(HBO) – Amid the current information explosion and the rise of the media, entertainment, and social networks, not many people remember the film screening team at a time when TV sets were unavailable. Over the past years, film screening teams have worked to perform the political task of improving spiritual and intellectual lives in remote, mountainous and especially disadvantaged areas.
\Photo: A movie screening session of the team No.1 (the provincial Centre
on Culture-Cinema) in Nang hamlet, Quyet Thang commune, Lac Son district in
2020
The movie screening team No.1 under the
provincial Centre on Culture-Cinema was honoured by the Steering Committee for
Awards on popularisation of literature, arts and journalism themed "Studying
and following t
hought, moral virtues and lifestyle of
President Ho Chi Minh” for its outstanding achievements for the 2018-2020
period. Bach Thanh Tinh, an official from the team said at this time, movies
marking Day of Invalids and Martyrs will be screened. However, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the plan has been cancelled.
In January 2019, the provincial Centre on
Culture-Cinema was established with the task of screening films and bringing
culture, artworks and films to residents in remote, mountainous and ethnic
minority areas to disseminate the Party and State’s guidelines and policies to
people, contributing to improving intellectual standards, reducing poverty, and
building a healthy cultural environment, and for the sake of political
stability, socio-economic development and national defence-security
maintenance.
In early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke
out, there were only 216 film screening sessions serving 12,390 audiences,
mostly history films and documentaries about life and career of President Ho
Chi Minh, and war-themed films released by the Vietnam Cinema Department. The
team also worked with departments, agencies and localities to disseminate laws,
prevent social vices, encourage agriculture and forestry, raise public
awareness of new rural development, and honour outstanding people and good
deeds.
Deputy Director of the centre Do Quoc Cuong said
despite hard working conditions and limited income, members of the team always
encourage each other to uphold the sense of responsibility and fulfill assigned
tasks./.
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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