people The Tay Peoples Folk Game: Spinning Top
The spinning tops of the Tay ethnic minority are crafted from various types of wood such as ironwood, guava, and grapefruit trees. These tops feature a unique design with a round and squat body, and a sharp point at the bottom that allows them to spin effortlessly. Tay women have a unique technique for spinning tops using a fiber cord made from jute or flax. They tightly wrap the cord around either the upper or lower part of the top. This allows them to throw the top down and simultaneously pull the cord, causing the top to spin on the ground. Nong Thi Huong, a Tay woman from Luc Yen district, fondly reminisces about her experience playing top since she was in grade 6 or 7. She would always carry it with her in her schoolbag or hang it on her belt. Sometimes, she would play it enthusiastically with her friends, even though she would occasionally get scolded by her parents. She admits that this game is incredibly addictive, as the more she played it, the more she fell in love with i...
