The Nhồi Festival with the custom of carrying Mrs. Đống in Bac Ninh

Origin and significance of the Nhồi Festival

According to legend, in the past, the guardian spirit of Nhồi Village was Mrs. Đống, residing on a hill outside the fields of Đống Cao Village. Mrs. Đống is a goddess of agriculture, credited with helping the people of Nhồi Village cultivate rice paddies and develop the economic and cultural aspects of the community. During the village festival, the residents organize a procession to bring Mrs. Đống to the communal house and temple for worship and gratitude.

The Nhồi Festival with the custom of carrying Mrs. Đống not only expresses the respect and gratitude of the villagers towards Mrs. Đống but also serves as an opportunity for cultural exchange and Quan họ singing with other villages. Quan họ is a traditional folk singing style of the Kinh Bac region, recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2009. Quan họ involves musical communication between male and female singers through sweet, refined, and emotional melodies.

Organization of the Nhồi Festival

The Nhồi Festival is organized in the following steps:

1. On the evening of the 6th day of the lunar new year, 12 unmarried girls of Nhồi Village stay together in a house to prepare for the procession of Mrs. Đống.

2. After midnight, when the village temple bell rings, the girls, along with Mr. Tiên Chỉ (responsible for managing the procession), parade Mrs. Đống's palanquin from Đống Cả hill to the village. The palanquin is decorated with fresh bamboo, leaves, and fragrant flowers. The palanquin frame is adorned with multicolored paper.

3. Leading the procession are two girls carrying a large drum, with one girl playing a wooden musical instrument. Following the drum are two girls carrying a pair of bamboo castanets, harmonizing with the drumbeat. Behind them are the girls parading the palanquin of Mrs. Đống.

4. As the drumbeat intensifies, 12 young men from Đống Cao Village rush out with their own palanquin. On their side, small, lightweight bamboo sticks, covered in multicolored paper, are prepared. While both sides engage in a spirited tug of war, the boys from Đống Cao use the bamboo sticks to lightly hit the backs of the Nhồi girls. The "battle" only ends when the Nhồi girls leave the territory of Đống Cao Village.

5. When the procession of Mrs. Đống returns to Nhồi Village, the dawn breaks, and Mrs. Đống is brought into the communal house and temple. Inside, the village official conducts a worship ceremony for the guardian spirit, Mrs. Đống.

Outside, the Quan họ singers raise their voices to praise the virtues of the deity and Buddha. Many out-of-town visitors attend the festival. To welcome them, the Quan họ singers of Nhồi Village greet them with sweet and cheerful Quan họ songs. Visitors reciprocate with melodic and refined Quan họ songs while presenting betel nuts as offerings to Buddha. The Quan họ groups of the host village and visitors then join together in the temple to worship the deities and Buddha, followed by a Quan họ singing exchange. The singers, both male and female, sing while sipping betel juice, offering water, and exchanging greetings, creating a joyful atmosphere throughout the festival day.

Value and significance of the Nhồi Festival

The Nhồi Festival with the custom of carrying Mrs. Đống is a culturally significant event in Bac Ninh and Vietnam as a whole. The festival not only reflects the religious beliefs in the worship of the goddess of agriculture but also preserves and promotes the traditional folk singing style of Quan họ – a precious intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Nhồi Festival also serves as a platform for meeting, exchanging, and forming friendships between Quan họ singers through sweet and emotional songs.

The Nhồi Festival with the custom of carrying Mrs. Đống is one of the distinctive and appealing festivals of Bac Ninh. Visitors to the festival not only get to admire the beauty of the vibrant flower palanquin and the colorful Quan họ groups but also enjoy the sweet and refined melodies of the singers. Visitors can also participate in traditional games such as tug of war, pot beating, and yến bird fights, or savor Bac Ninh's specialties such as bún chả, bánh đúc, and bánh phu thê.

The Nhồi Festival with the custom of carrying Mrs. Đống is a festival deeply rooted in the cultural identity of the Kinh Bac region. It is not just a cultural event but also a fascinating tourism attraction for both domestic and international visitors. The Nhồi Festival is a must-visit destination for travelers exploring Bac Ninh during the spring season.