On February 23, Ba Don Ward People's Committee (Quang Tri province) organized the Tuong Son Village Opening Festival and received the certificate of recognition as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Attending the ceremony were representatives of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Quang Tri Museum and a large number of people and tourists.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Ninh - Vice Chairman of Ba Don Ward People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee emphasized that the Tuong Son Village Opening Festival is a typical traditional festival, crystallizing the unique historical and cultural values of the ancient Quang Long land, now Ba Don ward.
Held on the 7th day of the first lunar month every year, the festival opens the new year of labor and production, and also commemorates the merits of predecessors, heroic martyrs, and village tutelary gods.
For the people of Tuong Son, the Khai Ha Festival also sends wishes for peace, favorable weather, and good harvests. Mr. Tran Van Trong, a local resident, said that the festival being recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage is a great pride, adding motivation to preserve traditional values.
At Tuong Son communal house, the ceremony part takes place solemnly with incense offering rituals, opening drums, opening gongs, opening swords, opening whips, opening balls... recreating the unique cultural beauty of the heritage.
The festival part is exciting with the cù snatching festival - a folk game imbued with martial spirit. The two teams compete fiercely, finding ways to put the cù ball into a bamboo basket placed on top of a tall tree amidst cheers. According to folk beliefs, the winning team will have good luck in the new year.
Continuing is the traditional wrestling festival with the participation of wrestlers from residential groups, contributing to creating a jubilant festival atmosphere, connecting the community.
Over 250 years, the Tuong Son Village Opening Festival has become a sacred cultural and historical symbol of the locality. In 2003, Tuong Son communal house and the tomb of General Nguyen Dung were ranked as National Historical Relics.
Receiving the certificate of enrollment affirms the sustainable value of the heritage, and at the same time opens up opportunities for the locality to continue to preserve and promote the beauty of traditional culture, promoting the image of Ba Don rich in historical identity.
