The central province of Thua Thien-Hue is appealing for more financial resources to organise the 10th Hue Festival, which is scheduled to take place from April 27 to May 2.
An art performance at Hue Festival 2016 (Photo: VNA).
The province has signed cooperation agreements with five main sponsors for the festival, namely Acecook Vietnam joint Stock Company, Carlsberg Vietnam Trading Co., Ltd., the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development’s branch in Thua Thien-Hue, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and aviation firm Jetstar Pacific Airlines, with total funding of more than 21.3 billion VND (936,135 USD).
Director General of Acecook Vietnam Kajiwwara Junichi said this is the first time his company has joined the festival. It hopes to help international friends access the unique and diverse gastronomy of Vietnam through the festival.
Within the framework of the festival, Carlsberg will hold a beer festival offering local and foreign beers.
Themed "Cultural heritage with integration and development – Hue one destination, five world heritages”, the Hue Festival 2018 is expected to draw international art troupes from France, the Republic of Korea, the UK, Mongolia, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Belgium and China.
A wide range of activities will be held as part of the event including a Buddhism cultural programme, a national festival of "Hat Van” or "Chau Van” (a traditional art form that combines singing and dancing), a music show featuring songs of late musician Trinh Cong Son, a scientific festival, an international trade fair, a cuisine fair and a poem festival.
Hue, which was the imperial capital of Vietnam for hundreds of years, is home to five heritages recognised by UNESCO, namely the Hue ancient citadel relic complex – a World Cultural Heritage site; Nha Nhac (Hue royal court music)- an intangible cultural heritage item; Nguyen Dynasty’s wood blocks – a documentary heritage item; Nguyen Dynasty’s Chau ban (royal administrative documents) – part of the Asia-Pacific Register of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme; and literature on Hue royal architecture - a documentary heritage.
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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