(HBO) - The housing architecture of Dao ethnic people is very diverse, depending on the group to live in the houses with ground floor or the ones with half floor and half land. Dao Tien ethnic people (Da Bac) often live in ground-floor houses with wooden walls and traditional palm-leaf roofs. They often build houses close to each other without covering walls to gather together.
Foreign tourists are exploring and learning
about Dao culture and customs in Sung village, Cao Son commune (Da Bac).
Sung hamlet in Cao Son commune (Da Bac) is
the home of nearly 80 Dao Tien households. The special thing when coming here
is that they do not only keep the pristine, the fresh, the friendly people, but
people are also impressed with the pristine rustic beauty imbued with Dao's
cultural identity, from the costumes and the living activities, the traditions,
the customs, the forms of cultivation and so on. In particular, this place
still maintains the ground-floor houses with traditional palm-leaf roofs built
together.
Mr. Ly Van Henh in Sung hamlet says that Dao Tien people often build
ground-floor houses with wood-grafted walls and palm-leaf roofs. This type of
house has existed for a long time, and it is very popular in the life of Dao
ethnic people. They think that only live in the ground-floor houses, there is a
place to worship Ban Vuong. Houses are usually simple with 3 or 5 standing
compartments. How big or small they are, all follow a certain pattern,
including 1 main door in the middle of the house, 1 auxiliary door on the left
gable and 2 windows. 3 compartments are arranged: the left compartment is used
to set the bedroom for the homeowner, the right compartment is the bedroom for
children, the compartment in the middle is usually wider than the other two on
the sides. It is the space for the ancestral altars and the reception.
Most of the international delegations have good
impression and promise to come back with their friends. Currently, in order to
serve tourists better, we have built more houses and improved the surrounding
landscape to ensure hygiene. The newly built house retains its wooden walls and
palm-leaf roofs, but it has been renovated with tiled floors, the bedrooms, the
kitchens, the drinking tables and chairs and many items are made of wood and
bamboo, creating the friendliness, the modern, clean and spacious appearance.
With the pristine natural beauty, the
traditional houses of Dao people, along with the unique culture of Dao Tien
people, the community tourism in Sung village has become an attractive tourism
destination for visitors to travel and explore.
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.