The Ap Ho Chieng Festival, or New Year Shampoo Festival, is held by the White Thai ethnic minority on lunar December 30 in Khong Lao commune in Phong Tho district, the northern province of Lai Chau. The festival plays an important role in the local spiritual and cultural life.
The White Thai people believe that everyone must wash their hair to cast off the hardships and bad luck of the past year and send disaster and disease down the river for a prosperous new year.
The festival is inspired by the legend of Miss Han, who disguised herself as a man to fight the enemy and returned victorious on the last day before the Lunar New Year. After the fight, Han and the soldiers bathed in Nam Bo Stream to celebrate their victory and welcome in the new year. Suddenly, the sky shined brighter than usual and a five-coloured cloud appeared to welcome her to paradise.
Local people organize the festival with the hope Miss Han will protect them and help them have good health, happiness, and a bumper harvest.
The most beautiful women in the village are chosen to take part in the fes🍃tival. Visitors are impressed by the image of the women tossing their hair up together a🍒fter the sound of a gong./.
