(HBO) – Building civilised families is among the tasks of a campaign entitled "All people join hands to build civilised lives”. The implementation of the task has been strengthened in Phong Phu commune (Tan Lac district) over the recent years and, as a result, 86.9 percent of the households received the title of civilised families in 2018.

Cultural staff of Phong Phu commune (Tan Lac district)
disseminate criteria of civilised families to local people.
Since the launch of the
campaign "All people join hands to build civilised lives”, the Party Committee
and the People’s Committee of the commune formed a steering board and devised
its regulations. The campaign has been disseminated to all local residents.
Each year, the local
households are informed of the assessment for civilised families in an open,
fair, and rule-based manner.
The steering board is expected
to answer people’s expectation and promptly address difficulties during the
campaign.
The building of civilised
families has proved effective in enhancing power of the national unity in the socio-economic
development. Notably, the movement on hunger eradication and poverty reduction
recorded high efficiency, with the rate of poor households brought down to 5.6
percent in 2018.
With the due attention of
the Party Committee and authorities in the steering and communication work
towards the building of civilised families, in the 2016-2018 period, Phong Phu
commune saw 770 households winning the title for three consecutive years. Of
the number, 55 families were honoured with prizes and eight out of the nine
residential areas recognised as civilised villages.
The development of the
civilised families building has given a facelift to Phong Phu commune’s rural
areas, and material and spiritual lives of the local people were improved. The
annual per capita income in the commune hit 34.2 million VND. Local people
comply with guideline, policies and regulations of the Party and State, while
cultural traits of Muong ethnic minority were conserved and bolstered in the modern
context./.
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.