The pole is a sign of the traditional Lunar New Year. Raising the pole marks the beginning of the New Year celebration, and lowering the pole marks the end of the New Year celebration. The time for raising and lowering the pole usually falls between the 30th of December and the 7th of January.
The shadow of the bamboo tree in front of the yard is curved like a waning moon, the sound of the hanging earthen bells is tinkling, the red silk ribbon flutters to welcome the spring of growth and prevent evil and risks. That is on the spiritual side, but on the material side, the bamboo tree is really deeply attached to the Vietnamese people's Tet celebration.
Vietnamese folklore tells that when they were still alive on earth, demons robbed people of their land. Buddha saw this and stepped in to help by telling people to negotiate to buy a piece of land from the demons, just the size of the shadow of their robes. The land in the shadow of the robe would belong to the humans and the demons agreed.
There was a piece of land where people planted a bamboo pole for Buddha to cover his robe on. Then Buddha cast a spell to make the pole grow taller and taller so that the shadow of his robe would spread wider and wider. Finally, the demons were chased all the way to the East Sea and then they gathered their forces to take back the land. Buddha also showed them how to use lime powder, garlic, and pandan leaves to chase away the demons.
The demon failed and begged to be allowed to visit his homeland every year and burn incense for his ancestors for a few days during the Lunar New Year. The people agreed, and from then on, every time Tet came, people planted a pole to prevent the demon from visiting the graves. And then it became a custom of Tet.
Erecting a pole is also a custom of many ethnic groups in Vietnam. In general, the pole is considered a symbol of the bridge between the human world and the world of spirits, driving away evil spirits, the abode of good things and the desire for a prosperous and happy life...
For the Co Tu people living in the Central region, the pole is a cultural symbol and is indispensable in sacrificial ceremonies. The Co Tu pole has a very elaborate form, decorated like a work of folk art and its expressive meaning is also very diverse, and is indispensable in the buffalo stabbing festival.
Living next to the Co Tu people, the Ca Dong people in Quang Nam also erect a pole to celebrate Tet. For them, the pole is the residence of gods and ancestors when they return to their villages to celebrate Tet. During these days, the Ca Dong people worship the Water Trough with the meaning of cleansing away the impurities of the old year, praying for gods to drive away evil spirits and diseases so that the villagers can be healthy, prosperous and happy.
Meanwhile, the Ede people in the Central Highlands also erect a pole on Tet holiday. For them, this is the Ede Spirit Tree, a symbol of spirituality, a connection with the gods to pray for blessings for the village. The Ede people's custom of stabbing buffaloes is also carried out next to the pole, as a sacrificial ceremony.
For the Thai, Muong, and Hmong communities in the North and Northwest, the Neu tree is both a spiritual bridge connecting people and gods, and a place for the whole community to have fun during Tet with the custom of throwing balls. Men, women, and girls compete to throw balls through the circle attached to the top of the Neu tree to show off their talent, strength, and dexterity amid the cheerful laughter of the Spring Festival.
