The Muong ethnic people in Giang Mo village of Binh Thanh commune, Cao Phong district, actively uphold and bring into play their traditional culture to foster tourism development.

Hoa Binh is home to six main ethnic groups each of which possesses its distinctive cultural identity with a rich diversity of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. According to surveys of intangible cultural heritage of the five ethnic minorities of Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao and Mong in Hoa Binh, there are 786 heritage elements belonging to seven types.

The province currently has 292 relic sites listed for protection, including one special national relic site, 39 national relic sites, and 71 provincial ones. It also preserves hundreds of bronze drums and about 12,000 gongs.

The unique cultural heritage of local ethnic groups are also demonstrated through traditional festivals, folk performances, beliefs, and social customs. Among these are heritage assets of global significance.

Recently, thanks to the involvement of all-level authorities and sectors, as well as the support and joint efforts of ethnic communities, the ethnic cultural identities have been promoted strongly.

Together with Mo Muong and the art of Muong gongs, the traditional Khai Ha (going to the fields) Festival, the Muong people's folk knowledge of bamboo calendar; the traditional custom and belief of Keng Loong of Thai people in Mai Chau district were recognised as part of national intangible cultural heritage.

In particular, the province completed the dossier on Mo Muong cultural heritage and submitted it to the Prime Minister for presenting to UNESCO to seek the inscription in the list of intangible culture heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

Local authorities have also implemented a project on teaching and learning the Muong ethnic language. Many specialised resolutions on cultural and tourism development have been issued and effectively implemented, leveraging traditional cultural values. Cultural heritage is recognised as a shared asset of the local ethnic communities and a vital resource for developing tourism and creating livelihoods for locals.

Luu Huy Linh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said preserving and promoting the national cultural identity has been identified as an important and urgent task.

Linh noted that the sector has advised the provincial People's Committee and coordinated with departments, sectors and localities to continue implementing specific culture policies for local ethnic minority groups. It has reviewed and adjusted existing policies, and consider to issue new policies so as to meet the requirements of development in ethnic minority areas and ethnic affairs in the new period.

Attention has been paid to protecting the ethnic minority cultures at risk of disintegration while strongly combining the formation of a civilised lifestyle with socio-economic development in a way that matches conditions in each area and of each ethnic groups, religion, and belief.

Additionally, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has collaborated with other sectors to enhance efforts in concurrently preserving and promoting ethnic minorities' cultures, boosting the development of economic activities and traditional crafts, and fostering community-based tourism, the official added.

Related Topics

Muong cultural heritage museum contributes to sustainable tourism development

Efforts made to preserve Muong people’s “Bi doi” instrument

Hoa Binh rolls out concerted measures to promote population affairs

Conference set key tasks for culture, sports and tourism sector

---

Spreading the value of “The Sacred Objects of Muong land”

Hoa Binh showcases traditional Muong ethnic costumes

Hoa Binh’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on December 18, hosted a conference to present the outcomes of a research study on the traditional costumes of the Muong ethnic group.

Lac Son district works hard on preserving, promoting culture identity of Muong people

Along with the activities of Project 6 - the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas for the 2021 – 2026 period, efforts to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in Lac Son district have received additional momentum.

Hoa Binh youths move to preserve national cultural identity

In the context of globalisation and deeper integration, preserving and promoting the national cultural identity is of utmost importance. Aware of their pioneering and proactive role on all fronts, over the years, the youth organisations at all levels in Hoa Binh province have implemented various concrete and practical activities to preserve and promote the cultural identities of ethnic groups in the locality.

School club helps preserve, promote cultural identities of ethnic minority groups

Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province is home to seven ethnic groups, six of which are minorities. The cultural identities of the ethnic minority groups have been preserved well. One of the district’s effective preservation efforts is the establishment of a cultural preservation club at the Mai Chau Boarding Secondary and High School for Ethnic Minority Groups.

Lac Son holds “danh mang” competition of Muong ethnic minority group

Within the framework of Project 6 on preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development, Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province organised a training programme and experimental competition of "danh mang” – a folk game played by the Muong ethnic group during their festivals – on November 26-27.