Unique Pang A festival of La Ha ethnic people

Pang A festival is a unique culture and belief of the La Ha ethnic minority group in Quynh Nhai, Thuan Chau and Muong La districts of Son La province. It aims to pray for good crops, health and luck for people and to express gratitude to the gods and traditional healers who have contributed to protecting locals.

La Ha ethnic people in Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district re-enact Pang A festival

The offering tray includes boiled pork and chicken, fish, bitter bamboo shoots, white wine, ‘can’ wine (a type of wine stored in a big jar and drunk with long bamboo straws), sticky rice, and cash. In particular, the Xang Bok tree is indispensable in the worshiping ceremony. It is made from a bamboo tree and a sugarcane tree tied together standing up from the floor to the roof, and decorated with many items related to daily life. This kind of tree is also used for the festive part.

Tang bu dancing, drumming, and scarf tossing around Xang Bok tree during Pang A Festival.

In the ritual part, the shaman invites ancestors, gods and traditional healers to attend the ceremony and enjoy the offerings of their adopted children (those cured by traditional healers), and bless them to stay healthy. The festive part includes dances imbued with ethnic identity, reflecting labour and production activities, and wish for the gods to bless happiness, good weather, lush trees, and no epidemics and disasters.

‘Can’ wine drinking contest.

This is an opportunity for locals to meet each other and offer gifts to express their gratitude to their adoptive parents (traditional healers); exchange production experiences and treatment methods. With that unique feature, in recent years, this ritual has been restored by local Party committees and authorities, contributing to preserving the traditional culture of the La Ha people.

Space featuring culture of La Ha ethnic people in Liep Te commune, Thuan Chau district.
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