(HBO) – With their strong enthusiasm and passion, Hoa Binh folk singers have worked hard to preserve and promote the value of folk melodies and popularise it in the contemporary life with a hope that the national cultural tradition will live forever.
Artisan Ha Thi Bich in Xam Pa hamlet, Na Phon commune of Mai Chau district,
teaching her grandson to sing folk songs.
Bach Thi Dao, a veteran artisan in Beo hamlet,
Xuan Thuy commune of Kim Boi district, inherited the love for Muong folk
singing from her parents. She has used melodies for communications work.
Meanwhile, Quach Thi Lon from Khanh hamlet of An
Nghia commune represents the young generation of Muong folk singers. She is one
of the youngest Muong folk singers and performers of Lac Son district.
Prompted by the desire to preserve and
popularise the beauty of Muong folk songs to people of other ethnic groups
throughout the country, she and Emeritus Artisan Bui Huy Vong have worked with
each other to develop a YouTube channel called Quach Lon. by now, the channel
has been operating for more than two years, attracting over 14,000 subscribers,
with 1,100 videos of Muong folk songs performed by her that draw a great number
of views.
With more than 50 years of popularising folk
songs to younger generations, artisan Ha Thi Bac is considered a "living
archives" of Thai folk songs as she can sing hundreds of songs as well as
deeply understand the meaning of the lyrics.
In 1998, Bich released an album containing 15
Thai folk songs that she loved most. Operating for more than three years, the
Thai folk song club in Xam Pa hamlet, established by artisan Ha Thi Bich, has
attracted nearly 20 members who are children, teenagers and women who gather
two or three times each month.
Along with regular singing, performing and
exchanging activities and maintaining the club's operations, she has also taught
Thai folk songs to the younger generations with a hope of preventing the risk
of the disappearance of the national cultural identity.
Ha Yen Nhi, a young member of the club for over
one year, said that so far she has learnt to sing 15 Thai folk songs. With the
support of Bich, Nhi’s love and passion for the melodies have been nurtured and
developed, along with her sense of responsibility to maintain and develop Thai
folk songs.
Dao, Lon and Bich are three among the many
artisans who are exerting efforts to maintain the traditional culture and
transfer it to the youth./.
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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