When bauhinia variegata blooms covering the Northwest forests and mountains, Mong people in Pa Co, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh also welcome Tet Holiday in the cold but full of people’s love atmosphere.

Tet Holiday of Mon people starts from November 29th of the annual lunar calendar (one month before the Lunar New Year of Kinh people) and lasts during three days. When spring is coming, Mong ethnic people, despite living and working anywhere, also remember this traditional New Year’s Day and come back to incense for the ancestor and look forward to the bless for the family with health and fortune. The preparatory works for Tet Holiday of Mong people are also same as that of Kinh people; they prepare for Tet Holiday before November 30 of the lunar calendar, decorate, replace new the altar and make Giay Cake (instead of making Chung Cake as Kinh people). The altar of Mong people is unique and imbued with ethnic identity, reflecting the unique and simple features like their lives. The altar is located at the middle of the main compartment of the house, only with a self-made white paper sticking on the walls along with the decorative patterns to symbol for health. Each time of incensing for the ancestor, Mong people also take a wooden table to put the items for worshiping on it; in addition to the chicken, two Giay Cakes and some fruits, they also worship hoe, shovel, axe, mouse shotgun, etc (the items help them in production and hunting). Mong people think those items like humans, it's necessary for them to take a rest so that in the next year, they will be filled with health to plow, rake, hunting many mice and help people escape from hunger and cold weather. Moreover, Mong people also worship two main kitchens and incense continuously for 3 days so that the kitchen god helps them keep the flame, dispel evil spirits and beasts. The items used to worship are commonly made by Mong people. During Tet Holiday, Mong people always worship the home ghost and the items to help them maintain and improve their lives.

The New Year of Mong people is an opportunity for the couples to understand together. They prepare new clothing from the early morning; until seven o’clock, they are present at a large place to play game called “throwing fabric ball” (handmade from fiber fabric); the boy throws the fabric ball towards the girl he falls in love with; if that girl also loves him, she will catch that ball; that’s considered the agreement. In contrast, if any girls love any boys, she will do such that. The game “throwing fabric ball” occurs within ten consecutive days until they get tired and hungry. Until the evening, they continue to play the game called “throwing fur ball” like playing the game “throwing fabric ball”; these games are same as how to play; only changing the item to throw. Many couples in the village getting married also thank to the Lunar New Year and the games with full of ethnic identity.

Coming to Mai Chau and people from many ethnic groups to enjoy the cheerful atmosphere as a place to meet together, exchange goods and share the final stories of the year in the market. Have a general view of the brilliant natural landscapes in the spring, the apricot and plum forests with the white blossom covering the entire valley, and then immerse in the rustic and simple life of the highland people in the market. Many visitors coming here to discover only want to stay here forever. If you want to experience and discover these unique features, please contact us for more details Mai Chau Ecolodge sales@ecolodge.asia or call (+84-24) 3221 6726

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