Muong A Ma Festival

Xinh Mun people reside mostly in the area around Vietnam and Laos border line, especially in Son La Province. During the harvest days, after collecting all the crops, Xinh Mun people usually organize a ceremony to worship the Gods who gave them a bountiful harvest. Called Muong A Ma in the language of Xinh Mun people, this festival is organized from the last month of a lunar year to the second month of the next year.

The Muong A Ma Festival is not an annual event. It is only held every 3 or 5 years. The one who organize and take charge of the event are the most respected worshipers in the village. The festival takes place in 2 days when the newly collected crops and the healthy chickens, pigs, etc. fill every single house.
Photo: nongdan.com.vn 

The ceremony officially starts when one of the leaders of the festival begins to worship the Gods on behalf of the villagers. He thanks the Gods for what they did the last year and asks for a better harvest next year without empty corn seeds, diseases for plants, animals or the members of the community. After that, amidst the energetic sounds of gongs and drums, all villagers will dance the traditional dances such as Tang Bu, To Luong, Boat-racing, etc. Traditional games like martial arts competition or Giac Klsu are also an indispensable part of the festival. They are participated in by the young men and girls and cheered by the playful kids of the village.

The Muong A Ma festival can be considered as one of the most typical and distinct events of Xinh Mun ethnic group. It is a means of interaction that contributes greatly to the unity of the community and the preservation of cultural traditions across generations. It is, without a doubt, extremely hard to fathom the beauty and distinctions of this wonderful festival without witnessing it yourself. So go, feel, and complete your understanding of this unique Vietnamese festival. Yes, I will be waiting for you.