‘Con Da Ve Nha’ (I’m Home), a collection of sketches by Nguyen Tang Quang during his quarantine time in Ho Chi Minh City, has recently been published by the Women Publishing House.
The cover of the book
Quang is an overseas Vietnamese student who returned to Vietnam from the UK on March 17 and was quarantined at the Military School Zone 7, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. He has since left quarantine.
‘I’m Home’ groups 16 drawings sketched by Quang during his spare time in the isolation area as a way to create his own diary of the memorable moments there.
Earlier, the series of sketches was shared on social network and received enthusiastic welcome from Facebook users.
The bilingual book also included articles penned by Vietnamese students who returned home from abroad after the outbreak of COVID-19 in their host countries.
The Women Publishing House will donate part of the revenue from the sale of book to a fund for disadvantaged women whose lives are affected by the COVID-19.
A selection of sketches featured in the book:
(NDO)
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 This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.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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