(HBO) - Hoa Binh, a mountainous province, is located at the gateway of the Northwestern region, having a population of more than 85,000 people. There are 6 main ethnic groups mainly Muong, Thai, Kinh, Dao, Tay, and Mong (the ethnic minorities account for nearly 73%, of which, Muong people account for over 63%). In the period of 2000 - 2020, the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life” has been maintained and developed, which has become a great social movement with a strong vitality, contributing to building a healthy cultural environment, ensuring the security, creating a foundation to promote the socio-economic development of the province.
Mong Hoa commune
(Hoa Binh city) has been paying attention to investing in building a system of
grassroots cultural institutions to meet the needs of living and meeting of the
local people.
The
movement "All people unite to build a cultural life” has become an important
solution to mobilize the People to promote the good traditions of the nation,
repelling social evils, and helping each other develop economy, eradicating
hunger and poverty, building a prosperous, equal, happy and progressive family,
building the cultural villages, hamlets, residential and population groups, building
the cultural agencies, units and enterprises. Since the movement was launched,
it has created a spillover effect in the society, responded and voluntarily
participated by all levels, branches and strata of the People. The movement was
implemented through many specific and practical movements.
"All people
unite to build a life in the residential areas” is the campaign strongly
deployed towards the grassroots and the residential areas, with many activities
of repaying somebody for his favor, humanitarian and charity such as: building
and repairing the gratitude houses, giving the gratitude savings books,
visiting and giving gifts, helping families under the preferential policies on
holidays, New Year ...
The
movement of building "The cultural villages, hamlets and residential groups”
has had a positive impact on the improvement of socio-economic life,
contributing to changing the face of rural and urban areas in the province. In
2000, there has been 343 out of the 1,577 "Cultural Village” in the whole province,
reaching 21.75%. In 2010, there were 1,412 out of the 2,066 "Cultural
villages”, reaching 68.3%. By 2019, in the whole province there were 1,264 out
of the 1,482 "Cultural villages”, reaching 85.2%.
The
movement of building the "Cultural family” is identified as an important
content, bringing the decisive factor to the movement "All people unite to
build a cultural life”. The quality of the movement has increasingly been
improved according to the criteria and standards of the Central and the province.
Along with
that, the leaders of agencies, units and enterprises has been annually
coordinating with the Trade Union to organize the movement of "The Cultural
agencies, units, enterprises” attaching to the political tasks so that the
cadres, the civil servants, the public servants and employees can register for
emulation. They have been promoting the movement of learning and following Ho
Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style associated with the emulation movements
such as "Excellent labor, creative labor”, "Being good at the domestic work,
taking good care of the housework”, building the agency "Green, clean,
beautiful”... In 2000, in the whole province there has been 227 out of the 459
"Cultural Offices, units, enterprises” accounting for 49.45%. In 2010 there
were 1,069 out of 1,269 agencies, units and enterprises reaching this title,
equaling 84.2%. By 2019, there were 1,443 out of 1,570 "The Cultural agencies,
units, enterprises”, equaling 91.9%.
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.