(HBO) – Cho Cave lies in the southwestern slope of Sang mountain in Hui hamlet, Cao Ram commune, Luong Son district – where a part of Hoa Binh culture inhabitants lived. In 1926, French archaeologist M.Coloni chose to unearth Cho cave relic site to study Hoa Binh culture.
Photo
caption: Residents in Cao Ram commune, Luong Son district explore Cho Cave
relic site.
Cho Cave lies in a favourable location with a wide valley having fertile
land and lush greenery all year round in front of its gate. Thanks to proximity
to water sources, it is easy to go hunting, picking fruits, seeking seafood and
herbs. For this reason, primitive inhabitants lived in Cho Cave, which was
evidenced by thick cultural layers containing molluscous feed wastes and big
sets of stone tools. With more than 1,000 artifacts on display at the Vietnam
Museum of History, the Anthropology Museum, the Vietnam Institute of
Archaeology and the Hoa Binh Museum, scientists affirmed that Cho cave is an
important archaeological relic site with great values for studies and
exploration of a famous prehistoric culture: Hoa Binh Culture.
Taking us to the unearthed areas in Cho cave, Dinh Thi Nu, a culture
official in Cao Ram commune said there are stone artifacts typical of Hoa Binh
culture such as pebble stone tools and others of oval, almond and rectangular
shape. Animal vestiges found in the cave showed that hunting was then a major
job. The main cultural layer is thick snail molluscous and clam shells. With
abundant vestiges and thorough preservation, one could imagine how the life in
the cave came along thousands years ago when holding left-over vestiges.
From such evidence, scientists believed that Cho cave dated back to 10,000
years ago and was in the period of transition to the New Stone Age.
With great values of Cho Cave, Chairman of the Cao Ram communal People’s
Committee Hoang Van Thuong said local residents are proud of Cho cave relic
site. The commune built a road leading to the cave with guards on standby. The
local people regularly come to clean up the road and grow trees in front of the
cave’s gate to attract tourists. However, the number of tourists to the site is
limited, mostly pupils in Luong Son district. Several foreign delegations came
for archeological work./.
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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