In the aesthetic concept of the Mong people, a woman's beauty is partly reflected through her clothes. In Mai Chau district, there are two communes inhabited by the Mong ethnic people, namely Hang Kia and Pa Co, with a combined population of over 6,000. Despite the strong development of the society, the cultural identity, notably traditional costumes, of local people is still preserved and promoted.
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Mong ethnic costumes are regularly
used by locals, contributing to the attractiveness of community-based tourism
in Pa Co commune (Mai Chau).
As a local, besides working as a preschool
teacher, Sung Y Do in Cha Day hamlet, Pa Co commune, is also very passionate
about preserving traditional culture, especially linen weaving, fabric dyeing,
sewing, and embroidering costumes. She also shows her love for ethnic costumes
through her habit of wearing them at school and in her daily life.
In recent years, thanks to the promotion of
potential and strengths of natural resources and human resources, the two
communes have become attractive destinations for domestic and foreign tourists.
Local Party committees and authorities have paid attention to maintaining the
organisation of festivals and cultural, art and sport activities to attract
locals to preserving cultural identity and ethnic costumes associated with
promoting community-based tourism development.
As a result, people use traditional
costumes more and more commonly. Many Mong women still wear traditional dresses
while working. On market days, holidays, and Tet, people wear their best
outfits to go out to festivals. In Pa Co commune, there is a traditional
brocade weaving village that maintains its activities, helping visitors
experience stages of making costumes. Another interesting destination in the
commune is Mong Space, Cha Day hamlet, where many traditional costumes that
have been used for hundreds of years are on display to introduce and promote
their beauty, and gradually turn the costumes of the Mong ethnic people in Mai
Chau district into a unique tourism product.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.