For Vietnamese people, Tet is about visiting friends and relatives, not so much museums. But thousands of people come to Viet Nam’s Museum of Ethnology on the fourth day of Tet every year. Why? To play folk games.

Ancient playtime: Visitors join in nem con (throwing a sacred ball through a ring), a game of the H’mong people, at the Museum of Ethnology.

Last year, about 15,000 visitors gathered there on the fourth and fifth days of the national holiday. The museum has been getting ready to welcome visitors from January 29 to February 2. On those days, fun-lovers will join in eleven traditional games from the Kinh, Thai and H’Mong ethnic groups.

Director of the Museum of Ethnology Vo Quang Trong said: “Today, online games are conquering the market, and one of the reason for this is the lack of open spaces for children to play folk games. But it doesn’t mean these games have lost their attraction.”

This is the seventh year the museum has organised folk games. The games change frequently to meet public demands. Each year, more and more visitors come.

“Whenever we suggest replacing the games with something else, we get bombarded with phone calls asking why. The games have almost become the favourite spiritual dish of citizens.

According to Trong, folk games are attractive because of their simplicity, and they often teach little lessons to children about values in life.

Keo co (tug of war), for example, is a popular game that has been running for years and has lured in both adults and children.

Similar to keo co, day gay (pushing sticks), day lung (pushing people’s backs) or choi dau (pushing people’s heads) the games require no skills or training. They all have special meanings and highlight the values of team-work, friendship and unity.

Meanwhile, phao dat (clay fire-cracker), a highly popular game, encourages children’s creativity and dexterity. To make a “fire-cracker”, a child needs only a piece of clay. This game tests children’s’ patience as the clay need to re-done many times before it can mimic the sound of an explosion.

Ethic groups’ games, like danh dao (coin toss), nem con (throwing the sacred ball through the ring), and danh du (bamboo swinging) will be played at the museum this year. The games bring a festive atmosphere and understanding about the lifestyle and culture of ethnic people.

“A child may forget easily what he reads about folk games in an exhibition, but may remember for his whole life once he has joined in the games. That’s why we open this activity,” said Tran Thi Thu Thuy, head of the Education Section of the museum.

Thuy’s sentiments are shared by Tung Nguyen, a professional photographer and father of two.

“When I came here with my ten-year-old son last Tet, he was so engrossed with making leaf grass hoppers that he refused to go home,” says Tung.

“This year, my whole family will go to the museum. I have heard that this is a new chance for my son to test his dexterity. He will join in making a group of clay buffalos,” he smiles.

(Source: VNS)