For the Black Thai people in Điện Biên province, the Lunar New Year (Tết) represents more than just a transition between years; it is a gathering of unique traditional cultural values preserved through generations.

Unlike some ethnic groups with various festivals throughout the year, the Black Thai in Điện Biên do not have a separate Tết but celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year alongside the broader Vietnamese community. However, their celebration carries a distinct cultural imprint through specific rituals, cuisine, and communal activities. Tết is considered their most significant event, a time for descendants to remember their ancestors and pray for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and a prosperous, happy life.

According to the beliefs of the Black Thai in Điện Biên, leaving work unfinished or debts unpaid into the new year invites a year-long burden of debt. This motivates every family member to complete their farm work and settle financial obligations before the festivities begin. By the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, the atmosphere in every village and hamlet becomes lively as residents gather firewood and harvest leaves to wrap traditional cakes. On the 29th day, the male head of the household performs the Phiểu cọ lò hóng ritual to clean the ancestral altar. The altar is solemnly arranged with bananas, betel, areca, sweets, fruits, and products crafted by the family’s own hands as a display of respect.

The 30th day of Tết is the most vital moment for family reunions. From early morning, families slaughter livestock and prepare worship offerings. A proper Tết tray must include both meat and fish to ensure ancestral blessings for successful farming and thriving livestock in the coming year. Lò Văn Dung, a resident of Na Vai village in Sam Mứn commune, notes that every family prepares this meal to show gratitude and pray for the health and academic progress of their children.

Accompanying the worship tray is the humpback chưng cakes, an indispensable soul of the Black Thai Tết. This traditional cake signifies warmth and family cohesion. Lò Thị Muôn from phủ village in Thanh An commune shares that a Tết without humpback chưng cakes is considered incomplete, as the lack of this cake is believed to lead to hunger and unfavorable business in the new year.

A truly unique custom is the hair-washing ceremony on the afternoon of the 30th day. After the cakes are placed on the stove, everyone heads to the stream to bathe and wash their hair. Thai women often use fermented rice water prepared days in advance. Traditionally, this act symbolizes washing away the misfortunes of the old year and letting them flow away with the stream to welcome a peaceful and lucky new year. Lò Thị Liên from Na Vai village explains that this long-standing ritual is still maintained today to rinse away anything negative and invite good fortune.

On the night of the 30th, families enjoy a year-end meal and wait for the transition to the new year. At exactly midnight, the head of the house performs the Nho pan sơ ritual to invite ancestors from the heavens to gather at the family’s altar. A significant tradition during this time is the practice of “keeping the fire.” A burning piece of wood is buried in ashes so that glowing embers remain the next morning. It is believed that keeping the fire alive through the night brings luck and happiness, whereas an extinguished fire signifies bad luck. In the past, they also weighed water overnight; if the weight remained constant by the morning of the 1st day, it signaled a prosperous year for production.

On the morning of the 1st day of Tết, the community practices fetching “lucky water,” as water is seen as a source of prosperity that sustains all life. After this ritual, family members prepare the first meal of the year, which must include grilled or dried fish, dried meat, and sticky rice. Elders offer blessings to the youth for a lucky year ahead.

Notably, the Thai refrain from spending money or sweeping the house on the 1st day. Spending money is thought to prevent savings for the rest of the year, while sweeping is believed to clear away the luck of the new year. Even as society develops, the Black Thai in Điện Biên remain conscious of popularizing and preserving these traditional Tết customs, turning the holiday into a sacred cultural space.