The third edition of the Moc Chau Tea Festival began on April 6 at Vinatea Moc Chau, a member of the Vietnam National Tea Corporation (Vinatea), in northern Son La province, bringing together six local tea producers.
Farmers work
on vast tea hills in Moc Chau, Son La. (Photo: VNA)
The festival will feature a wide variety of events, including art performances,
a tea-leaf picking contest, a tea ceremony and exhibitions of tea products and
photos of tea plantations in Moc Chau. The geographical indication for Snow
Shan (Shan Tuyet) tea of Moc Chau in Thailand will be announced during the
festival.
The organiser will also hold sight-seeing tours around Moc Chau vast tea hills
and tea production for visitors and a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of
the national Moc Chau tea plantation which was founded on April 8, 1958.
The festival aims to promote Moc Chau tea products, provide a platform for tea
producers and traders to meet and foster safe and clean tea-making, said Nguyen
Thi Hoa, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Moc Chau district.
It is also an opportunity for the district to attract more visitors and draw
investors’ attention. Tea businesses and cooperatives are expected to form
partnerships during the event, she added.
Moc Chau is endowed with a cool climate and soil suitable for growing tea
plants.
Formed in 1959, the Moc Chau tea area now stretches across some 1,800 hectares
and produces more than 23,000 tonnes of tea leaves annually. Moc Chau tea
products are exported to many international markets, including Japan, Taiwan
(China) and Pakistan. In recent years, the production of tea in Moc Chau has
also boosted local tourism.
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 This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.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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