Lo Lo ethnic group’s ancestral worship ceremony

Nestled peacefully at the foot of the Lung Cu National Flagpole, Lo Lo Chai Village is home to the  Lo Lo ethnic community, where traditional customs, practices and beliefs have been preserved and passed down through generations. Every autumn, in the seventh lunar month, as cool weather settles over the rocky plateau, the Lo Lo people gather to hold their Ancestral Worship Ceremony, a traditional ritual of profound significance to the community’s cultural and spiritual life.

Visiting Lo Lo Chai Village, Lung Cu Commune, in the seventh lunar month, visitors can witness the Lo Lo people solemnly holding their Ancestral Worship Ceremony in the sacred space at the foot of the Lung Cu National Flagpole, a revered ritual preserved through generations.

Folk artisans perform the ancestral worship rituals of the Lo Lo ethnic group in Lo Lo Chai Village, Lung Cu Commune.

The Ancestral Worship Ceremony of the Lo Lo ethnic group consists of three main parts: the sacrificial offering, the commemoration of ancestors, and the farewell ceremony for the ancestors. Following the rituals is the festival, featuring distinctive traditional dances and folk games accompanied by the resounding beat of bronze drums echoing across the mountains and forests.

Dressed in their colorful traditional costumes, Lo Lo young men and women joyfully join the community’s cultural festival.

From the elderly to young children, villagers gather at the Lo Lo Chai Village Cultural House in Lung Cu Commune to join hands in preserving the ancestral worship tradition, a distinctive cultural heritage of the Lo Lo ethnic group.

Traditional dances are performed during the festival, conveying joy, gratitude to the ancestors and hopes for a peaceful and prosperous life.

Through the ritual, descendants express their reverence and gratitude to their ancestors, honor their roots and pray for peace, family happiness, community solidarity and bountiful harvests. With its distinctive cultural, historical and spiritual values, the Ancestral Worship Ceremony of the Lo Lo ethnic group in Lo Lo Chai Village, Lung Cu Commune, was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2012.

Traditional costumes add to the distinctive beauty of Lo Lo women during the Ancestral Worship Ceremony.

The festive atmosphere becomes even more vibrant with traditional cultural activities, helping promote and spread the cultural values of the  Lo Lo ethnic group.

Visitors join in the dances and traditional performances at the Ancestral Worship Ceremony of the Lo Lo ethnic group in Lo Lo Chai Village, Lung Cu Commune.

This year, the Ancestral Worship Ceremony of the Lo Lo people was held during the National Day holiday on September 2, offering tourists another destination to explore, experience and immerse themselves in the rhythm of highland life.

The Ancestral Worship Ceremony, a distinctive Lo Lo cultural tradition in Vietnam’s northernmost region, has become an attractive highlight, drawing visitors to Lo Lo Chai to explore and experience its unique heritage.

Distinctive dances and traditional performances by Lo Lo young men and women at the Ancestral Worship Ceremony.

Hoang Tuyen