Cultural beauty of Khmer community’s Pha Bau Festival

Amid the pace of modern life, preserving traditional cultural values has become an essential requirement in community life. In Loc Hung commune, Dong Nai province, the Dua Tpeng Festival, also called the Pha Bau Festival, is held annually in mid-March, attracting large numbers of local residents and visitors from neighboring areas, creating a vibrant and cohesive atmosphere.

Residents take part in the Pha Bau Festival in Loc Hung commune.

The festival not only preserves a long-standing tradition but also serves to promote the distinctive cultural identity of the Khmer people. From traditional rituals to community activities, it continues to be maintained and enhanced, becoming a cultural highlight of the locality.

Preserved across generations

From early morning, the festival comes alive with music, laughter, and lively conversations. Bright traditional costumes add to the festive spirit, reflecting the excitement of people after days of anticipation.

For Village Elder Lam Din of Soc Lon hamlet, the Pha Bau Festival holds an irreplaceable place in the cultural life of the local community. The festival reflects a deep-rooted relationship with nature through traditional fishing practices. A key ceremonial part is the offering of gratitude to deities for providing the natural ponds (bau) with water sources and abundant aquatic resources, while also praying for a new crop with favorable weather and prosperity for the community.

A resident catches fish in the pond during the festival.

Village Elder Lam Din recalled that the festival was once held informally, on a small scale with limited participation. Since receiving support from the State, local people have worked together with authorities to organize the festival regularly each March. “During the festival, descendants, no matter where they are, return home to reunite with their families. It is also an occasion to invite our S’tieng people and other ethnic groups to join the celebration, strengthening solidarity and working together to further develop the festival in a more sustainable and vibrant way,” he said.

Following the formal ceremonial part, the atmosphere becomes more animated with a variety of community-based activities. Traditional folk games such as stilt walking, blindfolded pot smashing, and hide-the-handkerchief attract enthusiastic participation from people of all ages.

Maintaining the Pha Bau Festival over the years has helped preserve cultural identity, strengthen community bonds, and pass on valuable traditions to future generations. It not only enriches the people’s spiritual life but also creates opportunities to promote the local image and cultural values associated with sustainable development.

The festive part reaches its peak with the communal fish-catching event in the ponds. This is both a way for residents to harvest resources from the ponds and an opportunity to socialize, relax, and strengthen solidarity after days of hard work. Meanwhile, traditional five-tone music and folk dances performed along the banks energize and encourage participants.

Taking part in the activity with her family, Lam Thi Tuyet from Soc Lon hamlet shared, “This is a traditional custom that the Khmer people have maintained and organized every year. We hope that future generations will continue to preserve and promote these valuable cultural traditions.”

Maintaining traditional cultural identity

Recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2019, the Pha Bau Festival of the Khmer community in Loc Hung commune continues to be held annually in March as a means of safeguarding traditional culture. Each activity not only sustains the vitality of the festival but also reinforces unity among ethnic communities.

Participants gather to enjoy traditional dishes, especially grilled fish at the Pha Bau Festival.

In recent years, the festival has been organized more systematically by the Party Committee and local authorities of Loc Hung commune, becoming a typical cultural event of the Khmer community in the area. Notably, through many years of organization, residents have remained committed to preserving its original values by strictly maintaining traditional rituals and folk games. “I am very pleased that younger generations continue to uphold and preserve the festival, viewing it as an indispensable part of their cultural life,” said Village Elder Lam Din.

Beyond preservation efforts, the festival also plays an educational role, raising awareness among younger generations about the importance of cultural identity. It provides a platform for ethnic communities to interact, strengthen solidarity, and promote their unique cultural heritage, while opening up opportunities for local tourism development.

“With the important meaning of the traditional Pha Bau Festival, we will continue to promote its cultural values. At the same time, through the festival, we hope to introduce the distinctive and rich cultural identity of the Khmer people in Loc Hung commune in particular and of Dong Nai province in general to a wide range of visitors.”

 Nguyen Huu Thuong, Vice Chairman of Loc Hung Commune People’s Committee

Nguyen Huu Thuong, Vice Chairman of Loc Hung Commune People’s Committee, added that the Pha Bau Festival is not merely about catching fish in the ponds but also about fostering unity among ethnic groups. It offers an opportunity for Khmer, S’tieng, and other communities to connect, strengthen bonds, and momentarily set aside the challenges of daily life.

Nguyen Huu Thuong also expressed hope that local residents, especially the Khmer community, will cherish and protect the festival wholeheartedly. People should preserve traditional values while selectively embracing new ones that align with the policies of the Party and State, as well as with the cultural identity of the Khmer in Loc Hung in particular and Dong Nai province in general.

By Thanh Thao, Thoai Anh – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha