The Traditional Mid Autumn Festival

Children learn to make the lantern – cart.

Nhan Dan Online – The Mid Autumn Festival is when people look back at its traditional toys and games, which are making a come back with their gentle charmness after a period being dominated by the foreign, glittering toys.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is making great efforts to preserve Vietnam’s traditions, especially at festive times like the Mid Autumn Festival.

For this year’s event, artisans from Hanoi and neighbouring provinces are coming to the Museum, together with some from the Mong and Dao ethnic groups, performing their traditional games.

This year, the highlight of the festival here is the traditions of people in the Mekong River Delta. The dragon and unicorn dancing teams from the Viet, Hoa and Kh’mer ethnic groups in the southern region have arrived to show their talents. 

In addition, singing to the drum, an activity that has been long forgotten, is now also on the agenda of the Museum’s festival.

Coming to the Museum, children not only can buy the traditional and charming toys, but they can also participate in their making. They can paint on the masks, making the star lanterns or even the moon cakes. 

Besides the Museum of Ethnology, a smaller and cosy space for traditional toys and games is at 87 Ma May street. Many artisans have come from various surrounding areas to the house to display the process of making toys, such as the “paper first launeate”, “star lantern”, “monk lantern”, etc.

Here, children can see an old man making “to he” toy, or an old woman making “young rice”, the famous treat of Vong village.

The manager of the house said she spent months, ordering the traditional toys, and going to various localities to look for the artisans whose skills in making traditional toys are well known.

She also studied the history and the making of various toys used on the Mid Autumn Festival, and their meaning.

Therefore, although the space at 87 Ma May street is small, but it is full of tradition. Children can learn the history of the toy, learn how to make the toy, and talks to the artisans about the meaning of each of the toys used in this occasion.

For many children, the glittering and colorful toys from China can sing, dance and do various things, but they can never be as meaningful as the traditional charming toys from Vietnam.