Altar dedicated to Hùng Kings in Trẹo Village, Hùng Sơn Town, Lâm Thao District, 2011; Photo by Từ Thị Loan; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies

Ritual of seizing sacred paddy for seeds and for good luck, Trẹo Village, Hùng Sơn Town, Lâm Thao District, 2011. Photo by Hoàng Sơn; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Millions of people go on pilgrimage to Hùng temples on the Ancestral Anniversary, 2008. Photo by Nguyễn Việt Thắng; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

People of Trẹo Village (Hùng Sơn Town, Lâm Thao District) make glutinous rice cakes to invite Hùng Kings to join them for the Lunar New Year, 2011. Photo by Từ Thị Loan; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

The burning of petition sheets is to convey the wishes of villagers to Hùng Kings, ending the ritual at Cả Communal Hall, Vi and Trẹo Villages, Hùng Sơn Town, Lâm Thao District, 2011. Photo by Nguyễn Thị Hồng Nhung; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

People of Vi Village (Hùng Sơn Town, Lâm Thao District) bear a palanquin containing the Hùng Kings’ tablet, inviting the Kings to join them for the Lunar New Year, 2011. Photo by Hoàng Sơn; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Hùng Kings mausoleum on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain, Hy Cương Commune, Việt Trì City, 2011. Photo by Hoàng Sơn; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

People of Vi Village (Hùng Sơn Town, Lâm Thao District) make square cakes to invite Hung Kings to join them for the Lunar New Year, 2011. Photo by Hoàng Sơn; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

The words “The First Ancestor of Vietnam” can be read on the reception gate to Thượng temple on Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain, Hy Cương Commune, Việt Trì City, 2011. Photo by Hoàng Sơn; © 2011 Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

The drum dancing festival of the Giay ethnic group \n(Mèo Vạc district, Hà Giang province)\nHà Giang - one of the six provinces in the Northeast region of Vietnam has a diverse terrain and mountainous topography divided into 3 distinct regions: the rocky mountainous region includes Đồng Văn, Mèo Vạc, Yên Minh, Quản Bạ, Bắc Mê districts; the western region includes Xín Mần, Hoàng Su Phì districts; and the lowland region includes Vị Xuyên, Bắc Quang, Quang Bình districts and Hà Giang city. Residents in Hà Giang province belong to various ethnic groups such as the H’Mông, the Dao, the Tày, the Nùng, the LôLô, the Bố Y, the Pà Thẻn, the Giáy.\n

The drum dancing festival of the Giay ethnic group \n(Mèo Vạc district, Hà Giang province)\nHà Giang - one of the six provinces in the Northeast region of Vietnam has a diverse terrain and mountainous topography divided into 3 distinct regions: the rocky mountainous region includes Đồng Văn, Mèo Vạc, Yên Minh, Quản Bạ, Bắc Mê districts; the western region includes Xín Mần, Hoàng Su Phì districts; and the lowland region includes Vị Xuyên, Bắc Quang, Quang Bình districts and Hà Giang city. Residents in Hà Giang province belong to various ethnic groups such as the H’Mông, the Dao, the Tày, the Nùng, the LôLô, the Bố Y, the Pà Thẻn, the Giáy.\n

Fire dancing is only the performance part of a ceremony in which ritual masters officially pass on their knowledge to the next generation. In the Pà Thẻn language, this ceremony is called Póc Quơ, the fire-dancing festival is called Po dinh họn a tờ. This dance is now widely known as the “fire-dancing festival” or “fire-praying festival” of the Pà Thẻn people.