Readers divided about commercialised festivals

Last week, we asked our readers about their experiences in festivals in Viet Nam. Here are some of the opinions that we received.

Pham Van Tuyen, Vietnamese, Hue

I used to go to the Dong Da festival on the fifth day of the lunar calendar every year when I was living in Ha Noi. I really enjoyed all the festivities, including the ceremony of offering sacrifices, processions and particularly the human chess games.

These festivals play a crucial role in preserving and promoting the cultural values and on top of them, the unique history of the nation to the younger generations. The Dong Da festival in Dong Da District was where I began to learn my history lessons on the landslide Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da Victory in 1789, where King Quang Trung defeated the Qing invaders from the north.

Therefore, the boom of festivals across the country means more chances for culture, history and traditions to thrive. But that's just in theory, as many of the oldest festivals in the country are now under inefficiently-managed commercialisation. Unlicensed businesses, poor services and other social evils including theft and gambling are spoiling the image of these traditional events.

I don't think commercialisation itself is a problem; it's even a good trend, as it creates more funds for festival organisers to make better festivities to please attendees. But something should be done to ensure that good intentions are going in the right direction.

Christine Grimard, Canadian, Melbourne

When I was living in Viet Nam last year, I was very lucky to cover a festival in the pottery village of Bat Trang when I was working on the travel television show Crossing Viet Nam for VTV4. We had a great time, eating lunch with the locals and our local guide told us all about the festivities.
If it weren't for my role as a journalist, I certainly would have felt too intimidated to join in.

I'm now living in Australia, where festivals are almost entirely commercial. I don't think stands selling goods and larger crowds necessarily take away from the traditional aspects of festivals. I do think it makes them increasingly accessible, as they are seen as more of a public event that anyone can attend, rather than an invite-only affair only for locals. Remember that commercial festivals don't necessarily mean that you need to pay to attend, but rather that the items available on sale take a prominent role in the event, but make it possible to increase the of the event and there is an incentive to attract as many people as possible.

The older generation will continue to criticise the commercialisation of Viet Nam – whether it be the abundance of supermarkets over local markets, high-end restaurants over street food or chainstore fashion over traditional attire. The truth is, this is an unavoidable by-product of the introduction of commercial markets, and the commercialisation of festivals is just another example of the increasingly democratic and popular movement in Viet Nam. It's unavoidable in an increasingly democratic and developing society, and needs to be embraced by the older Vietnamese generation rather than shunned. This is the only way to ensure that those traditional elements stay an important part of these festivals.

Nguyen Duc Anh, Vietnamese, Ha Noi

Festivals in the north are usually after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, partly because this is the down time for farmers. Spring festivals show farmers' beliefs and

wishes for bumper crops, which is popular in wet rice civilisations in Southeast Asia. The major ceremonies include the offering of sacrifices to the gods and processions of sacred objects in the villages. Quite often, festivals feature folk games and traditional art shows to meet the demands of festivalgoers.

In my opinion, the commercialisation trend of festivals is a must, especially now. Festivals are obviously business opportunities that are hard to ignore. In reality, we can see how other countries make profits from their festival tourism. In some other countries, people even make up festivals (modern festivals which hold no connections to history, legends or traditions) for business purposes.

Inefficient management and unprofessional organisations have resulted in the weakening of many festivals. Gambling, for instance, is an obvious evil, as it not only tarnishes the traditional image of the event but also threatens the security of the place and social order.

I believe that once management, infrastructure and service quality improve, festivals will not only receive more Vietnamese patrons, but also attract a large number of international visitors.

Matthew Hunter, British, Ha Noi

Viet Nam is famous for its festivals, and every year, thousands of locals and tourists flock to events featuring music, pottery, flowers and any number of other cultural highlights.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening of the Ha Noi flower festival that was held along the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake. The first thing that struck me was the sheer scale of the festival. What was normally one of the busiest roads in the Old Quarter had been transformed into an idyllic, flowery paradise. Countless flowers from around the globe were displayed in a variety of colourful and original arrangements, centred around a specially constructed lake that had lotus flowers floating on its tranquil waters. The smiles on the festivalgoers' faces, including my own, said it all. The only downside was what can only be described as the over zealous policing of the event, but even that can be forgiven, as it was only enforced to protect a truly beautiful sight.

I've heard many people say that festivals are becoming more and more commercialised, but as long as it doesn't affect the overall spectacle, it doesn't really bother me. Whether it's to promote the national flower industry or simply to enjoy the natural botanical beauty, I hope this is a tradition that will continue for many years to come.

Le Dieu Hong, Vietnamese, Ha Noi

Festivals in spring are fantastic, especially in the north of Viet Nam, where there are special flowers blooming at that time of the year. I still remember how happy I was being surrounded at a festival with girls and boys in their traditional dresses, singing and dancing, and with the pink peach flowers and white plum flowers along the mountain roadsides in Sa Pa, when I visited there three years ago after Tet.

In Viet Nam, we believe that Spring is a time for playing, so all people try to enjoy their days in whatever way they can, mostly by a famous pagoda where they can wish for good things for the year. When too many people carry a lot of cumbersome offers to one place, it gets hard for local authorities to service the demands, and thieves and bad services end up troubling the visitors.

Despite my love for such festivities, I'm now afraid to attend festivals in the first month of the lunar calendar due to the increasing number of visitors everywhere, including thieves and bad services given to the tourists, and especially the terrible traffic accidents that happen during this time. — VNS