Nghe An, July 20 -- The O Du ethnic people's ceremony to welcome the first thunder of the year has been listed as national intangible cultural heritage, in the category of social customs and beliefs.

The recognition was recently made by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Decision No. 2192/QD-BVHTTDL.

In existence for nearly 100 years, the ceremony of the O Du people in Nga My commune, the central province of Nghe An, is one of the biggest and most important festivals of the ethnic minority. It features a variety of rituals imbued with a unique and distinctive cultural identity.

As one of the few persons still able to speak the traditional O Du language in Vang Mon village, village elder Lo Van Cuong said that in the O Du pe...