(VOVworld) - The maturity ritual (Cap Sac) of the Dao ethnic minority group in Thai Nguyen province was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage at a ceremony this week.

According to the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the ritual is indispensable to acknowledge the maturity of a Dao man. All Dao men must go through the ritual in order to be recognized by the community as mature enough to undertake communal positions. The “Cap Sac” ritual falls on the lunar calendar’s Eleventh, Twelfth and First months each year. The recognition of the rite as a national intangible cultural heritage reflects the ethnic group’s pride, as well as efforts by local authorities to preserve the nation’s heritage.