(HBO) - Mong ethnic people in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes (Mai Chau) have also been preserving a lot of cultural beauty through their traditional costumes, languages, handicrafts and so on. In which, linen weaving, beeswax drawing, paper making are being preserved and promoted after a long time of gradual extinction. A large number of tourists coming there also want to learn and experience this unique handicraft art.
The women of Mong ethnic people in Cha Day hamlet, Pa Co
commune (Mai Chau) are making Do paper (poonah paper).
Ms. Mua Y Mai in Cha Day hamlet, Pa Co commune says to make
the Do paper from Aganonerion polymorphum, first look for the small young parts
of the plant, peel off the hard shell, then mix them with the ash and put it in
cooking pans. The cooking time is up to 3 days and 2 nights. To be more
successful, they are put into the sacks, soaked in water for about 10 days and
then picked out. The ash is washed off and then it is smashed into a kind of
powder. The pulp is then mixed into clean water, and stirred until the powder
dissolves. After that, the women prepare the paper molds stretched with mesh
fabric. They use a large ladle to scoop up the liquid pulp to spread onto the
cloth. The finished paper after drying under the sun and wind will be peeled and
folded for use when having important family matters.
Besides, the linen weaving and beeswax painting of the women
of Mong ethnic people are like an art. Ms. Sung Y Mua in Hang Kia hamlet, Hang
Kia commune says that it is necessary to make the wax hot so that it can melt
before drawing the patterns. It is important to keep the fire evenly when
cooking so that the wax does not dry out. Therefore, the drawing person always
sits next to the oven, putting a pen into a hot pan of wax and putting the hand
in straight lines on the fabric. The process of drawing beeswax on fabric seems
simple but takes a lot of effort and time. First of all, it is necessary to
make linen and weave the cloth.
It takes from 6 – 7 meters of linen to make a dress of Mong
ethnic people. And it takes 32 stages to make a linen sheet.
For Mong ethnic people in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes, Do
paper is always associated with the spiritual life. According to Mr. Sung A
Mang, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Pa Co commune, Do paper is
often used in festivals, Tet holidays and for worship.
The amazing natural landscapes, the traditional cultural
identities, the villages of Mong ethnic people in Hang Kia and Pa Co have
created tourist attractions to domestic and foreign tourists coming to Mai Chau
in recent years.
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.