Unique fire making and cooking competition in Dao Xa

On the spring trip through Dao Xa, Thanh Thuy district, besides festivals with hundreds of years of history, visitors from everywhere also especially enjoy the fire making and cooking competition. The unique point here comes from the competition between men amid the cheers of the villagers.

The making and cooking competition is often held along with the elephant procession on January 28 of the lunar calendar. This is the part of the festival that is most anticipated by the villagers and also attracts the largest number of viewers. This year, the competition includes three competing teams from three residential areas. Each team has three members, regardless of age, they just need to be healthy, agile, and skillful. Equipment for the rice cooking competition includes a tripod stove, cast iron pot or aluminum pot, mortar and pestle to pound rice, dry straw or firewood, rice tray, plate, beautiful crested rooster weighing 1.5 - 2kg, and rice...

After the judges' introduction, the chief shouts: “Start”, the drums sounds, and the three teams officially competes.

The judges will directly taste rice and chicken from each kitchen. Scores are summarized based on the following factors: Time to complete the feast, quality of dishes, aesthetics of the feast, and awareness of compliance with the competition regulations. After discussion and consensus, the chief will announce and award the first prize to the winning team amid the cheers of the villagers.

Mr. Le Quoc Ky - Chairman of Dao Xa Commune People’s Committee said: "The fire making and cooking competition has a history of hundreds of years, going hand in hand with the elephant procession in Dao Xa. The contest was organized to review the historical traditions of our ancestors' generations by using the primitive fire making method, typical of residents in the wet rice growing delta."

Nowadays, the fire making and cooking competition is not only held in Dao Xa but also spread to many village festivals, especially the annual Hung Kings’ Temple Festival. This is a highlight that attracts tourists to this ancient land with a rich history and traditional culture.

Thuy Trang