Popular Festivals in Mai Chau

Mai Chau is a small commune in Hoa Binh province and it is a popular destination in the itineraries of Mai Chau Trek.

Through tangible and intangible cultural value preservation, conservation and promotion, together with tourism resources which towards community development, the minorities here want to introduce more about their life, culture, and traditions to visitors. Many festivals are restored such as:

4 popular festivals in Mai Chau

Xen Ban Xen Muong Festival
Rain Praying Festival
Gong Festival
Long Tong Festival

Xen Ban, Xen Muong Festival

1. Xen Ban Xen Muong festival (Thai people)

Time: 8th lunar month

Place: This festival is held at a shrine of Muong village.

This festival is held to worship the tutelary god of Muong village and the founders of Thai village when they moved from Muong Huoc Kha.

The festival is started with many exciting activities. The first day is mostly for the ritual, singing, dancing and playing the gong. The second day is shooting and cross-bow contest. For shooting contest, one person will throw a grapefruit to a roof of the house. When the grapefruit rolls down, all competitors will try to shoot it down from a far distant. Besides, there are many games of the Thai people such as Keng Loong, gong playing, “con” throwing, spinning top, singing contest…

2. Praying for rain Festival

Praying for rain Festival

Time: 4th Lunar month

Place: Mai Chau commune, Hoa Binh province

In 3rd or 4th lunar month, when it is droughty, the Thai people in Mai Chau will hold Praying for rain Festival.

This festival will be organized in a red halo around moon night. Local people will go to all the houses in the village and sing to pray for rain and they also bring the torch and go around the village.

In this occasion, nearly all activities of Thai people are aimed at praying for rain. Boys and girls stop singing love songs but sing for rain.

3. Gong festival (Muong people)

Time: In the new year, Tet holidays and in festivals

This is a big festival and it is also called “Xec Bua” festival of Muong people in Hoa Binh. “Xec Bua” means people who can play Gong and sing well bring Gong to sing. They will go to visit many families on Tet holiday. They go in order and read impromptu poetry, praise the house owners, give the best wishes to the owners. The owners also bring gifts to accompany with repartee singing.

4. Long Tong festival or Going to the field (Tay people)

Long Tong festival

Time: From 5 to 15 of the first Lunar year.

Place: At the village, at the fields and near streams.

The festival is held to worship the tutelary god, mountain god, and stream god.

This festival is also to pray for good weather, productive crops, peaceful life, good health, etc. The popular activities in this festival are lion dancing, Con throwing, Xoe dancing, tug of war…It is also a special occasion, boys and girls will have a singing contest until midnight.

Booking our Mai Chau valley tours on the occasion of festivals will make your holiday much more exciting.