Doan Ngo Festival - traditional custom of Vietnamese people

Doan Ngo Festival, commonly called “Tet giet sau bo” (pest-killing festival), on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is one of the many traditional customs of Vietnamese people, and it falls on June 10 this year.

“Doan” means the beginning while “Ngo” is the period from 11am to 1pm. “Doan Ngo” is the time when the sun is closest to the earth.

Meanwhile, the folk name “Tet giet sau bo” comes from the old practice of catching and killing pests that harm crops.

On this day, people often cook traditional dishes to offer to ancestors and pray for bumper crops, good business, and good luck in a new season. Apart from typical fruits like lychee and plum, “ruou nep” (fermented glutinous rice) is an indispensable part of this occasion.

Banh tro (or banh gio), in addition, is made from glutinous rice soaked in ash water (the ash is made by burning a variety of leaves, such as dried sesame or rice straw, and adding them to water).

Up to now, besides the Lunar New Year Holiday, Doan Ngo Festival plays a significant role in every Vietnamese life for practical and holy meanings.