HBO – It is enduringly popular to see Tay ethnic women wearing their traditional costume when rambling around Da Bac town and Tan Minh, Tan Pheo, Giap Dat and Muong Chieng communes. Integrating with the modern life, the Tay ethnic group, accounting for 40.57 percent of the population of Da Bac district, is preserving and promoting their traditional cultural characteristics every day.
An art troupe in Na Man and Muong Chieng communes in Da Bac district
stages an performance in their traditional costume.
Unlike
men’s outfit, women’s clothing is more sophisticated with three kinds of shirts,
namely short shirts, V-neck style short shirt without button and long shirt, head
scarf, bibs, silk dress and belt.
According
to Xa Thi Thay, head of the art troupe, the colourful traditional costumes show
off Tay women’s beauty and charm. Besides special occasions like Tet or
traditional festivals, the garb is used in Tay women’s daily activities as part
of efforts to preserve their cultural values.
Highlight of the dress is a tight-fitting short shirt with a band clipped with
two lines of silver buttons in the shape of butterfly or cicada. Five, seven or
nine pairs of buttons are arranged in the short shirt. Meanwhile, the
sleeveless bibs are in pink and black colours with sequin decoration in their
necks.
The black or indigo knee-length dresses have two kinds: one with embroidered
waistband and the remainder with sunken floral patterns. Meanwhile, the
skillfully-embroiled Pieu ethnic scarf is a vivid illustration for the Tay
ethnic people’s excellent culture.
The Tay women also use such accessories as necklace, bracelet, earrings and
silver or gold rings.
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 This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.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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