STUNNING: Three hundred orchid flower trees have been brought to Hà Nội to be part of the city's Orchid Tree Flower Festival.—VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tư

HÀ NỘI – For the first time, three hundreds of ban (orchid) flower tree from the northwest mountainous region are on display at Hà Nội Museum.

The museum is hosting the 1st Ban Flower Festival which runs until April 14 aiming to honour and preserve cultural heritage of ethnic groups.

The festival also promotes tourism potential and strengthening contributing to socio-economic development in the region.

“As soon as I know that Ban Flower Festival is to be held in Hà Nội, I feel very happy and excited,” said Sầm Thị Nguyệt at the festival opening ceremony.

“When I come here, it is amazing to see ban flower which were brought to Hà Nội Capital for the first time. It is a wonderful chance for the people including Hanoians and other people living in Hà Nội to better understand the beauty of the mountainous culture. I will also get acquainted with Thai people from other localities and I think that I will have more understanding about the culture of my own people.”

Nguyệt is from Thai ethnic group in Quỳ Hợp District, central province of Nghệ An. She is among many young people at the first day of the festival to enjoy ban flower.

Poet Dương Đình Trọng was also present at the festival very early. “I am very happy to attend the festival featuring Thai culture,” Trọng said.

“As a citizen of the capital, I hope there will be more festivals, not only of the Thai people but also that other ethnic groups will be organised in Hà Nội so people can understand more about the culture of ethnic groups in Việt Nam.”

Household daily objects of Thai ethnic group such as jar of wine, looms and bamboo tubes to get water create a vivid space of the northwest culture to impress the festival-goers.

About 200 booths are set to popular speciality and culinary of the northwest region. The ban flower trees are being taken care of by experts to ensure they stay fresh. Each tree has information attached to it to reveal their origins.

Ban Flower Festival, known as Xên Mường is organised annually by Thai ethnic group in the northwest provinces in the second Lunar month to coincide with ban flower bloom.

The festival shows the respect of the gods and the heroic people and it is also an opportunity to pray for happiness and prosperousness.

The 1st Ban Flower Festival is held by Tây Bắc Investment Promotion & Trade Fair to raise fund for bridge building for children going to school and clean water in the mountainous provinces.

The festival is running at Hà Nội Museum, Phạm Hùng Road, Nam Từ Liêm District. — VNS