Traditional festival to welcome in Tet   Prancing goat: One of the goat paintings by Le Tri Dung displayed at the spring festival. (Photo: VNS)                                      Traditional Tet rituals are being showcased from February 6 to 15 at the Ministry of Culture spring festival in Hanoi.  A recreated ethnic minority market from the northern province of Lao Cai features unique specialities such as green tea, rice wine, thang co (horse or beef meat, bones and tripe cooked together), men men (steamed ground maize) and xoi ngu sac (five-colour glutinous rice).  Ethnic minority people trade in bamboo cottages as they do in their villages. Artisans demonstrate their skill in trades like embroidery, weaving, carving and making wine. Visitors can join folk games such as nem con (throwing a ball through a hoop) and playing khen (bamboo pipe).  The exhibition area features traditional rituals carried out during Tet, including a replica of Vietnamese people's altars to worship their ancestors. To celebrate Tet, people clean the incense burner and decorate the altar with various offerings. Praying in front of the altar is a way of inviting their ancestors to enjoy Tet with them.  Vietnamese people have a custom of displaying folk paintings on the occasion of spring to celebrate the new year and decorate their houses. Three popular genres of paintings will be displayed: Hang Trong, Kim Hoang (Ha Noi) and Dong Ho (Bac Ninh).  Paintings of goats by artists Le Tri Dung and Trang Thanh Hien refer to the fact that this is the year of the goat. A calligraphic performance will also take place.  The spring festival takes place at the Vietnam Culture and Arts Exhibition Centre.-VNA