Con ball throwing among the ethnic Thai
VOV.VN - Con ball throwing is a popular folk game many the ethnic Thai ethnic minority people in Vietnam’s northwestern region. While playing the games, Thai girls and boys have a chance to find their partners and express their love.
During their major festivals including Long Tong or Going to the Field, Genie Worshipping, and Lunar New Year festivals, Con throwing is an important game.
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A Con ball is as big as an orange and is decorated with colorful patterns representing the richness of the universe, and stuffed with rice grains, cotton, sesame, and mustard seeds and beans, which represent the hopes for growth, longevity, and prosperity.
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The string of the ball is about 50 cm long. A beautiful con ball depends on the quality and colors of the cloth. Four corners of the ball are decorated with colorful fringes representing the four directions.
The fringes at the end of the string and under the ball represent heaven and earth. The ball with more colorful fringes is more beautiful and brings more luck, happiness, and prosperity.
Everyone wants to have the most beautiful ones in the festival to play with.
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Local people set up a bamboo pole 9 -15 meters high on the flat ground. At the top of the pole, there is a ring about 50cm in diameter.
Khoang Thi Duyen in Lai Chau said, “If the players throw the ball through the ring hung on the top of the bamboo pillar, they are the winners and will have best luck throughout the year."
"The players can also be divided into two teams and throw the ball to each other. The winner will be the one who catches the ball. The losers will then have to present the winners with scarves, hats, shirts, and bracelets as gifts of honor,” she added.
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