On April 14, at the boarding area, Dalat University cooperated with Lam Dong Provincial HCM Communist Youth Union to organise Bunpimay in 2022 for Lao international students studying at the University.
The programme was attended by Ms. Tran Diep My Dung – Deputy Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial HCM Communist Youth Union; Mr. Nguyen Ban – Chairman of The Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Lam Dong Province; Comrades in the Committees of Lam Dong Provincial HCM Communist Youth Union; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tat Thang – Party member, Vice President of Dalat University, and representatives of departments, unions, faculties, Executive Committee of HCM Communist Youth Union – Vietnam National Union of Students of Dalat University, lecturers, representatives of Vietnamese students and especially 24 Lao students studying at the University.
At the programme, the delegates and Lao students attended the traditional rituals of Bunpimay such as Baci ceremony (tying strings around the wrist), splashing water to wish for good luck in the new year and participating in the traditional Lam Vong dance. In the afternoon of the same day, the University also organised sports matches, Vietnamese and Lao folk games for Lao students and Vietnamese students, thereby helping them have more opportunities to interact and learn about the culture, people, traditional customs of the two ethnic groups.
Bunpimay is the traditional new year holiday of the people of the Laotian tribes. This year, according to the Buddhist calendar of Laos, Bunpimay takes place from April 14 to 16. Bunpimay has many unique cultural activities to welcome the new year. On the first day of the new year, people will go to grandparents’ house to wish them a happy new year and perform the ritual of tying the strings around the wrist (Baci ceremony) to pray for good luck to come to their loved ones. After that, everyone ate an intimate meal with traditional dishes. On the next day, the whole family will go to the temple to perform the ritual of bathing Buddha statues, splashing each other with water to wish for health and luck, and the last day will be for fun activities. According to the concept of the Lao people, splashing water is to pray for good luck, wash away bad things, diseases and welcome a new year of cleanliness, health and long life; Tie the strings around the wrist to pray for good luck to come to your loved ones (also known as Baci ceremony). The customs of Bunpimay are meant to bring peace to all things and happiness to the people.
Organising the Bunpimay Traditional New Year for Lao students every year shows the interest of the Party Committee and Leaders of Dalat University to Lao students studying at the University, thereby contributing to promoting the spirit of solidarity and tightening the friendship between the people of the two countries Vietnam – Laos in general and between the people of Lam Dong province and the people of Champasak and Bolykhamxay provinces in particular, as well as revisiting the the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Lao, at the same time, creating conditions for Lao students studying at Dalat University to celebrate the traditional New Year festival of the Lao ethnic people – Bunpimay in a warm and loving atmosphere.
Department of Journalism and Communication
Translator: Nguyen Hoang Nam Phuong
