(HBO) - When Spring comes, Mong people’s villages in the communes of Hang Kia and Pa Co (Mai Chau district) are bustling with the sound of pounding "banh day” (sticky rice cake). Every Lunar New Year (Tet), local people gather together to make the soft and delicious cakes from steamed sticky rice.
For the Mong people, "banh day” is not only an offering to worship
ancestors on the occasions of the Lunar New Year or other festivals, but also a
dish for guests, especially those from faraway.
The custom of making Banh
day of the Mong people in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes (Mai Chau district) is performed
in festivals.
"Banh day” of the Mong people is known as "Pe” or "Dua” in the Mong language.
For them, the cake has a sacred meaning like "banh chung” of the Kinh. "Banh
day” represents the sun, which is the origin of all things and species. On the
other hand, it also demonstrates the purity and faithfulness of the Mong
people.
The pounding of "banh
day” is a typical custom of the Mong, which reflects the strength and desire
for a happy life, thus requiring those who pound the cake to be strong.
Therefore, it is always performed by healthy and muscular young men.
The pounding must be done in rhythm until the rice becomes supple and smooth. The
more you pound, the softer the cake becomes and the longer it can keep.
The pounding of cake also shows solidarity and discipline in the community.
The women are responsible for preparing leaves for wrapping "banh day” cakes. Dong
or banana leaves must be cleaned and dried before they are used for wrapping. The
round cakes demonstrate the skillfulness of the women.
When travelling to Mong village in Tet
holidays, I always buy dozens of "banh
day” to give as gifts to my friends and relatives. To enjoy the full flavour of
"banh day”, the cake should be baked on charcoal or cut into small pieces and fried
until crispy crust, and be eaten with fish sauce or honey.
Along with traditional dishes
such as corn wine, hill pork and chicken, "banh day” is always an attractive
dish that everyone wants to taste in the most important festival of the Mong
people./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
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Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.