Among the 19 ethnic groups in Dien Bien, the Ha Nhi people have a very rich cultural and spiritual life that is still preserved quite intact, with little mixing or interference with other cultures. The Ha Nhi people have sophistication from women's clothing to living habits, culinary culture or spiritual culture...
In particular, the cultural identities of the Ha Nhi ethnic community are most clearly expressed during festivals and holidays such as: February festival (Ga ma thu); rain-praying ceremony; forest worship ceremony and especially Khu Su Cha festival - the traditional New Year of the Ha Nhi ethnic group.
Khu Su Cha is usually held in December of the solar calendar every year, starting on the most beautiful day of the month and lasting for 3 days. This is the time when people have harvested crops, reaped the fruits of a year of labor and production and prepared to welcome a new year.
During the traditional New Year, the Ha Nhi people are required to make floating cakes, pound sticky rice cakes and slaughter pigs to worship their ancestors and gods... Each of these tasks is accompanied by quite special rituals, bearing the unique identity of the Ha Nhi people.
Along with that, during the Tet holidays, there are many unique cultural activities such as xoe dance, conical hat dance simulating typical movements in labor, production and daily life... Perhaps from these unique cultural features combined with the inherent friendliness and hospitality of the Ha Nhi people, Khu Su Cha Tet has become a tourist "brand" in the far West that is known to many people.
In the evening, cultural exchange programs were also organized, attracting the participation of many people and tourists. At the end of the exchange, both the host and the guests joined in the traditional xoe dance of the Ha Nhi ethnic group amidst the warm winter firelight at the border of the Fatherland.
In addition to the cultural features imbued with the identity of the Ha Nhi ethnic group, Sin Thau commune is also known by many people for having a zero-numbered milestone (Milestone 0) - the westernmost point of the country. That is also the great potential and advantage for Sin Thau to attract and develop tourism.
Recognizing that strength, in recent years, local authorities have always paid attention to and created conditions for the Ha Nhi people to gradually restore their cultural identities through festivals and New Year. From there, they have built a mass cultural and artistic movement in the villages to maintain traditional xoe and dances; promote culinary culture and folk games...
In recent years, Dien Bien province has also been promoting the upgrading of A Pa Chai opening to a border gate. This is also an important factor to attract and develop tourism, services and trade in the westernmost land of the Fatherland in the coming time.
