(HBO) – A 800-metre road section of 15 households in Hai Son hamlet, Mai Hich commune (Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province) was previously full of moss and weeds. With the helping hands of 27 voluntary students from the Hanoi University of Fine Arts, the village has been covered with colourful paintings featuring the unique culture of the Thai ethnic minority group.
Thanks to a
project of the Centre for Community Health and Development (COHED), Mai Hich
commune (Mai Chau district) now has a new name as "Hai Son community-based
tourism fresco village”
The activity was inspired by the Centre for
Community Health and Development (COHED) as part of a project designed to
develop rural areas via environmentally friendly community-based tourism
sponsored by the Bread for the World (BFW) with the target of improving living conditions
of ethnic people in
Vietnam.
Through which, community-based tourism initiatives have generated incomes for
ethnic people in Mai Chau district. The paintings were created by voluntary
students and COHED staff along with residents in Hai Son hamlet. After eight
days of working hard, they changed the grey walls into lively paintings.
Not only painting on the wall, vegetable fences
were also decorated. Children in the hamlet were encouraged to join the
activity with the assistance from voluntary students. Children were
enthusiastic to create lovely pictures highlighting the beauty of their
countryside.
Nowadays, when arriving in Hai Son hamlet,
visitors could put their souls into the nature of the Mai Chau mountainous
region which is poetic through pictures capturing four seasons of the year as
well as the daily life of people such as rice sowing, cultivating and pounding,
along with gong culture, drinking "ruou can” (literally "stem wine"
or "tube wine”), and enjoying "mua sap” (dance of the bamboo)
performances.
Hai Son is a poor hamlet in Mai Hich commune,
mainly cultivating rice and vegetables. Locals enjoy a peaceful life but still
face many difficulties. Endowed with natural advantages, locals hope to
introduce the natural beauty of their land to visitors to develop
community-based tourism and increase their incomes.
Head of Hai Son hamlet Dam Quang Thuong said the
COHED project has empowered local residents to develop community-based tourism.
At present, the hamlet is opening a training course for people to provide homestay
services, focusing on keeping the clean environment. Tourists could experience
local daily activities such as growing rice, weaving brocade and cooking local
special dishes.
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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