HÀ NỘI — A Hà Nội-based group keen on preserving the ancient values of communal houses will host its annual gathering featuring various traditional customs celebrating the Lunar New Year Festival on January 26&27 in the capital.

The event, the fourth of its kind held by Đình Làng Việt (Vietnamese Communal House) Group, is forecast to gather thousands of club members, diplomats, foreign students, international organisations, folk artists and locals.

Lệ Mật Village’s communal house on the eastern outskirts of Hà Nội will provide a platform to showcase the main activities over the two days.

Before departing for Lê Mật Village, the organising board and foreign students will walk around Hàng Lược Flower Market and some relic sites within the Old Quarter like Bạch Mã Temple on Hàng Buồm Street, the Ancient House at 87 Mã Mây Street and Kim Ngân Temple on Hàng Bạc Street.

The event at Lệ Mật Communal House will include a ceremony to erect cây nêu, a tall bamboo tree. The bamboo pole will be stripped of its leaves, except for a tuft at the top, so that it can be wrapped or decorated with red paper for good luck. Bows, arrows, bells and gongs will be hung on the tree with the hope that the bad luck of the past year is chased away and everyone has a happy New Year.

Têt Việt in 2018 in So Village’s communal house. — Photo caidinh.com

A traditional ceremony will also be held, as well as calligraphy and folk singing.

Artisans from host Lệ Mật Village, which specialises in raising snakes, will perform snake dances.

Artisans from Kim Hoàng Folk Painting Village from Hoài Đức District will perform an ancient genre of painting. Participants will have the opportunity to cook traditional food such as chưng (square, sticky rice cake) and other traditional delicacies eaten during Lunar New Year.

Both men and women participating in the gathering are encouraged to wear the Vietnamese traditional long dress.

“The event aims to preserve and develop cultural values among Vietnamese people and praise the value of communal houses, especially the space around the houses which has been at risk of fading due to urbanisation and international integration,” said fine arts critic Nguyễn Đức Bình, head of the group.

“Through the annual Tết Việt event, the group wants to teach young people about traditional cultural values,” he said.

Interested people can register at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DinhlangVN/. Deadline for registration is January 22, 2019.

The group is also calling for sponsorship and donations.

Lệ Mật Village is located in Việt Hưng Ward, Long Biên District, Hà Nội.

The event last year at So Village’s communal house, in Quốc Oai District, some 20km to the west of Hà Nội’s centre, gathered thousands of people including the group’s members, locals, tourists and representatives from diplomatic organisations in Hà Nội. — VNS