(HBO) – Whether harvesting rice, planting maize in the fields or picking vegetables and herbal leaves in the forest, or going to the market every day, Tay ethnic women in Muong Chieng commune, Da Bac district wear their ethnic costumes as a habit and pride and above all, an esteem of their cultural beauty.
Photo: Women in Chieng Cang hamlet of Muong Chieng
commune, Da Bac district, wear traditional Tay ethnic costumes in daily life.
Vice Chairman of the communal People’s Committee Bui Van Huong said as a hub of
the district, the commune has three ethic groups living together, including
Tay, Muong and Kinh. Of them, Tay people hold a majority. While Tay men usually
wear traditional costumes during festivals or special events at home, women
love wearing them every day.
In 2017, Muong worship festival was the most
outstanding event of Tay group in Da Bac district, which has been restored. It
dated back to a time when Tay people began to live and explore the land of
Muong Xong, known as Muong Chieng today, to settle down. Held at the beginning
of the year, the festival aims to commemorate ancestors and those who explored
and built the village as well as paid respect to the gods of land, water and
forest for endowing local residents with favourable weather conditions, a
peaceful, healthy life, and bumper harvests.
The local Tay community also preserves a new rice
festival which is held in the 10th lunar month. It is meant to thank
ancestors for a bountiful harvest and pray them to bless the next crop.
Depending on affordability of each family, those who can afford often make it
big, those who can't will make it small, but they must keep it. Especially,
recently, attention has been paid to learning Tay characters in the community.
With local teachers, the community learning centre opened dozens of Tay
language classes for about 300 people.
Along with preserving and promoting cultural values,
people of ethnic groups in the locality followed regulations in residential
areas. Weddings, funerals and festivals are organised in new and civilised
trend, typically in such hamlets as Na Muoi, Chum Nua, Chieng Cang, Ban Ha, and
Ke./.
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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