(HBO) – The house-cooling ritual of Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province was re-enacted at the Vietnamese Ethnic Culture Village in Dong Mo Commune, Son Tay Town, Hanoi on November 21 in response to the 2021 "Great unity of nations - Vietnamese Cultural Heritage" Week.
The
shaman invites the tutelary God of the village to attend the house cooling
ceremony.
The house-cooling ritual is one of the traditional rituals of the Muong people
which aims to pray for favourable weather conditions, bumper crops and good
health for everyone. After preparing the offerings, the shaman invites Thanh
Hoang (Tutelary God ) and other saints to attend the house-cooling ceremony to
bless.
The house cooling ceremony is one of the traditional rituals of the Muong
people, in order to pray for favourable rain, good wind, good crops, and good
health for everyone. In the space of the Muong house, after preparing the
offerings of offerings, the magician reads vows to invite the Holy Scriptures,
Thanh Hoang and his superiors to attend the house-warming ceremony to pray for
health, luck and a good crop.
The shaman made a ceremony to sprinkle water to cool the offerings and tell the
story of the Muong people. He offered offerings and wine to the ancestors and
said goodbye to the holy saints. Then, the shaman would sprinkle water, chant
mantras to cool the furniture in the house.
At the end of the ritual, the shaman would ask for
names, then cast a spell and tied a red thread around the wrists of
participants. This was a form of praying for luck, health, and harmonious life.
After the ritual part ends, the Muong people invite the shaman, ethnic minority
groups living in the village and tourists to drink wine together. By doing so,
they finished a meaningful and equally solemn rendition of the Muong ethnic
identity.
The "Great Unity of Ethnic Groups - Vietnam's Cultural Heritage" week
in 2021 will take place from November 18 to 23, with many interesting and
meaningful programs and events, contributing to promoting the cultural identity
of the community of 54 ethnic groups in implementing the movement "All
people unite to build a cultural life", protect and promote the values of
community cultural heritage and build an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued
ethnic identities./.
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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