The Xuan Duong love market is a unique festival of the Nung ethnic people in Na Ri district, Bac Kan province. The festival and its many cultural and artistic activities have existed for a long time. It’s a place where old friends and people who once loved each other but never got married can meet each other again.
Nung people go to Xuan Duong love market, which is held in only one day out of a year on March 25th of the lunar calendar. (Photo: VOV)
The Xuan Duong love market originated from a legend of a couple who loved each very much but couldn’t live together. Touched by their fate, the villagers helped them meet each other one day out of the year (on March 25th of the lunar calendar).
The place where they met was a long piece of land called a ‘na ri’ in the Tay and Nung language. It became Na Ri district of Bac Kan province. The Xuan Duong love market, originally just a place for ex-lovers to meet, has now also become a place for old friends and relatives to meet.
The night before the Xuan Duong love market day, the house of Emeritus Artist Nong Van Ho in Thom Chan hamlet is crowded with members of the Sli singing club, who have gathered to rehearse for the festival. Sli is a traditional call-and-response singing genre of the Nung.
Mr. Ho said: “When I was 16, I went with my uncles to sing at the love market. My wife and I met at a Sli singing session and later got married. During the love market, people sing duets. Because each person now has their own family, they share information about their personal life.”
Villagers sing to convey their affection and concern for each other. First, they sing a greeting song, then songs to reveal their thoughts, feelings, and daily life.
Xuan Duong love market attracts a lot of people. (Photo: VOV)
One of the market goers shared the feeling, saying “After coming to the love market to sing Sli, many people became husband and wife. Today I met many old friends. I’m very happy.”
“It’s been a long time since we met many of our old friends. We’re very excited. The atmosphere here is wonderful,” another person said.
Sli singing in Xuan Duong commune has been officially recognized as a National Intangible Heritage. Bac Kan province has a plan to promote the love market as a tourism product.
Ha Van Tien, Director of the Bac Kan provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said: “At this year's love market we re-enacted an old duet singing session with 100 couples performing continuously for the audience. In addition to Sli singing, there are other cultural traditions to explore, such as stilt houses, costumes, cuisine, and ethnic beliefs. Bac Kan chose Xuan Duong for a project to preserve and promote ethnic culture and combine it with tourism under the National Target Program to develop ethnic minority areas.”
People come to Xuan Duong love market to enjoy Then, Sli, and Luon singing, performances of the Tinh musical instrument, sports and folk games, and the cuisine of the local ethnic groups.