Exciting Fire-Making and Rice-Cooking Competition at Dao Xa Communal House Festival

Within the framework of the 2026 Dao Xa Communal House Traditional Festival, the fire-making and rice-cooking competition took place on the morning of March 16 (the 28th day of the first lunar month, Year of the Horse) at the central stage of Dao Xa Commune. The event drew a large crowd of locals and tourists.

The competition is a unique activity that recreates the cultural life of ancient agricultural residents, while providing a platform for exchange and strengthening solidarity among local residential areas.

Three teams urgently pound, wash, and start fires to cook rice.

This year’s competition featured three teams. According to the organizing committee’s rules, each team consisted of four members (aged 18–60) who performed tasks including: rice pounding, rice washing, traditional fire-making, rice cooking, and preparing boiled chicken, all within a 30-minute time limit.

Immediately after the opening drum signal, the teams entered the competition with great urgency and excitement.

The highlight of the contest was the fire-making phase. Teams had to use traditional tools to create sparks for cooking, with a strict prohibition on modern lighters or devices.

Boiled chickens are beautifully presented by the teams.

Judging criteria required the rice to be evenly cooked, white, clean, and free of husks or paddy. The chicken had to be well-plucked, thoroughly cooked, and aesthetically presented. At the end of the contest, the First Prize was awarded to the team from Area 14, while Area 1 and Area 17 shared the Second Prize. All final products were brought to the Communal House for ritual offerings.

The Organizing Committee grades the performance of the three teams.

The team from Area 14 wins the First Prize.

The fire-making and rice-cooking competition not only brought joy and excitement to the community but also contributed to preserving and promoting local traditional values. Through this event, customs associated with the labor of ancestors were vividly recreated, educating the younger generation to appreciate and take pride in their homeland’s cultural identity.

The competition attracts a large number of locals and tourists to watch and cheer.

Hong Nhung