(HBO) – Visiting Mai Chau district on autumn days, visitors could enjoy music and dance performances everywhere in jubilant atmosphere.
The
district now has 183 art troupes, 138 of them were set up by the district
People’s Committee and receive an annual aid worth 2 million VND. In hamlets,
villages and community-based tourism areas in particular, 2-5 art troupes with
12-15 members regularly practise and perform. Ha Van Tuan, Director of the
district Centre of Culture and Sports said the district recently successfully
held a local art show 2017, attracting more than 340 artists from 21 troupes of
communes and townships. They made 60 performances of songs and dances extolling
the Party, Uncle Ho and soldiers, the tradition of heroic fighting by the Vietnamese
nation through generations, and patriotism. Most of performances were
thoroughly prepared and left deep impression on the audiences. Via art shows,
mass music performances have proved to increase in both quantity and
quality.
Photo caption: A performance at Mai Chau
district’s art show 2017
Apart from joining music performances as
requested by authorities, almost all art troupes work voluntarily and actively
popularise the Party’s policies and guidelines and State laws to the public.
Thanks to support of the Party units, local authorities and private resources,
art troupes equipped themselves with audio and light equipment, costumes, and
instruments and actively composed scripts, directed and set the scene for their
performances, which attracted many audiences. At present, grassroots art
troupes play a crucial role in maintaining, preserving and upholding folk songs
and dances, many of them draw elderly artists who still remember folk songs by
the Muong, Dao, Thai ethnic groups and pass them on to younger
generations.
Not only being held during the New Year
festival, local festivals are organised regularly, attracting numerous people
from young to old ones. From mass art troupes, the district Centre of Culture
and Sports chose outstanding artists and formed art troupes to join art shows
held by the province. At the provincial art show 2017 held in mid-August, Mai
Chau district’s art troupe brought to the stage excellent performances, which
were welcomed by audiences and won A prize./.
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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