Hua Tat's Four Seasons
Spring | Jan – May
During New Year’s Eve, the families wake up at 4am as it is believed that the earlier they wake up, the better it is for the family. The families will gather together at A Chu’s Homestay where they celebrate by putting up a Hmong concert and having a feast.
In the past, the Hmong villagers would play NÉM PAO which is similar to a ball-passing game. It is a traditional Hmong custom where the passing of “Pao” symbolizes the sharing of love between couples.
Summer | May – Aug
During summer, the farmers would farm crops such as rice and maize. Rice is used for consumption and export.
Autumn | Aug – Nov
The Hua Tat villagers celebrate Vietnamese Independence on the 2nd of September. On 1st September, some travel to Moc Chau to participate in the love market. There, they find a date and enjoy the day with them.
Winter | Nov – Jan
During winter, families brew wine from the maize they have harvested. The wine is produced for their own consumption to keep themselves warm in the winter, as well as for sale. In their homes, you can usually find a big barrel brewing in their kitchen which lasts them for a few days.
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Unlike the Vietnamese New Year or Tết which follows the lunar calendar, the Hmong Tết Holiday celebrated in this village starts on the last day of November (30th Nov). They start resting by eating, sleeping, playing traditional sports and listening to music till the end of December. As there is no work during this period, they believe in working hard before the holiday starts.
