(HBO0 - A mountainous district, Mai Chau is home to seven ethnic groups, with the Thai making up over 86 percent. In order to preserve and uphold the traditional cultural value of the group, local departments and agencies actively are encouraging and expanding a movement of wearing traditional costumes during major holidays and working days.
Teachers and
students of a local elementary school maintain tradition of wearing traditional
ethnic costumes every Friday.
Honouring the
beauty of traditional costumes to contribute to the preservation and upholding of
Thai cultural values, the district Women's Union recently directed units to
maintain the movement of wearing traditional costumes, towards realising the
Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 33 on "building and developing the
Vietnamese culture and people to meet requirements for sustainable national
development", the provincial and district Party committees’ directives on
strengthening administrative discipline and spreading civilised lifestyle and corporate
culture.
The province now records 70 models from communes and towns, 46 schools
and eight agencies with the rule on wearing traditional costumes every Monday
and Thursday. The district Women’s Union raised public awareness of the effort
in various forms, attracting members from 16 communes and townships to join the
movement. Nine local units were assisted in sewing brocade uniforms for female
officials and cadres, contributing to maintaining ethnic identity and
developing traditional brocade weaving.
For the
preservation, restoration and upholding of cultural heritages related to
traditional costumes of ethnic minorities, the district opened a training
course on skills to uphold the value of intangible cultural heritage regarding
handicraft and embroidery. It also launched an awareness campaign to preserve
traditional ethnic costumes in suitable ways, including wearing traditional costumes
at boarding schools, encouraging ethnic officials and cadres to wear them
during traditional Lunar New Year or festivals, introducing them to tourists
and travel agencies, and issuing mechanisms and policies for artisans.
To realise goals
in the project on the preservation and upholding of traditional costumes of
ethnic Vietnamese minorities in the current period, Mai Chau district
contributed to the sustainable development of ethnic culture nationwide./.
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.