Exploring the Traditional Tet Customs of the H'mong Ethnic Group in Northwest Travel

Join Mytour on a journey to Northwest Vietnam and discover the unique Lunar New Year customs of the H'mong people.

Exploring the Traditional Tet Customs of the H'mong Ethnic Group in Northwest Travel

The H'mong people prepare meticulously for Tet. From taking time off work to tidy up their homes to making new clothes, decorating houses, and preparing ancestral altars. Every December in the lunar calendar marks the beginning of the H'mong people's preparations for their traditional New Year. It's also the time when the first cherry blossoms in the highlands of Northwest Vietnam begin to bloom.

The H'mong New Year's Day features alternative dishes such as mèn mén, fragrant thắng cố soup, soft and chewy bánh dày cakes, and warm corn wine. Throughout the villages, the sound of pounding glutinous rice to make bánh dày cakes fills the air, an indispensable specialty on New Year's Day. According to belief, bánh dày represents the sun, the moon, and the origin of humanity. Each household can make from 50 to 100 bánh dày cakes for Tet offerings.

In addition to thắng cố, mèn mén, and bánh dày, corn wine is a must-have, made from sweet, sticky yellow corn harvested at the end of every June. Northwest corn wine has a special sweet, fragrant taste. Take a sip, and you'll immediately taste the fragrant aroma, slightly spicy, tingling sensation on the tongue, followed by a surprising warm and refreshing feeling.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, every household adorns itself with splendid new attire. For the Hmong people, it's a time to don their exquisite traditional garments, intricately woven and adorned with ornate patterns. Paired with headscarves and belts, these ensembles are a testament to their rich cultural heritage.

The Lunar New Year festivities among the Hmong community are replete with cultural exchanges and communal activities. From ancestral offerings to communal feasts of corn wine and Tet delicacies, the celebrations are filled with joyous reunions, well-wishes, and traditional games like toss ball, spinning tops, and more.

A paramount aspect of celebrating Tet is observing traditional taboos to usher in peace and prosperity for the coming year. The Hmong people refrain from lighting fires and stepping on stoves, fearing they might disturb the spirits. They also avoid burning rice cakes or blowing out fires, and abstain from eating rice soup with broth for three days, all in anticipation of a bountiful harvest.

The Tet festivities of the Hmong people in Northwestern Vietnam encapsulate the unique cultural essence that generations have tirelessly preserved. It's a time when their vibrant traditions shine through, reaffirming their cultural identity amidst the joyous spirit of the Lunar New Year.

According to Mytour

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