract more visitors. Ho Van Loi, former Director of the provincial Culture, Sports, and Tourism Department, said “The province has outlined an overall plan for all of the year’s events and festivals and has set up a program to widely promote them. Provincial communications channels have closely coordinated to support the program.” Ba Ria-Vung Tau has increased tourism promotion by participating in trade fairs at home and abroad, advertising, and entering joint ventures. It has raised tourism events and festivals to national and international levels. Nguyen Van Trinh, Chairman of … [Read more...] about Traditional festivals create impressive Ba Ria–Vung Tau

The Principal of Marie Curie primary school in Hanoi, Nguyen Xuan Khang, received a letter on July 25 from a 5th-grade student named Nguyen Nguyet Linh with a question: "Can our school give up releasing balloons into the sky on its opening day,  or limit the number of balloons?" In Vietnam, anyone who was a student in the 70s, 80s or 90s remembers the beautiful image of opening day, with the teachers and students all gathered in the school yard to release colourful balloons into the blue sky and wish for a successful school year. Hanoi student calls for balloon ban for new academic year events 20 million Vietnamese students embark on new academic year Illustrative image -- File photo Linh, just 12 years old, sent her letter via email to 40 primary and secondary schools in Hanoi, asking them to consider the environmental impact of releasing balloons. "As you know, the balloons are made of nylon and rubber," she wrote. "When you release the balloons into the sky, and birds … [Read more...] about A small action can enact big change

  A group of Khơ Mú men and women perform múa boòng bụ (dance while beating on bamboo tubes). Photo courtesy of Museum of Ethnology   HÀ NỘI – The unique music of bamboo flutes played with the nose of Khơ Mú ethnic minority people will be played during an event at the Museum of Ethnology in Hà Nội on November 23-24. The programme will introduce music of the Khơ Mú people living in Nghệ An and Điện Biên provinces with the participation of 19 artisans. Visitors will have a chance to meet with the artists and learn to make traditional musical instruments of the Khơ Mú such as nose flute, drum set, jew harp and bamboo castanets. The audience will also join the Khơ Mú artists in various dances such as múa sạp (dance between bamboo poles) and múa boòng bụ (dance while beating on bamboo tubes). “The traditional musical … [Read more...] about Khơ Mú people’s unique music at Museum of Ethnology