Reporters and photographers surrounded the gathering to light fire and blow rice in the middle of a communal house yard in Hanoi
Saturday, February 17, 2024 13:25 PM (GMT+7)
This afternoon (February 17), the traditional fire-pulling rice-blowing festival in Thi Cam village (Hanoi) took place enthusiastically, the communal house’s yard was filled with smoke, fire and laughter. Because the festival is right in the center of the capital, it attracts a large number of reporters and photographers to take photos and report news.
Video: Thi Cam village’s fire pulling and rice cooking festival.
From 10 a.m., many Buddhists and tourists came to offer incense at Thi Cam village communal house (Xuan Phuong ward, Nam Tu Liem district).
The village elders dressed up for the ceremony. Thi Cam village’s fire-pulling rice cooking festival takes place annually on the 8th day of the Lunar New Year to commemorate the village’s Tutelary God – General Phan Tay Nhac.
The rice blowing competition teams wear traditional costumes. This year’s competition has 4 participating teams corresponding to 4 residential groups in Xuan Phuong ward.
After the ceremony, the utensils used to make fire to blow rice, requested from Thi Cam village communal house, will be brought to the communal house yard. At this time, reporters and photographers surrounded the competing teams.
Mr. Phan Thanh, one of the judges after the festival, said that every year the festival takes place successfully, the weather is sunny and no rain. “You always support us,” he added.
After the shout “the competition begins” at 11 o’clock, the teams started to light the fire. Tools for pulling include 3 sticks, a box of dry bamboo and tinder made from dry straw.
The logistics teams of the competing teams winnow the rice. Before that, the paddy is pounded into rice using a large stone mortar and pestle.
The atmosphere became more exciting when the teams started to build fires.
The space of Thi Cam village communal house resounded with the sound of drums and gongs, and the sound of people cheering and sweating.
Around the competing teams, reporters and photographers began to compose photos.
Many female photographers use photo sticks to get beautiful and unique angles.
Outside the communal house yard, many tourists from all over stood and watched curiously. “Passing by the village communal house, I thought it was so fun so I stopped to watch,” a resident on Dai Mo street said excitedly.
The children were sent by their parents to watch the festival, the atmosphere was “as happy as Tet”.
Cooking rice with tinder and firewood in small pots requires a lot of skill. Most of the contestants are old people in the village and have a lot of experience.
The thick smoke made it difficult for many people to breathe. However, everyone felt happy because they were immersed in the “once a year” festive atmosphere.
After cooking for about 15 minutes, teams burned straw to get ash to bury the rice pot until it was cooked.
In addition to piles of ash to bury rice pots, the teams also burned many fake ash piles without rice pots inside. This is to buy time for the judges when looking for rice so that their team’s rice pot has more time to brew and will be more cooked and delicious.
Mr. Tuan Anh, Vietnam News Agency reporter, said that the Thi Cam village festival is very special because it only lasts about an hour. “Me and many of my brothers had to try to move to get beautiful photos,” he excitedly shared.
After a week of incense, members of the jury will search for the rice cooker in many piles of ash and straw.
The investigation team, including the village’s elders, took more than 30 minutes to find 4 pots of rice.
Then it was brought to the outside of the village communal house to be scored publicly in front of the people and members of the participating teams.
Rice was offered to the village’s Tutelary God – general Phan Tay Nhac.
Le Hieu