The Tay Vo Lao people keep their traditional beauty

Every year at the beginning of the year, the yard in front of the stilt house of Mrs. Luong Chi Chau's family, in Chieng 2 village, Vo Lao commune (Van Ban) becomes a familiar and favorite destination of many people in the region. While one group plays a quick game in the middle of the yard, not far away, another group plays a game of swiftlet; Nearby, mothers and grandmothers dance together. Laughing sounds mix with singing, music from the shock absorbers make the Tay village here become more bustling.

Then dance is preserved and promoted by the Tay people here.

According to Ms. Luong Thi Chau, due to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been a long time since people in the village have had the opportunity to meet, exchange and play folk games like this. Although everyone still has to divide into groups to avoid large group gatherings, but meeting and participating in many traditional cultural activities, everyone is happy.
According to the people here, on the occasion of the new spring, the Tay people often go to the forest to find quick fruit trees to bring back to play. The fruit is black or dark brown, with a hard shell, flattened shape, about the size of 3 fingers, becoming a favorite toy of many people in the area. This game can be played in the form of sitting, standing close or standing far. Accordingly, the players are divided into 2 teams, one team arranges the quick fruits in a horizontal row in front, and the other team uses their quick fruits to strike so that the quick fruits fly forward. For convenience, they number the quick fruits. If playing by sitting style, the player will sit in a kneeling position with one leg, put a quick fruit on the other leg and use his hand to shoot a quick fruit to hit one of the quick fruits lined up in front. If you hit all the quick fruits, that team wins, if not, change the team. Just like that, the game is simple but brings joy and laughter to everyone.  
In addition to hitting quick fruits, beating the bird's nest is also a favorite game for the people here. Only a chicken feather ball is made quite simply (the base is made of leaves, the body is made of bamboo or young bamboo tubes, 3-4 chicken feathers) but it requires the player's ingenuity and toughness. The players use their hands to hit the chicken feather ball back and forth so that the ball does not fall to the ground. The game is mainly played by the women and receives the enthusiastic response and encouragement of the people around. 
"It is not important to win or lose at folk games on this occasion, but mainly this is the reason and the opportunity for people to meet each other," said Ms. Luong Thi Chau.

Quick folk game played by the Tay people in Chieng 2 village, Vo Lao commune on holidays and anniversaries.

On the porch, the music comes from the shock absorbers as if inviting everyone to enjoy the attractive Then dancing performed by the mothers and grandmothers in the village. In traditional costumes, the Tay women who usually work in the fields turn into skillful and flexible dancers. The rhythmic footsteps, mixed with the music playing through each movement of the hands, that attract viewers. At the end of one dance, applause has rung out non-stop.
Ms. Hoang Thi Thuong, 59 years old, from Chieng 2 village is excited: The first days of the year are always a fun and exciting time for the people. Before, not much affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, we met 1-2 times every month for group activities with the same hobby of embroidery, weaving, Nom singing, Then dancing... We both practiced and taught each other about new songs, dances or embroidery patterns. In their spare time, we usually sew clothes for their relatives or bring them to the market to sell to those in need, both increasing our family's income and keeping our traditional profession.
According to Mr.Luong Van Vo, Head of Chieng 2 village, the Covid-19 pandemic has prevented the locality from organizing large-scale cultural and artistic activities, but the people still maintain small group activities on the spare time at the beginning of the year.
Leaving the happy, cozy house of Mrs. Luong Thi Chau, on the way back I still heard the echoes of Nom singing of the Tay women; The music in the Then dancing was bustling… These simple but meaningful things evoke a peaceful and warm Vo Lao countryside, with kind, caring people, full of love for the homeland and national culture.

According to LCDT

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