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Elephant Race Festival 
Don Village, Dac Lak, 3rd March, 2000
The race track is on even ground where the forest clearing only
has a few big trees. The width of the track is large enough for
10 elephants to stand in a line at the same time and the length
of the track runs 1-2 km.
With the signal of the horn (a wind instrument), the mahouts command
their elephants to go to the starting line. When the command to
start the race is released, all of the elephants rush ahead like
springs, excited by the sound of the drums, gongs, and cheering
from the viewers. At the end of the race, the winning elephants
lift their trunks beyond their heads to wave to the viewers. They
walk deliberately flapping their ears gently, gazing through half-closed
eyes, and receive sugarcane from their viewers.
The elephant race is the biggest festival in the middle highland.
It bears the martial spirit of the M'nong ethnic group, who are
very famous for their bravery and skill in hunting wild elephants.
Hung Temple Festival
Nghia Linh Mountain, 9th-11th March, 2000
Every year, this national festival is held to worship the Hung Kings,
who were instrumental in the founding of the nation.
The festival lasts for 3 days from the 9th to the 11th of the 3rd
month of the lunar calendar. The worship service is held on the
10th day and commences with a flower ceremony with the participation
of state representatives. In Thuong Temple where the Hung Kings
used to worship deities with full rituals, the ceremony consists
of a lavish five-fruit feast. Cakes and glutinous rice dumpling
are also served to remind people of the Lang Lieu Legend (the 18th
Hung King who invented these cakes), and the merit of the Hung Kings
who taught people to grow rice.
Next to the stage procession for deities, there are several marches
in the procession such as the elephant march followed by the procession
chair. These procession marches are conducted in Tien Cuong, Hy
Cuong, Phuong Giao, and Co Tich Villages. The procession marches
are followed by a Xoan song performance (a classical type of song)
in the Thuong Temple, a "Ca Tru" (a kind of classical opera) in
Ha temple, and other games.
The Hung King's Temple Festival not only attracts visitors from
everywhere and allows visitors to participate in the special traditional
cultural activities, but it is also a sacred pilgrimage back to
the origins of the Vietnamese culture. People usually show their
love and pride of their homeland and ancestral land. This religious
belief is deeply imbedded in the minds of every Vietnamese citizen,
regardless of where they originate from.
Chu Dong Tu Festival 
Chu Dong Tu Temple, Hanoi, 10th-12th March, 2000
Saint Chu Dong Tu was one of the "four immortal heroes" at the centre
of Vietnamese society. A cultural hero and the founder of agriculture
as he had conquered the marsh, and developed agriculture and trade.
After the opening ceremony, to remind people of the legend, life,
and work of Saint Chu Dong Tu and his two wives, there is a procession.
Travelling ahead of the procession are two splendid golden dragons,
controlled by 10 men, dancing gently with the rhythms of the drums.
The procession includes a team of musicians, the Saint's chair,
and couple of jars. The procession moves with about ten sailing
boats to the center of the river to take water in the jars and then
moves back to the temple for a statue washing ceremony.
After the main ceremony, there are different types of activities
conducted such as wrestling, fighting with sticks, Chinese chess
games, lion dances,and other events.
Le Mat Village Festival 
Viet Hung Commune, Hanoi, 23rd March, 2000
In the early morning of the 23rd day of the third month, representatives
of the 13 camps at the west of the Ancient Capital of Thang Long
carry 13 trays of food over their heads from capital to the Le Mat
Village.
At the beginning of the festival, water and carp processions are
staged and brought to the Thanh Communal House. This ritual reminds
the present generation of the heroic man's accomplishments of exploiting
and bringing about agriculture to the village. A snake act is then
performed in the yard of the communal house. The snake (made of
bamboo taped with cloth) symbolizes the water-monster species that
has been bitten by a youth's power and will. The music of this act
is an octet and the sound of the drummer's double rhythm is haunting.
The Le Mat Village Festival provides the chance for children in
the village, and the others who have reclaimed this ancient wasteland
in the city, to meet and retell the history of the establishment
of the village. The challenge and difficulty that was encountered
in the establishment of the village is expressed in the sincere
homage of the ancestors of the village.
In addition to the ceremony, the Le Mat people have a special talent
for catching snakes. While attending the Le Mat Village Festival,
guests can be offered a cup of snake wine with 3 or 5 snakes inside.
Giong Festival 
Phu Dong Village, Hanoi, 9th April, 2000
The date commemorates the Saint Giong who defeated the An invaders.
In order to show their gratitude to the hero of Giong Village, who
sacrificed his life to fight the invaders, people have proclaimed
him Saint Giong. Preparation for the festival occurs from the 1st
day of the 3rd month to the 5th day of the 4th month of the lunar
calendar. The procession marches from the Mother Temple to Thuong
Temple with the performance of a religious service. After reaching
the temple, a feast to the troops occurs. When night falls, a Cheo
play is performed (a classical opera of Vietnamese). The festivities
ends on the 10th day of the 4th month, as the troops withdraw and
a thanksgiving procession occurs. At the Giong Festival, people
can make connections with their the neighborhood, with relations
between the individual within a community, and with the past and
present. This festival blends together the traditions of love for
the motherland and the preservations of cultural heritage.
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