“Wind prevention” Festival of Dao Thanh Phan in Quang Ninh province
Truong Gian -
(VOVWORLD) -The Dao Thanh Phan in Binh Lieu district, Quang Ninh province, celebrate a “Wind prevention” Festival on the 4th day of the 4th lunar month. This year it was held on May 19th of the solar calendar as part of the Ha Long-Quang Ninh National Tourism Year.
 A revitalization of the “Wind prevention”ritual at the launch of the National Tourism Year 2018 in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh province. (http://baoquangninh.com.vn)
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Originally the “Wind prevention” Festival was held only among Dao people. Since 2009 Dong Van commune has organized the “Wind prevention” Festival on a larger scale and turned it into a “Festival of ethnic groups in Dong Van commune”.
During the “Wind prevention” Festival, Dao Thanh Phan people stop all production activities like ploughing fields and planting. They believe that it’s an unlucky day to do anything: if they build a house, the house will collapse; if they grow rice, the rice fields will fail. If they leave their house, the Wind Genie will blow through the empty house, sweep away bad luck, and bring prosperity and fertility to the family.
 Girls prepared clothes for their performance.
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So they get out of their houses in the early morning and return only when the sun is behind the mountain. They gather at a beautiful place in the mountains or near a brook to relax. Young people sing to express their love for each other. People share their production experience for the next crop.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Hanh, Chairwoman of the Binh Lieu district’s People’s Committee, says: “We hope the “Wind prevention” Festival will attract tourists. It shows the spirit of unity among ethnic groups here.”
 Young men played stick-pushing at the Festival.
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The “Wind prevention” Festival features cultural and sports events such as throwing a cloth ball through a ring on top of a tall bamboo pole, crossbow shooting, and weaving. Duong Tai Mui, a local woman, says: “I follow the old custom of attending the fair. I meet and talk with old friends. Everyone goes to the festival. No one works.”
The Dong Van market fair is crowded with people selling and buying farm tools, household utensils, clothes, and accessories. In recent years, the “Wind prevention” Festival has attracted Tay and San Chi from other communes as well as the Dao from China’s Guangxi province.
Truong Giang
Truong Gian