On January 11, 2025 (December 10, 2024 of the lunar calendar), at Pa Co commune stadium, Mai Chau District People's Committee organized the Gau Tao Festival of the Mong ethnic group. Attending and congratulating the local people were Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Vo Ngoc Kien, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department; and leaders of provincial departments, branches, and sectors; Mai Chau district Party Committee and government.

Overview of the 2025 Gau Tao festival of the Mong ethnic group in Pa Co, Mai Chau (Photo by Duy Nam)

The festival consists of two main parts. The ceremony takes place with the main ritual of erecting the pole. The pole in the Gau Tao Festival symbolizes the sacred tree connecting heaven and earth. The festival is held with the wish that heaven and earth, and gods bless the village with peace and happiness, a bountiful harvest in the new year, favorable weather, and wishes for everyone, every family to be happy, healthy, prosperous, to raise livestock, and to grow crops. At the same time, the festival also aims to honor the traditional cultural identity of the Mong people. The festival takes place with many unique and attractive activities such as: Art performances imbued with the national cultural identity performed by Mong boys and girls; visiting stalls of cuisine, agricultural products, and typical products of the Mong people; compete in folk games, traditional sports such as throwing Pao  (a kind of ball), playing Tu Lu (a traditional spinning top), stilt walking, and playing the Khen (a traditional flute), walking on stilts, dancing with panpipes; pounding rice cakes; competing in traditional costumes, tug of war, etc.

The ceremony to worship the pole includes offerings of chicken, wine, rice, paper. The celebrant lights incense, burns votive paper, then walks counterclockwise three times around the pole, then walks counterclockwise three times, sings the song Tinh chay to set a date and inform the gods about the pole raising, organizes a thanksgiving ceremony and prays for the gods to bless the new year with favorable weather, bountiful crops, wishes for everyone, every family to be happy, healthy, and prosperous, etc. Immediately after the drumbeat to open the festival, people begin the traditional circle dance of the Mong people around the pole.

Gau Tao Festival is a traditional folk festival, a long-standing cultural and religious activity that was restored in 2017. In the Mong language, “Gau Tao” means “outdoor play” or “hill play festival”.

People dancing the Khen – The Mong traditional musical instrument in the festival

The Gau Tao festival is associated with the life philosophy of the Mong people in the Northwest. It is the wish for good health, fertility, favorable weather, and bountiful harvests. The festival needs to preserve its identity and promote every time Tet comes and spring comes in a warm, joyful atmosphere, with colorful brocade, laughter, singing, and the unique Khen sound of the Mong people. During the festival, many domestic and foreign tourists have come to Mai Chau to experience the happy and unique moments when attending the Gau Tao festival.

Hang Kia and Pa Co communes are located in Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province, about 160km from Hanoi and about 30km from Mai Chau town. This is the main place where the Mong people live, with the wild and majestic beauty of the mountains and forests, and is famous for its unique cultural space and majestic nature. In 2025, the Festival will be organized at the district level. Through the organization of the Gau Tao Festival, it will contribute to preserving, maintaining, promoting and honoring the cultural identity of the Mong people. At the same time, it will promote and introduce the history, culture and tourism potential of the two communes of Pa Co and Hang Kia to visitors. The Festival will meet the aspirations and spiritual lives of the people of the two communes, build a healthy cultural and spiritual life, create a joyful and exciting atmosphere to to welcome the Lunar New Year 2025 - the year of snake.

Mong girls performed traditional art at the festival