At the First Ethnic Culture Festival of Sam Mun commune, Dien Bien province (December 28), the bull fighting festival became the focus of attracting thousands of people and tourists, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the border highlands at the end of the year.
Here, nearly 10 pairs of carefully selected cows competed together, bringing the audience eye-catching competitions.
A special point when the judging criteria emphasize the flexibility and endurance of the "competitors". Accordingly, the pair with the longest competition time will win the overall victory.
Present from early morning to prepare for his "competition", Mr. Ly A Hong (Na U village, Sam Mun commune) could not hide his excitement and pride.
Mr. Hong said that his cow is nearly 7 years old this year, and is being cared for according to a special regime to have a muscular body, a solid posture, sharp horns and brave eyes, ready for dramatic "horn-locking" scenes.
Watching at the bullfighting festival, Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh - a tourist from Dien Bien Phu ward said: "This is the first time I have witnessed a vibrant bullfighting festival with such a strong cultural identity right in the border commune.
The atmosphere is very bustling, people cheer enthusiastically, making tourists like us also be swept away by each fight of the cow pairs".
Not only is there a bullfighting festival, the Culture Festival of Ethnic Groups in Sam Mun commune is also a colorful cultural space with a series of attractive experiential activities.
Visitors can visit booths displaying sophisticated traditional handicrafts such as horn making, blacksmithing, weaving, flax weaving, brocade... along with typical agricultural products of the locality.
The festival space also has traditional folk games: crackling banh day, khen dance, pa pao throwing...
In particular, visitors can also immerse themselves in the Mong ethnic cultural space with the Xu Ca altar worship ceremony, recreating the traditional Tet activity scene "Nao pe Chau", or experiencing the unique art "Han Khuong" of the Thai ethnic people.
Mr. Pham Thiet Chuy - Chairman of Sam Mun Commune People's Committee said that the Festival is organized to honor traditional cultural identity, promote the image of Sam Mun homeland and people. At the same time, it creates a space for exchange and strengthens the great national unity bloc.
Through the Festival, good traditional cultural values continue to be preserved and promoted. Closely linking cultural preservation with tourism and socio-economic development" - Mr. Chuy emphasized.
Sam Mun commune was established on the basis of merging 2 communes Na U and Pom Lot. This is a border commune of Dien Bien province with more than 8,100 people, with a natural area of over 156 km2, including 20 villages/hamlets.
