CARITAS DA LAT: CULTURAL EXCHANGE FESTIVAL "CULTURAL COLOR - CONNECTION FROM THE LAND"
On the morning of May 27, 2026, in the peaceful space of the Dalat Pastoral Center, the majestic sound of gongs rang out, gathering about 200 participants in a cultural exchange program with the theme "Cultural colors - Connection from the land". The event is a meeting place for the H'Mong, M'Nong, Churu, Ma, K'Ho, Cil, Raglay and Cham ethnic brothers from many communities in Da Lat Diocese (Dung K'No, Da Nhinh, Ntol, Phi Lieng, Pang Sim...) and the special presence of the Phan Son community of Caritas Phan Thiet Diocese.
With the message "Culture is born from the soil and nurtures the community", the festival hopes to preserve traditional cultural values associated with working life, while raising awareness of the role of culture in sustainable community development.
Honoring indigenous seeds and the protection of Mother Earth At the beginning of the program, Sister Maria Nguyen Thi Kieu Nga - Head of Caritas Da Lat Network offered prayers and gave an opening speech. The sacred and emotional highlight of the first part of the program is the "Seed Connection" ceremony. The representative of each community brought a typical seed of their village and solemnly placed it on the display table. Through gentle meditation, the community is reminded that local seeds are priceless treasures given by God and Mother Earth.
The image of grandmothers and mothers, rough and windy but diligently saving each seed by the kitchen rack, is a symbol of freedom, helping farmers master food sources without having to depend on companies or industrial chemicals. Cherishing the seeds of tradition is also the most practical way to protect the autonomy of the poor and respond to Pope Francis' invitation to preserve the Common Home in the Encyclical Laudato Si'.
Vivid experience space imbued with greatness. Right after the opening ceremony, from 9:25 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., people can immerse themselves in 6 extremely lively cultural experience spaces. In the middle of the Pastoral Center campus, the actual working life of the village is brought intact: hands quickly weaving baskets and weaving cloth; Bright smiles at the pottery making and leaf cake making space; or the sound of a pestle pounding rice to make yeast, making wine, and pounding fish rhythmically. Each space has a guide, helping participants not only observe but also directly manipulate, understand more about the meaning and feel the breath of life passed down from their ancestors.
Proud echoes through each dance and gong rhythm. The program flourished with cultural exchanges imbued with the mountain and forest identities, truly reflecting the daily life of each ethnic group. Based on the carefully prepared performance list, the performance Mo man: Joh Yang Khue and the highland Perfume Dance of the H'Mong community (Phi Lieng) opened, bringing the audience back to the beloved village space.
The performances follow each other to create a colorful artistic picture: the sacred gong beating rhythm of the DTH community; The rustic Water Team Dance recreates the image of a woman carrying life resources from the stream to the village of the Phan Son community; the graceful dance of Loc Tan's Phoenix Wings; and the sound of the bustling Aria gongs of Diom parish. The cultural flow continues to fascinate with the innocent H'Mong Dance (Phi Lieng), the rhythmic Xoan Dance combination of Ntol, and the explosive, energetic Tay Nguyen Dance choreography of Pang Sim. Closing the heritage journey is the performance Suoi Roo Dai Thousand performed by the Diom community, bringing a peaceful, fresh and vibrant beauty.
Connecting brotherhood through traditional cuisine Lunch time is the time when everyone gathers to enjoy traditional dishes in the form of a buffet. Although the menu does not have delicacies, it is full of love and gratitude with dishes prepared from the fields such as stir-fried green vegetables with garlic, snails, bottle gourd porridge, hand-pounded ginger and chicken, and the signature rattan buffalo skin dish. The meal was rustic but comforting to the taste buds and filled with brotherly unity.
The cultural exchange festival ended with a memorable feeling after the seed sharing ceremony and closing prayer led by Sister Van Anh (Caritas Phan Thiet). The rough seeds that are exchanged are not only the life germs of nature, but also the thread that connects the community, weaving the most brilliant colors, continuing to sink deep into the heart of the great mother earth to nurture future generations.
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Xuan Khoa - Communications of Caritas Dalat office
