The Friendship Journey 2018 was held in the northern province of Thai Nguyen on March 10, gathering nearly 300 delegates who are ambassadors and officials of embassies of various countries in Vietnam, and representatives of friendship associations, international and non-governmental organisations in Vietnam.
The Friendship Journey
aims to foster friendship between the delegates and Vietnamese people.
Held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations
(VUFO), the event aimed to foster friendship between the delegates and
Vietnamese people, especially locals in Thai Nguyen.
Participants visited the Museum of Vietnam Ethnic Groups'
Cultures where they explored six cultural regions of Vietnam from the north to
the south, as well as typical festivals, customs and traditional practices of
each region.
They were also introduced to unique traditional arts of
Vietnam, including water puppet, water carrying dance of Cham people, and
musics of Khmer and H'Mong communities.
Visiting the Tan Cuong tea culture space centre and the
ecology tea village in Thai Nguyen, the delegates had chances to experience tea
processing methods as well as special cultural practices of Thai Nguyen tea
growers in the famous tea production hub of Tan Cuong.
On the occasion, they
planted trees in the Museum of Vietnam Ethnic Groups’ Cultures.
Source: VNA
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
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