(HBO) - The house-cooling ceremony is one of the traditional spiritual and cultural rituals of the Muong people in Hoa Binh province. Its purpose is to pray for good crops, good health, good luck, and repel bad luck and risks. Therefore, most families in the Muong community organise the ritual at the beginning of the year to pray for peace. By cutting down unsound customs, the house-cooling ceremony has become a typical cultural feature and an indispensable activity in many Muong families every spring.
The house-cooling ceremony of the Muong ethnic group
in Hoa Binh recreated and performed at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic
Culture and Tourism (Dong Mo, Son Tay, Hanoi).
Having spent time researching and reacting the ceremony at
the Cultural Village, Meritorious Artisan Bui Thanh Binh, Director of the Muong
Cultural Heritage Museum in Hoa Binh city, shared that the original meaning of
the word "mat nha" in the Muong language is to cool the family down,
make family members healthy and peaceful, and drive back bad things and bad luck.
Therefore, Muong people often hold the ritual on the first days of the year or
when someone in their home is sick or experiences bad luck.
In the past, the ceremony was arranged quite expensively, as
shamans requested house owners to prepare up to 11 trays, including nine big
and two small trays. The big trays were offered to the local tutelary, and god
of the soil.
In addition, homeowners had to prepare a
"community" tray with all kinds of dishes placed near the main door.
The Muong people believe that bad things happen because of ghosts. Therefore,
when the house held a feast to offer to the gods, they did not forget to offer
sacrifices to sentient beings. As the tray was placed at the main door, the
hungry ghosts were invited by the shaman to eat the dishes. After that, the
shaman made spells so that evil spirits did not return to disturb the
householder.
At present, implementing a civilised lifestyle during
festivals under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,
and in order to preserve and promote the typical culture of the Muong ethnic
group, the house-cooling ceremony has been simplified. There need three-five
trays of offerings for gods and ancestors, and one for sentient beings./.
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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