VOV.VN - On the eighth day of the first lunar month every year, local people from Thi Cam village in Hanoi take part in their traditional rice cooking contest, with the aim of praying for a prosperous, happy, and peaceful new year.
Thi Cam village is located in Xuan Phuong commune of Hanoi’s Tu Liem district, with locals gathering at the communal house on the eighth day of the first lunar month, which falls on January 29 this year, to take part in a traditional rice cooking contest.
Preparing husk rice ahead of the contest
The festival is held in order to commemorate Phan Tay Nhac, a general of the 18th Hung King. Legend has it that one day Nhac led his guerrilla soldiers past Thi Cam village to chase away the Chinese Shu invaders, with local villagers asking him to join his force.
The general then decided to host a rice cooking contest as a way of selecting a good chef. After he died, he was honoured as the village’s god.
Thi Cam villagers organise the rice cooking contest each year to express their gratitude to the general.
During the course of the rice cooking contest, competitors form four groups and have to husk rice, fetch water, make a fire, and cook rice. A jury comprising of respected village chiefs and select the winners of the contest.
The contest begins at 11 a.m. on January 29.
A teenager from each team takes part in a 700-metre race from the communal house to the water supply and then back to the communal house, where the actual rice cooking takes place.
Next, each team sends four young men to make a fire from the straw. Two members of the team then pull on the two ends of a bamboo stick which are clamped against straw tinder, thereby creating enough friction to make a fire.
They blow on the straw as soon as there is smoke. When the fire is lit, the rice cooking begins.
Competitors grind grains.
Four teenagers complete the task of fetching water.
The rice pot is kept inside burning straw.
The pot is retrieved from burning ashes after half an hour. The jury then get to taste the rice and duly give awards to the winners.
After the competition, participating teams provide rice for villagers to wish for a prosperous and happy new year.
