(HBO) – Up to 91 percent of the households of the specially disadvantaged commune of Doc Lap in Hoa Binh city belong to the Muong ethnic minority group and 7.3 percent to the Dao. Many of their cultural identities are still preserved today as seen in their languages, customs, and daily life activities. Besides, cultural and sports activities have also greatly helped with promoting those values.
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The gong team of Noi hamlet in Doc Lap commune (Hoa
Binh city) has regularly practiced and performed at festivals and other events,
helping to honour and preserve cultural values.
Bestowed with favourable conditions for
socio-economic development in all fields, Can hamlet is also known as one of
the Muong ethnic villages with rich identity. Not only using the Muong language
in their daily life, local residents also frequently wear traditional costumes
on big events, anniversaries, and festivals.
Dinh Van Minh, Secretary of the Party cell of Can
hamlet, said locals have stayed united to assist one another in economic
development and carry out movements and campaigns, including those on
developing a civilised lifestyle, abolishing backward customs, combating
crimes, and upholding cultural identities.
A club of traditional culture was established
here, attracting a large number of local residents, he said, noting that the
gong team of the elderly and cultural teams of women and young people have
shown many unique singing, dancing, and instrumental performances.
Muong Dao, a less privileged hamlet, derives its
name from those of the two ethnic groups residing here. Among the 170 local
households, 123 are from the Muong ethnic minority group and the rest, from the
Dao.
Nguyen Dinh Tuong, Secretary of the Party cell
of Muong Dao hamlet, said Dao people are well aware of the importance of
preserving their cultural identities. likewise, Muong people also respect and
maintain their group’s traditional cultural practices.
He added that the solidarity among the local
ethnic groups could be seen via cultural and sports activities at the great
national solidarity festival held in November 2020.
The preservation of cultural identities in
mountainous Doc Lap commune has spread across the remaining hamlets of Noi,
Nua, Mui, and Song.
Vice Chairman of the communal People’s Committee
Nguyen Van Phong said every year, local authorities build and implement plans
to uphold and bring into play traditional cultural identities.
Communications have been stepped up via local
meetings and campaigns. In particular, the Doc Lap Primary and Junior High
School has organised extracurricular sessions to educate students on conserving
the Muong culture, which have engaged hundreds of teachers and students,
according to the official.
Besides, sports activities have also helped with
cultural conservation. Folk sports like cane pushing, crossbow shooting, and
stilt walking have proved attractive to local residents.
This year, due to complex developments of
COVID-19, cultural activities have been suspended since the year’s beginning to
minimise mass gatherings.
Earlier, a wide range of cultural and sports
activities were held at the great national solidarity festival in late 2020,
helping to preserve and honour cultural identities of local Muong and Dao
people./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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