Muong Lo fest honours 17 local ethnic groups

Yen Bai (VNA) - Muong Lo Tourism and Culture Week has opened in Nghia Lo
town in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai, highlighting the
unique cultural features of 17 ethnic groups in the region.

"This year, the festival highlights unique traditions of various local
groups and helps bring them closer together," said Lo Thi Huan, vice
chairwoman of Nghia Lo commune People's Committee.

One particular performance aims to portray the beauty of the culture, people
and nature of Muong Lo village as hundreds of local artists are set to
perform xoe dancing (traditional dance of Thai ethnic people). The dance
brings everyone together in a circle around the village shrine, and with so
many people hand-in-hand several circles are likely to form.

A Gau Tao (new year) festival will also take place, along with sap (bamboo
pole) dancing, khen (pan-pipe) performances and the Mong ethic people's
ritual of worshipping the tea tree.

Tourists will be able to find out more about traditional trades such as
musical instrument making, brocade weaving and plaiting.

During the one-week festival, Muong Lo's ethnic people will be sporting
their traditional clothes. Tourists are welcomed to join in, and also check
out some local cuisine.

The week will also kick off a travel programme offering various tours to
visit nearby villages, waterfalls, terraced fields, hot-water streams and
tea farms in Nghia Lo, Van Chan and Mu Cang Chai towns.

These tours will offer visitors a chance to experience the daily lives of
the locals, offering them a genuine cultural experience.

The annual event is being put on three northern provinces including Yen
Bai, Lao Cai and Phu Tho, hoping to introduce and popularise the cultural
features of ethnic groups and attract tourists. The festival will run until
October 21.-Enditem