(HBO) – No matter how big or small, each cultural event in the ancient land of Muong Bi (Tan Lac district) is always organised in a thoughtfully and professional way.
Festive activities have attracted more and more tourists to visit and experience community, cultural and ecological tourist attractions in the locality.
Khai Ha (going down the field) festival - a popular tourist destination in Tan Lac district during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.
Muong Bi is one of four ancient Muong regions of Hoa Binh province. The area is endowed with many historical and cultural relics, and natural landscapes such as Cot Co mountain; Muoi, But, Chieng Khen, Nam Son, and Hoa Tien caves; Trang waterfall, and Ngoi Hoa bay.
Muong Bi is also known as the "core" area and the cradle of the Hoa Binh Civilisation. It is also home to many intangible cultural heritages of the Muong ethnic group such as Mo Muong, Muong gongs, Muong folk songs, and festivals.
Over the past two decades, the Party Committee, authorities and people of Tan Lac district have joined hand in preserving and promoting cultural identities of the locality.
When Khai Ha Festival in Muong Bi was restored by the district in 2003, more than 400 gongs were gathered. Since then, Khai Ha Festival in Muong Bi has been held on the 7th and 8th of January every year and the performance of Muong gongs is indispensable on the occasion.
After Khai Ha Festival, the district’s authority revived other traditional festivals such as fish-catching festival in Lo Son commune and Ke pagoda festival in Phu Vinh commune. The restoration work has contributed to raising public awareness of the importance of preserving traditional cultural values, and improving spiritual lives of locals.
The local authority has also paid special attention to preserving and embellishing craft villages to serve the preservation of Muong traditions and culture in association with developing cultural tourism products.
As a result, four community tourism sites were developed and put into operation in Phong Phu, Phu Cuong, Suoi Hoa and Van Son communes, contributing to luring more visitors to the locality.
According to Dinh Son Tung, head of the Culture and Information Department of Tan Lac district, in December last year, the provincial People’s Committee issued a project to develop mountainous communes of the district into a provincial-level tourist zone by 2030, with a vision to 2050.
The locality has hastened preparations for the Khai Ha Festival, which is scheduled to be held on January 27-29.
To attract tourists to Tan Lac not only during the festive season, the district’s authority has taken a series of measures to lure more investment in developing tourism, and develop new tourism products.
Upland communes of Tan Lac district are expected to become key tourist areas of the province, towards drawing more and more domestic and foreign visitors in the future./.
The 10th art festival for the armed forces, youths and students of Hoa Binh province celebrating the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and 35th anniversary of the All People’s Defence Day wrapped up on April 25.
Xoe dance, an unique art form of the Thai ethnic minority group in Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province has existed for a long time and passed down through generations. Xoe dance is not only a popular dance in the Thai community but also a unique cultural feature, an indispensable part in the Thai ethnic minority people's cultural and spiritual life.
The Bac Son pre-school in Hung Son commune, Kim Boi district is effectively implementing a model of preserving and promoting cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group.
Through ups and downs, many unique cultural features of the Muong ethnic minority group are facing risks of falling into oblivion. However, with a strong determination, Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province has deployed synchronous solutions to preserve and promote the locality's cultural heritage values.
If Tan Lac is considered the core of the cradle of Muong culture in Hoa Binh, Phong Phu commune is the cultural centre of Muong culture in Tan Lac district. Luy Ai hamlet in Phong Phu commune is where customs and traditions of Muong Bi are preserved. Luy Ai hamlet was chosen to build a space to preserve Muong ethnic culture. The district is seeking support from the province and coordinating with relevant agencies to devise a plan on preservation of Muong cultural spaces associated with developing tourism products and improving the lives of local residents.
Nguyen Manh Tuan, a Muong ethnic man in Ba Hang Doi town, Lac Thuy district, is known as a young, dedicated, and outstanding artisan who has made significant contributions in collecting, restoring, and preserving national cultural values.
