Cereal pounding festival

Held in the 9th lunar month every year, the green rice pounding festival in Con Lon commune, Na Hang district (Tuyen Quang) is a unique traditional cultural activity of the Tay ethnic people in the area.

In the autumn weather, the green rice pounding festival not only opens the new harvest but is also a time for people here to have the opportunity to exchange cultures and increase solidarity.

With over 60% of the Tay ethnic group living, Con Lon commune, Na Hang district, Tuyen Quang province has large fields surrounded by mountains. This is a favorable condition for people here to develop agriculture, especially sticky rice.

The yellow flower sticky rice variety has been grown in Con Lon for many generations. When the sticky rice fields are in full bloom, the Tay people often hold a green rice pounding festival, also known as the moonlight festival, Hai festival. The Cereal Pounding Festival is the Moon Festival, celebrating the new rice season in October to prepare for the annual Lunar New Year.

The green rice pounding festival is not only meaningful to agricultural producers but also has spiritual meaning. Because, after the end of the rice harvest season, farmers want to have fragrant green rice grains to offer to their ancestors, praying that heaven and earth will always have good weather and good weather, helping them have good luck in labor and production.

When the festival begins, everyone starts making green rice, the rice clumps are divided into small pieces and placed on grids made of fresh bamboo, then placed on the mouth of the furnace.

Through the skillful hands of the ladies, the rice clusters are turned over and over continuously to ensure that the sticky rice grains ripen evenly. To prevent the rice flakes from being sticky or sticky, the rice grains must be cooled completely before being put into a mortar and pounded.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ich, Con Lon commune, Na Hang district, said that it takes about 20-30 minutes to make a batch of green rice. When making green rice, we must rub it and let it cool before pounding. If it is still warm, we must pound it gently, making sure the grains are not crushed.

To keep the green rice delicious and soft, the green rice is carefully wrapped in a layer of banana leaves or dong leaves. From green rice, you can prepare many dishes such as sticky rice with green rice, green rice cake, fried green rice... dishes rich in highland cultural identity.

With traditional rituals, the green rice pounding festival has been bringing local people and tourists new experiences and unique features of this long-standing festival.

Mr. Ma Van Khanh, a tourist from Yen Hoa commune, Na Hang district said: It has been a long time since he had the opportunity to fully enjoy this festival so he feels very happy. He wants the festival to expand and be known by more tourists from near and far.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a tourist from Thai Nguyen, said that this was the first time she participated in the green rice pounding festival. Unlike many places, the green rice pounding festival in Con Lon carries with it the breath of the Tay people here - the owners of the festival. In particular, the green rice products made are very delicious, fragrant, and deeply imbued with the homeland's identity.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Bach, Chairman of Con Lon Commune People's Committee, said: The restoration of the green rice pounding festival aims to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, contributing to enriching the spiritual life of the people.

This is also an opportunity for the younger generation to learn experiences in making green rice and preserve traditional local cuisine. From there, promote socio-economic development as well as tourism development.../.