Happy Year of the Dog
Ho Chi Minh City's streets festooned with flowers during Tet
Ho Chi Minh City's streets festooned with flowers during Tet
Happy Year of the Dog from Vietnam Art Gallery!
Richly heralded by the days-long Tet Festival, February 28 marks the beginning of the Vietnamese New Year.
Much anticipated by all Vietnamese both at home or abroad, Tet is a time for family, food and celebrations. Work is put on hold from a few days to up to a week - a very civilized custom, you might agree!
We wish you all happiness for this new year. And don't forget to mark the occasion by buying a painting from our impressive gallery - it's good luck!
=============== CONTENTS ===============
- Ho Chi Minh City's streets festooned with flowers during Tet 80,000 flower pots and bamboo, rattan and ceramic items depicting waterfalls, stone dogs. Go >>
- February's featured artist: Nghiem Xuan Quang Go >>
- Worm food. "What is it?" My dinner guest asks, face barely hiding an expression of slight distaste and yet curious interest. Go >>
- Belligerent Buffalos Give Punters a Fighting Chance: Do Son, near Hanoi, hosts the annual buffalo fighting festival. Go >>
=== Ho Chi Minh City's streets festooned with flowers during Tet ===
Ho Chi Minh City's main streets will sparkle with thousands of decorative multi-coloured lanterns, flowers and bonsai from January 28 to 31.
Though Tet (short for Tet Nguyen Dan, which means 'the first day') is celebrated all over the country, it is a particularly festive occasion in Ho Chi Minh City.
This year's festival, dubbed "the Spring Look", will see 80,000 flower pots and bamboo, rattan and ceramic items depicting waterfalls, stone dogs and peaceful country scenes decorating the city's main streets.
At the festival, two 4 metres long Tet cakes will be brought to the city's Opera House. Made of 1,500 kilos of glutinous rice, 300 kilos of green bean, 100 kilos of pork, and wrapped in 350 kilos of banana leaves, the cakes will be shared with festival goers.
Families often spend large amounts of money on food, flowers and firecrackers for Tet. They take to the streets and join crowds setting off firecrackers. These are meant to repel the evil spirit Na A, who is said to be frightened away by noise and bright lights, before the new year begins.
Tet is also the time to forgive, cancel debts and put last years problems behind you. Hundreds of people gather in prayer at the Buddhist pagodas, and for a travellers it's a great time to observe the Mahayana Buddhist and Confuscious rituals that are an important part of Vietnamese life.
City officials anticipate that thousands will come to enjoy the festivities. Such occasions are peaceful and happy gatherings where strangers wish each other, and their families, well for the New Year.
==== Featured artists ====
This month we feature the art of Nghiem Xuan Quang.
Nghiem Xuan Quang - Street 11 - $260 - more >>
Nghiem Xuan Quang - Lotus - $400 - more >>
Nghiem Xuan Quang teams bright colour with black outlines. The art works are reminiscent of stained glass.
Minh Phu - Phu 2003-11 - $300 - more >>
Minh Phu's beautiful, fertile golds, pinks and reds make us imagine what Hanoi must feel like in the fall, resonating with sounds and smells of home, family, animals, food, planting and most importantly, kite-flying!
Minh Phuong - The Folding fan 1 - $1000 - more >>
Phuong's minimal inkiness frames feelings of an asian fantasia, warm and illuminated beings in the midst of a calm ritual we're somehow included within.
=== Worm food ===
"What is it?" My dinner guest asks, face barely hiding an expression of slight distaste and yet curious interest.
Much to his surprise I tell him it's sandworm, or 'ruoi' in Vietnamese. Ruoi is an autumn specialty of Northern Vietnam and especially Hanoi, though it is also available in some coastal provinces of the south. Non-Vietnamese often describe it as an ugly, but a tasty dish!
Sandworms appear for a short period every year as its breeding season is from the end of October to mid-November only. This is why it holds a special place in people's hearts. Before you know it ruoi season will be over.
In coastal provinces like Haiphong, Hai Duong, Thai Binh and Quang Ninh, many people catch sandworms, usually late at night, and then quickly transfer them to Hanoi. The sandworm vendors are always on the run as it is always required live. Buyers also have to cook the sandworms quickly.
Like all insects, ruoi is very rich in protein. Besides being a local delicacy it is considered a restorative remedy. However, many people are put off trying this fleeting delight after seeing the worms raw. But, although sandworms are not easy to look at, they are rather easy to cook. Just pour hot water into the bowl of ruoi, mix thoroughly, and re-water it several times before cooking.
The sandworms can be grilled with eggs and chopped pork, steamed with mushrooms, fried with turnip or salted to eat with boiled pork, sliced green banana, sour star fruit and raw vegetables. Ruoi sauce, a specialty of the south, is considered by some as even more delicious than nuoc mam (fish sauce).
Sandworm dishes should be served hot with indispensable spices like sliced tangerine peel, pepper, fennel or coriander and chopped green orion. To have a perfect meal for four with steamed, grilled, fried and cooked ruoi, you need at least two kilos. Put it on your list for the next time you're in Vietnam during sandworm season.
== Belligerent Buffalos Give Punters a Fighting Chance ==
Do Son, near Hanoi, hosts the annual buffalo fighting festival - an occasion that draws curious visitors and diehard fans from all over the world. A traditional festival, The Buffalo Fight is held as a worshipping ceremony in honour of a water god.
Are you good at spotting what makes a fine buffalo a sure thing for a spot of modest betting? Come to Do Son and show your style!
Prior to the main event, there are two rounds of eliminations, and preparations for the festival are very elaborate. Fighting buffaloes must be carefully selected, well fed, and trained.
Fighting buffalo must be around 4 years in age with a good appearance, wide chest, big groin, long neck, strong rump, and bow shaped horns. They are fed in separate cages to prevent contact with common buffalo. The opening worshipping ceremony lasts until lunchtime, with a typical procession including an octet and a big procession chair, carried by 6 strong young men.
The 6 buffalo that are part of the ceremony have their backs covered with red cloth and their horns are bound with red. There are 24 young men who dance and wave flags as two teams of troops start fighting. After the event, a pair of buffaloes are led to opposite sides of the festival ground and to stand near two flags, named Ngu Phung. A frenzy of betting and side taking accompanies the buffaloes' baleful stares at the crowd and their opponents.
When the first signal is released, the two buffaloes are moved to within 20 metres of other, at the next signal, the two leaders release the ropes attached to the noses of their buffaloes. Well trained - the buffaloes know just what to do - they rush at each other with shouting spectators urging the fighting along.
At the completion of the fight, the spectacle of "receiving the buffaloes" is interesting as leaders must catch the winning buffalo to grant its award - a task that leaves many lesser-footed leaders eating dirt!
Thank you for reading! We wish you peace and good fortune for the holidays and for both New Years!
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