(HBO) – Tien Ly Thi Hang, a girl from the Dao ethnic minority group, won a silver medal at the "Business Idea Challenge 2022” held by the Youth Federations of Hoa Binh, Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces in coordination with AEA Vietnam, with a project to develop brocade products of Sung village.
The project aims to restore, maintain and
promote brocade weaving to increase the income and create stable jobs for local
labourers, and spread the image and cultural identity of the group to domestic
and international visitors.
Ly Thi Hang (C) shares her experience with members of the cooperative
group for brocade production at Sung village, Cao Son commune of Da Bac
district.
Dao Tien women often learn to make embroidery and beeswax drawings when they
are even less than 10 years old. The products are mostly made for family use.
Ly Thi Hang, head of the brocade cooperative group of Sung village, said that
Sung village is the major living place of Dao Tien people. In 2017, the village
was chosen to launch a community-based tourism model. Each year, Sung village
welcomes over 2,000 visitors, 90% of whom are foreigners, she said.
The Sung village’s brocade cooperative group was founded in 2019 with an aim to
revive and boost the growth of a traditional craft village, introducing the
quintessence of brocade of Dao Tien people, and help local residents increase
their incomes from tourism, said Hang.
With an advantage in skilled brocade makers, the village has provided to the
market various products such as handbags, Ipad and laptops bags, cosmetic
wallets, scarves, headbands, floor mats, pillow covers, and tablecloths. The
handmade products manifest the culture and the spirit of solidarity of Dao Tien
people.
Hang said that during the "Business Idea Challenge 2022”, she aimed to mobilise
resources for the revival of the brocade weaving craft of Dao people. She
proposed many ideas to maintain the key values and cultural identity of the
group. She also asked for support for the cooperative group to join training
courses to improve their products’ quality and promote sales through
e-commerce, and popularise the products through community-based tourism
activities.
Dinh Thai Son, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Da Bac
district, said that Hang’s idea is considered one of the most impressive
start-up initiatives expected to promote the unique cultural values of the Dao
people and improve their living conditions.
He said that in the time to come, the union hopes to seek more such ideas to
boost the growth of the locality./.
Duc Anh
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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