Gau Tao festival in early year of Mong people (photo: collectibles)

According to the custom, the Gao Cao festival is often due to families who have no children, few children, who have children in the past or who have sick or poor business ..., they will go to the hill. , begging for health or doing business smoothly. When the prayer becomes a reality, they will do the Gao Cao ceremony to give thanks.
The location of the Gao Taol ceremony is a low hill with a flat top creating a large yard. Cao Cao Hill had to turn in the East to the tree when it was raised to catch the sun. To organize the Gao Cao ceremony, the homeowner must invite a man to host the ceremony to help host the festival and a maid woman. Both must be people with a peaceful, happy and prosperous economy; along with two young men, women and men, helping the ceremony.
The festival is held in early January every year, but the preparation is carried out from the end of December, with two rituals being chopped and erected. The bamboo tree was raised without the tops, no flowers, the tops of the trees turned towards the sunrise. When you see the tree rising in the middle of the hill, everyone in the area knows that year with the Gao Cao Association. The joyful and bustling atmosphere spreads throughout the villages, people informed each other at the market, on the road, in the village ... about the Gao Cao festival and practiced to play the Gao Cao festival. This festival is also an opportunity for men and women to prepare beautiful clothes, have fun with them, meet their lovers ... to express their affection through songs that they often cannot confess.
The day of the festival was organized according to the age of the owner, whichever day it was. The Gao Cao Festival lasted for three days. In the afternoon of the third day, the ceremony owner declares the tree-laying ceremony.
Gua Cao festival is the biggest and unique community festival, associated with the spiritual and spiritual life of the Mong community. Today, Gao Cao festival becomes a destination to attract tourists near and far because of its uniqueness and attractiveness. In 2019, the ceremony of Gau Cao in Pha Long, Muong Khuong and Thai Giang Pho and Bac Ha will take place from January 4 to January 6.

Phan Phuong