Viet Nam News
Huong Hoa Van
HA NOI — Le Mat Communal House as Tet (the Lunar New Year) nears.
Hundreds of people flock to the main yard to witness a solemn ceremony to erect the cay neu (a tall bamboo pole).
The bamboo pole was stripped of its leaves, except for a tuft at the top. Bows, arrows, bells, gongs and other leaves to ward off evil spirits were hung on the tree with the hope that the bad luck of the previous year will be chased away and everyone has a happy New Year.
American Eric Ardman, a researcher from the Ha Noi Medical University, buttons up his Vietnamese long dress.
He asks a friend to help fix his head scarf.
“I feel comfortable in this traditional long dress for Vietnamese men,” he told Viet Nam News. “Especially for this weather. I like it a lot.”
Ardman said he had learned a lot on that day and the day before.
“I learn a lot about traditional ao dai, different customs, and ceremonies during Tet [Lunar New Year].
“I’m really excited to take part in the event and I’m feeling very happy.”
“There is a big population of Vietnamese in the US, but not many people celebrate the Lunar New Year. Here I see everyone prepare for the new year for a week. The atmosphere is great.”
Ardman is one of dozens of international students who are participating in the Tet Viet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) event hosted by Dinh Lang Viet (Vietnamese Communal House Group) together with hundreds of the group’s Vietnamese members.
They are taken on a tour round Ha Noi’s Old Quarter to historical relic sites and the traditional flower market on Hang Luoc Street, which opens only for Tet.
Then they join the ceremony to release carps for the Kitchen Gods at Le Mat Communal House and watch people make banh chung (sticky square cake), ancient paintings like Kim Hoang and Hang Trong as well as watching folk music performances.
“This is the first time I have taken part in various customs for the traditional Tet in Viet Nam,” Akram Imad Abu Fayyeh from Palestine said. He has studied Vietnamese at Ha Noi National University for three months now.
“I think I’m so lucky and happy here to see the culture. Vietnamese people have a lot of beautiful customs during Tet.
“I like the tradition of making banh chung. I’m so excited to join the process as well.
“Here people have a habit of giving lucky money to children, which is the same as one of our festivals.”
Held every year, the event is the third of its kind hosted by the Dinh Lang Viet group.
“The Tet holiday includes most traditional customs of Vietnamese people, especially at the Communal House,” said Nguyen Duc Binh, an art critic and head of the group.
“That’s why we have tried to host it for three year now aiming to maintain our good customs.”
“This year, we also co-ordinated with the Ha Noi National University to invite foreign students to experience a traditional Tet in Viet Nam.”
Binh said the principle for organising Tet Viet is that the group chooses the ancient traditional customs which blend well with modern times.
“This year, we haven’t asked for fixed financial contributions from participants,” he said, “We just ask for donations according to people’s willingness to avoid people from thinking that we are commercialising the event.” — VNS