(HBO) – The Hoa Binh provincial People’s Committee has convened a meeting to discuss the preparations for the Khai ha Muong Bi Festival 2023. Vice Chairman of the administration Nguyen Van Toan, who is also head of the festival organising committee, chaired the session.
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee
Nguyen Van Toan addresses the meeting.
As 2023 marks 20 years since the restoration of
the Khai ha Muong Bi Festival in Tan Lac district, the coming event will be
held at the provincial level. The festival is scheduled to take place with
rituals and festivities from January 27 to 29, which is from the sixth to
eighth day of the first lunar month,. In particular, rituals will be performed
at the shrine of Luy Ai hamlet, Phong Phu commune. Festivities on January 27
and 28 will feature various activities such as sports competitions, folk games,
the Muong Bi night market, an exhibition of typical products of localities and
participating units across the province, a folk singing contest, performances
of traditional musical instruments, and a show of the Muong ethnic group’s
costumes.
The festival opening ceremony will be held at
the stadium of Phong Phu commune on January 29 and broadcast live on the Hoa
Binh Radio and Television Station and the online Hoa Binh Newspaper.
At the meeting, officials looked into such
issues as the guests to be invited to the opening ceremony, the making of a
detailed organisation plan, the assignment of tasks to members of the
organising committee, the establishment of sub-committees, and participants in
folk games.
Speaking at the session, Vice Chairman of the
provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Toan said the People’s Committee of
Tan Lac district, which is the standing body of the organising committee, and
departments and sectors need to actively work with one another to complete a
detailed plan on the holding of the festival as soon as possible. They need to
set up sub-committees and assigned concrete tasks to relevant parties. In
particular, it is necessary to frequently report to the provincial People’s
Committee so as to take timely actions.
He demanded infrastructure preparations for the
festival be finished soon to ensure safety and meet organisation requirements,
environmental hygiene given due attention, and communications increased before
and during the festival to attract visitors.
As a heavy workload needs to be done before the
festival takes place, the standing body and relevant units should quickly
perform their duties to ensure that all preparations are completed before the
Lunar New Year holiday, according to the official./.
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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