More than 1,000 artisans from five Central Highlands provinces will perform at the 2018 Gong Cultural Festival scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 2 in Gia Lai province.
Illustrative photo (Photo:
VNA)
The event will feature many traditional
festivals and rituals in the region, along with special regional dishes.
During the festival, visitors can engage in community-based tours to explore
daily life of local people and beautiful landscape in Gia Lai.
The festival is expected to welcome between 25,000 and 30,000 visitors along
with 300 invited guests from ministries, sectors and UNESCO Vietnam, foreign
embassies and consulate generals in Vietnam.
Nguyen Quang Tue, from the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and
Tourism, said more than half of over 10,000 sets of gongs in the Central
Highlands are now being preserved by Gia Lai province.
The Cultural Space of Gong of Tay Nguyen was recognised by the UNESCO as a
masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of the humanity in 2005. It is
closely linked to the daily life of local people. Their belief systems form a
mystical world where the gongs produce a privileged language between men,
divinities and the supernatural world.
The Central Highlands region comprises five provinces of Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Dak
Lak, Dak Nong and Kon Tum.
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 This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.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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