The Tich Dien (ploughing) Festival is a longstanding cultural tradition of Diem Son Village. Held annually on the 10th day of the 10th lunar month, the festival has been preserved and passed down through generations.
Traditional rituals, including ceremonies honoring Than Nong (the God of Agriculture) and the village tutelary deity, as well as the Tich Dien ploughing ceremony, were reenacted in accordance with age-old customs. Through these rituals, residents express their hopes for favorable weather, healthy rice crops, abundant harvests, and increasingly stable and prosperous livelihoods in the coming year.
As part of the festival, the local authorities partnered with travel companies to organize a hands-on farming tour. Nearly 30 visitors, most of them from Norway, explored traditional worship spaces and learned about the area's agricultural heritage. They also took part in ploughing fields and transplanting rice seedlings while learning about the festival's rituals and prayers for favorable weather and bountiful harvests.
Emilie, a Norwegian visitor, said that she was very surprised that local people began the festival so early, following the agricultural calendar. The visitors were delighted to take part in these activities, and the local people were also very friendly.
Nguyen Thi Minh Chau, Chairwoman of the Dien Ban Bac Ward People's Committee, said that linking the Tich Dien Festival with experiential tourism represents a new approach to promoting the locality's traditional culture and agricultural heritage to visitors, including international tourists.
She added that the initiative also opens up opportunities to connect the values of traditional farming with science, technology and modern production methods.
