Kate Festival, Bau Truc pottery await October visitors in south-central Vietnam

On Monday, a representative of the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said relevant agencies were rushing to complete preparations for the Kate Festival.

This is the largest and most important traditional annual festival of Vietnam's Cham community that practices Brahmanism. This year, it will be held alongside the first Bau Truc Pottery Festival.

The Kate Festival, also known as Mbang Kate, will take place from October 9 to 11 in Phuoc Huu, Phuoc Hau, Ninh Phuoc, Thuan Nam, and Ninh Hai Communes, as well as Bao An and Do Vinh Wards. 

The festival honors deities, national heroes, kings who contributed to Vietnam's development, and ancestors, while also praying for favorable weather and good harvests.

In Phuoc Huu Commune, authorities have reviewed lighting systems and environmental sanitation along roads and at ceremonial sites. 

Measures to ensure security, public order, and traffic safety are also being implemented to serve residents and visitors during the festival.

Vo Minh Tan, deputy chairman of the Phuoc Huu Commune People's Committee, said local authorities had asked agencies and villages to coordinate preparations and ensure the ceremonies follow traditional customs and regulations.

In Ninh Phuoc Commune, preparations for the ceremonial activities are also being accelerated in Cham Villages.

Che Hoang Thu Hao, deputy chairwoman of the Ninh Phuoc Commune People's Committee, said authorities were ensuring the ceremonies follow traditional customs while preparing for security, sanitation, and food safety.

Ninh Phuoc is also a new venue for this year's Kate Festival, with activities being held in conjunction with the first Bau Truc Pottery Festival.

Bau Truc is one of the oldest pottery villages in Southeast Asia and is known for its distinctive hand-shaped pottery. 

Hao said the combination aims to create more space to showcase Cham culture, traditional craft villages, and distinctive local products, while offering residents and visitors more experiences during the festival.

The pottery tradition featured at the festival was inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2022.

According to the plan, the first Bau Truc Cham Pottery Festival, organized by the Ninh Phuoc Commune People's Committee, will take place from October 10 to 12.

The fest will also feature an exhibition space, Cham pottery-making demonstrations, and displays of pottery, brocade textiles, One Commune One Product (OCOP) products and local cuisine.

Other activities include sports competitions, traditional games, a children's painting contest, a Cham calligraphy contest, Cham folk singing, a Cham women's beauty contest and a pottery-making skills competition.

The 'Soul of Bau Truc Pottery' art program will take place on the evening of October 10, followed on October 11 by a scientific conference on preserving and promoting the artistic value of Cham pottery-making.