Nang Han festival celebrates cultural beauty of White Thai people

  • Lai Chau province's officials and local White Thai people offers incense at Nang Han temple during the festival. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    Lai Chau province's officials and local White Thai people offers incense at Nang Han temple during the festival. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
  • Delegates and local White Thai people dance together in the xoe dance, expressing solidarity between ethnicities. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    Delegates and local White Thai people dance together in the xoe dance, expressing solidarity between ethnicities. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
  • Delegates and local White Thai people dance together in the xoe dance, expressing solidarity between ethnics. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    Delegates and local White Thai people dance together in the xoe dance, expressing solidarity between ethnics. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
  • White Thai girls take water from a special water source that is believed to be the place where Nang Han ascends to the heavens after her victory. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    White Thai girls take water from a special water source that is believed to be the place where Nang Han ascends to the heavens after her victory. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
  • Thai boys and girls play tug-of-war at Nang Han festival. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    Thai boys and girls play tug-of-war at Nang Han festival. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
  • White Thai people wash their hands with water from a special water source that is believed to be the place where Nang Han ascends to the heavens after her victory. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    White Thai people wash their hands with water from a special water source that is believed to be the place where Nang Han ascends to the heavens after her victory. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
  • White Thai women join a graceful, soft dance during Nang Han festival. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
    White Thai women join a graceful, soft dance during Nang Han festival. VNA Photo: Quý Trung
Nang Han festival is held every year on the 14th and 15th day of the second lunar month, which falls on March 24, 25 this year in Tay An hamlet, Muong So commune of Phong Tho border district in Lai Chau province. During the festival, Thai girls dress in traditional costumes and engage in various folk games at the Nang Han temple for the traditional festival, local people offer incense, flowers, farm produce and speciality foods. Thai people also play various folk games such as nem con (throwing a small cloth ball), kicking shuttlecock, walking on stilts and tug-of-war. The legend of Nang Han tells the story of a goddess born into a poor Thai family, who led an uprising against the northern invaders, and after the victory, ascended to the heavens. She became one of six gods who have supernatural powers in the folk beliefs of the Thai people. The annual festival aims to pay respect to Nang Han, pray for peace, prosperity and good harvests. VNA Photo: Quý Trung

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