Taking place from July 12th to 27th, the Xo Ban May Festival offers visitors a journey to discover the authentic and vibrant cultural aspects of the Sa Pa ethnic communities such as Tay, Dao, Mong, Ha Nhi, Giay, Thai, and Xa Pho. These cultural features are fully expressed through traditional ceremonies, costumes, music, and especially the Xo dances.
Vibrant cultural space in the Northwest mountains
Opening the experience for visitors is the art program “Northwest Market”, part of the experiential show “Sacred Peak Travelogue” created specifically for the mountainous terrain of Fansipan.
The graceful dances, the resonant sounds of the khen (mouth organ), the vibrant colors of the ethnic costumes… authentically recreate the atmosphere of a highland market, delighting many visitors.
In addition, the Water and Earth procession is one of the important highlights of the Xo Festival. The procession includes the Earth God and Water God palanquins, two symbols of life and harvest, along with 12 men and 12 women representing the 12 directions and 12 months of the year.
The Tay shaman performs the offering ceremony with chants and melodies, connecting people with heaven and earth, praying for blessings for the residents of Ban May and the attending visitors.
Immersed in the festive atmosphere, visitors can experience local cultural life through a series of scenes recreating the customs, beliefs, and daily life of ethnic groups in the highlands, such as the Dao Do wedding ceremony, the Giay people's red egg dyeing ritual, Tay people's Then singing, Mong people's khen blowing and flax weaving, Ha Nhi people's earthen wall house construction, or the Giay people's housewarming ceremony. Each ethnic community is present in a diverse and proud cultural picture.
The festival atmosphere becomes more vibrant when the Xoay dance is performed in the village square. Hands clasped together, feet moving to the rhythm of the lively drums. Regardless of whether they are locals or tourists, everyone joins in the lively Xoay dance.
The Xoay dance, originally a blend of many Northern ethnic groups, has now become a symbol of unity, togetherness, and love for local culture.
Simple Experiences in a Village Among the Clouds
Besides ceremonies and art performances, the Ban May Xoay Festival is also an opportunity for visitors to meet traditional artisans such as incense makers, corn wine brewers, weavers, embroiderers, and folk musical instrument makers…
This holiday season, the people of Ban May gathered to dye eggs to give to tourists, wishing them luck, happiness, and abundance. Anya, a tourist from America, shared: “I am truly moved. The people here are very friendly. I got to see and become a part of a vibrant culture. This little egg is a very meaningful gift that I will surely take home.”
Ban May was also bustling with a series of folk games such as tug-of-war, throwing balls, stilt walking, rope swinging…, making both adults and children eager to participate.
The sticky rice cooking competition was also a highlight, attracting enthusiastic participation from domestic and international tourists. In the vast natural space, getting to prepare and grill the colorful sticky rice tubes yourself, then enjoying the delicious, fragrant sticky rice while it’s still hot is an unforgettable experience. In the misty atmosphere, tourists and ethnic people chatted merrily, fully experiencing the simplicity and friendliness of the village.
Thu Hang, a tourist from Hanoi, smiled brightly after finishing the stilt walking race: “I never thought I would be brave enough to get on stilts. And today I even dared to bet my husband that I would win the race. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to such a fun festival.”
The Xo Festival will last until July 27th, with main activities taking place on weekends. This is just the opening event for a series of festivals with strong ethnic identity in Ban May in the coming time. It is expected that in August, tourists will be able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the Golden Season Festival celebrating the rice harvest, the Don Thoc flower festival, and the Vu Lan filial piety ceremony on top of Fansipan…
Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life and worries, escaping to the highlands, setting foot in a village halfway up the mountain, taking a deep breath of the fresh air and immersing yourself in the joy of exploring the mountainous region – that is the soothing balm for the soul that everyone desires.
