"Soong Co yellow season" festival was officially launched in the morning of Oct 28 at Dai Duc commune in Tien Yen mountainous district, aiming to make a significant contribution to preserving and promoting the cultural beauty and long - lasting value of San Chi minority ethinic people.
The festival lures a variety of locals and tourists.
The festival comprises rich and unique activities such as a San Chi folk singing show, a singing show at Khe Lac terraced fields, a contest of fast rice pounding and cooking, San Chi ethnic food display contest, San Chi women's football matches, etc.
Within the framework of the festival, locals and tourists also have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the rice harvest season in a large area of yellow terraced fields, directly see the rituals for praying for a fertile crop, participate in a variety of sports activities and folk games.
Tien Yen is well-known for not only the unique taste of food specialities but also the beauty of the rice harvest season in a large area of yellow terraced fields. Paddy harvest in terraced fields in Tien Yen takes place in late September and early October with overwhelmed yellow in the whole region.
Soong Co means call-and-response or love duet. It’s been a cultural practice of many generations of the San Chi people, who live mainly in Binh Lieu, Tien Yen, and Ba Che districts of Quang Ninh province.
San Chi people sing Soong Co whenever and wherever they meet each other, on a mountain, in a field, or by a river. They sing without any musical accompaniment, and their voices are carried on the wind. Sometimes one man and one woman sing a call and response, and sometimes groups sing back and forth. The lyrics reflect daily life and work, nature, the nation, and love.
A San Chi women's football match
Tug of war
Joyful singing perfomances
The reenactment of the San Chi people's harvest praying ritual.
By Pham Hoc
