The “New Rice Festival” of the White Thai people in Ngoc Chien commune has become a distinctive cultural event every early autumn. It is an occasion for locals to give thanks to their ancestors and heaven and earth for a bountiful harvest, while also expressing wishes for a prosperous and happy life. Alongside solemn rituals with traditional practices, the festive part takes place vibrantly with many traditional sports and folk games such as stilt walking, “to yen”, and men’s and women’s football. This is also the highlight that both locals and visitors eagerly look forward to.

Lo Thi Hien, head of the Culture Office of the Ngoc Chien commune People’s Committee, said: “In Ngoc Chien, almost every festival or community event includes traditional sports competitions. We incorporate stilt walking, tug of war, “to yen”, and other games into the Hawthorn Flower Festival and the New Rice Festival. These activities not only create a lively atmosphere but also allow the younger generation to experience and better understand traditional cultural values. Maintaining ethnic sports helps enrich spiritual and cultural life, improve people’s health, and preserve the traditional cultural heritage of the ethnic communities in Ngoc Chien.”

In Co Ma commune, where a large number of Mong people live, every Independence Day attracts residents from neighbouring mountainous communes to gather at the commune centre for the Co Ma highland market fair. As part of the fair, traditional sports such as “tu lu” and tug of war are organised, contributing to the preservation and promotion of ethnic cultural identity. In particular, “tu lu” is a sport that showcases the strength and dexterity of young men before young women, drawing enthusiastic support and participation from both locals and visitors.

Bac Cam Cam, Vice Chairman of the Co Ma commune People’s Committee, said that the sporting activities not only help people relax after hard working days but also provide an opportunity for generations to pass down cultural traditions to their descendants.

For many years, traditional sports have been organised into tournaments by various sectors and localities, ranging from the grassroots to the provincial level. In 2025, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a traditional ethnic sports competition to celebrate the Party and the Lunar New Year, bringing together more than 200 athletes of different ages to compete in stick pushing, tug of war, cloth ball throwing, stilt walking, “tu lu”, and “to mak le”.

Do The Cong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the common feature of traditional ethnic sports is that they are easy to play, easy to practice, do not require strict conditions for venues, and are suitable for all ages, thus attracting a large number of participants. This is also an opportunity to select outstanding athletes for the 10th Vietnam National Games in 2026.

Alongside modern sports, traditional sports in Son La are thriving both in breadth and depth, becoming one of the province’s strengths that are well preserved and promoted. They are not only a means of physical training and improving spiritual life but also a way to preserve and spread the unique cultural identity of the Son La ethnic communities.