Tù Lù - A Traditional Game of the Mông Ethnic Group

ĐBP - In the vibrant springtime festivities of the Mông ethnic group, a distinctive folk game takes center stage: Tù Lù, or the art of playing peg-top.

Men participate in a peg-top competition.

This age-old game holds a special place in the hearts of Mông children and youths, drawing them together in lively competitions. From childhood to adulthood, the peg-top remains a cherished symbol of their cultural heritage.

During the Tet holiday and other festive occasions, groups of youngsters eagerly gather to showcase their skills in peg-top competitions. Amidst laughter and camaraderie, they spin tales of springtime adventures while demonstrating their agility, strength, and keen-eyed precision, typical of boys from the northwest region.

Crafted from sturdy hardwood and skillfully carved into rounded shapes, Mông peg-tops are designed for optimal performance. The game requires spacious, level grounds, where players employ robust strings made from fabric or jute, tethered to a solid piece of wood measuring 30-40cm in length.

In the spirited competition, participants form teams and engage in thrilling showdowns. Before each round, representatives from both sides launch their peg-tops simultaneously, with the last spinner earning the right to lead.

The game is also attractive for children. The peg-top is close to them from childhood to adulthood.

Spanning three rounds at varying distances (3m, 6m, or 9m), the competition intensifies with each stage. Points are awarded when a player successfully strikes or dislodges the opponent's spinning peg-top, determining the victor at the end of the match.

While Tù Lù transcends age barriers, children use smaller peg-tops tailored to their hands, ensuring an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all.

More than just a game, Tù Lù embodies a cultural exchange, a test of skill, and a celebration of talent for Mông men and boys. It showcases their agility, resilience, and acute vision, not only within the confines of the game but also in their daily lives.

Through Tù Lù, the rich customs and rhythmic heartbeat of the Mông people come alive, offering a glimpse into their vibrant traditions and the essence of springtime in their community.

Trần Nhâm
Comment

You have 500/500 characters left

Please enter 5 or more characters!!!

Recent news

  • 'Farmers change mindset, enhance production value

    Farmers change mindset, enhance production value

    ECONOMY -
    ĐBP - Using modern machinery and equipment in production processes; transforming crop and livestock structures with high economic value; and changing business methods are practices actively implemented by farmers in Điện Biên province. Thereby showing the change in farmers’ thinking regarding production, economic development, and sustainable poverty reduction.
  • 'Ensuring food safety

    Ensuring food safety

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - The health sector of Điện Biên province currently manages more than 2,100 food production, trading, and catering service establishments. In the context where food of unknown origin remains complex on the market, creating significant challenges for food safety and hygiene assurance.
  • '“Key” to opening digital economy door

    “Key” to opening digital economy door

    ECONOMY -
    ĐBP - The recent Workshop on Trade Promotion, Investment and Promotion of “Make in Vietnam” Digital Technology Products to Promote Digital Economy Development and Digital Transformation in the Northwestern Region was an opportunity for Điện Biên province to connect with technology enterprises.
  • 'Bringing clean water to highland school sites

    Bringing clean water to highland school sites

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - Aiming to help educational facilities in remote and isolated areas ensure stable daily-life water sources, organizations and individuals have joined hands to implement programs of drilling wells, installing storage tanks, and providing water conduction equipment suitable for specific terrain conditions.
  • 'Breaking new ground in building Điện Biên’s cultural human resource

    Breaking new ground in building Điện Biên’s cultural human resource

    CULTURE - SPORTS -
    ĐBP - Alongside investments in infrastructure and institutional reforms, Điện Biên province has rolled out a series of key initiatives aimed at raising the quality of its cultural workforce, considered the backbone of cultural development in the new era. Yet efforts to elevate and create real breakthroughs in the province’s cultural and artistic human resources still face many hurdles.
  • 'Optimizing surplus headquarters resources after rearrangement (Part 3)

    Optimizing surplus headquarters resources after rearrangement (Part 3)

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - The transition to the 2-tier local government model has posed a requirement to arrange and handle a large volume of public assets, especially the system of surplus headquarters and public service facilities. In Điện Biên, this work is deployed according to a strict process, adhering to the law, aiming to optimize land resources, avoid loss, and improve community service efficiency.
  • 'Standing Board of Điện Biên provincial Party Committee works with Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

    Standing Board of Điện Biên provincial Party Committee works with Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - On December 5, in Hà Nội, the delegation of the Standing Board of the Điện Biên provincial Party Committee led by Trần Tiến Dũng, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, held a working session with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to evaluate the results of the agriculture and environment sector development in 2025 and key tasks in the coming time.
  • 'Building high-quality ethnic minority officials in the new era

    Building high-quality ethnic minority officials in the new era

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - In the process of increasingly deep integration, the requirement for the public administration apparatus lies not only in institutional perfection but also in building a contingent of officials meeting new requirements and tasks. As a locality where the majority of ethnic minority people reside, the task for Điện Biên peovince becomes even more urgent.
  • 'Job fairs expand opportunities for Điện Biên workforce

    Job fairs expand opportunities for Điện Biên workforce

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - In 2025, many job fairs were organized in various areas within our province. Thereby connecting and creating conditions for workers, especially youth, pupils, students, and demobilized soldiers of the armed forces, to access and exchange information with units and enterprises inside and outside the province.
  • 'Bringing traditional sports back into daily life

    Bringing traditional sports back into daily life

    CULTURE - SPORTS -
    ĐBP - Folk games and traditional sports have long been part of everyday cultural life, closely tied to labor, production, and community customs, passed down from generation to generation. To preserve and promote ethnic cultural identity, Điện Biên province has been carrying out a range of activities to safeguard and develop these traditional practices.