Ha Long Carnival promotes ethnic cultures

The rich culture of ethnic communities in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh and the northeastern region was highlighted at the spectacular Carnival Ha Long 2012 held on May 1.
An event to mark the province’s Ha Long Bay being listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, the carnival was the biggest ever since first held five years ago.
Thousands of people, including many foreign tourists, enjoyed performances featuring the hospitality and beauty of local people and land.
Several famous artists, including People’s Artist Quang Tho and pop stars Ho Quynh Huong and Ngoc Anh, took part in the event.
In addition, performances by art troupes from the Republic of Korea, China, Laos and the Philippines create extra cultural diversity at the event.
A vivid parade gathering thousands of ethnic people living in the province took place on the city’s main street alongside the beach.
Unlike other previous carnivals, where most of the performers were professional artists, this year’s event gathered more than 3,000 performers from ethnic San Chay, San Diu, Tay and Dao groups.
The tourists also had a chance to learn about the distinctive cultural identities of different ethnic groups when several traditional festivals and customs were presented.
They wallowed in the festive atmosphere of a traditional wrestling competition of Quang Yen District, or a rice-planting kick-off ritual from women of the Ha Nam Island in Yen Hung District.
While the San Diu group living in Van Don replicated a traditional wedding, the Dao, Hang Bo and San Chay groups presented folk dances.
The carnival became more beautiful with a spectacular fireworks display presented by French artists.
The parade was also joined by a group of 300 local Buddhists, aiming to promote the spiritual culture of the province, considered as a cradle of Vietnamese Buddhism. The 1,068m above sea level Yen Tu Mountain in the province is the place where King Tran Nhan Tong in the 13th century founded the Truc Lam Zen School.
The site attracts thousands of pilgrims every year, contributing significantly to the province’s socio-economic development.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh, President of the New7Wonders Foundation Bernard Weber and representatives of other New Seven Wonders of Nature participated in the event.