Red Dao new year starts early in Yen Bai
The new year festival of Red Dao ethnic people in Yen Bai Province starts about a week earlier than Kinh people with many unique features.
The Red Dao new year is also the time when everyone takes a rest from a year of hard work, pay respects and tell the ancestors and gods about their achievements and hardships.
Most of the families started preparation for their new year, which fell on January 19 this year, five months before. They raised pigs, chickens and rice so that everything will be ready five days before the festival and everyone would stop working.
The family members help each other prepare new clothes to visit relatives and neighbours during the holiday.
Since early morning, they had to wake up early to make day cake and humped chung cake. The humped chung cake is a symbol for the patience and hard-working of the Red Dao's women. They also make paper offerings themselves.
On behalf of the whole family, the shaman invited the families' ancestors to return home to celebrate the new year.
Parties are held alternatively at the houses of each member of the family every day.
The Red Dao new year is also the time when everyone takes a rest from a year of hard work, pay respects and tell the ancestors and gods about their achievements and hardships.
Most of the families started preparation for their new year, which fell on January 19 this year, five months before. They raised pigs, chickens and rice so that everything will be ready five days before the festival and everyone would stop working.
The family members help each other prepare new clothes to visit relatives and neighbours during the holiday.
Since early morning, they had to wake up early to make day cake and humped chung cake. The humped chung cake is a symbol for the patience and hard-working of the Red Dao's women. They also make paper offerings themselves.
On behalf of the whole family, the shaman invited the families' ancestors to return home to celebrate the new year.
Parties are held alternatively at the houses of each member of the family every day.
Some photo of the Red Dao's new year festival:
The new year of the Red Dao people
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