(HBO) - On January 31st (ie, the 7th day of Lunar New Year), at the stadium of Dung Phong commune (Cao Phong), the People's Committee of Cao Phong district held Khai Mua Muong Thang Festival in the spring of 2020. The leaders from the appropriate authorities of the province, the leaders from the People's Committees of the districts and the city and a large number of people in the district attended the festival.
The procession worshiping the village's God and the procession of water to the festival.
Khai Mua Festival is a long-standing traditional cultural beauty imbued with the identity of Muong Thang people and it has an important meaning in the lives of the people here. The festival takes place with 2 parts including the ceremony and the festival. The ceremony was solemnly held with rituals of worshiping and welcoming the God of the village from Mieu Ca and the magical water from the ancient well of Dong Ngoai hamlet to the stadium of Dung Phong commune.
After the ceremony is the festival with displaying the local food stalls; cultural, art, sports performances and folk games such as throwing cotton ball, tug of war, stick pushing, crossbow shooting, volleyball competition for men and women.
Khai Mua Muong Thang Festival is held on the 7th and 8th of January every year so that the people can show their respects and thanks to the Three Saints Son Thanh who blessed the Muong people a lucky, full and happy year with good wind, good harvest and the village is always full.
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 This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.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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