Over the recent years, many Mong ethnic people in Mai Chau district’s Pa Co commune have paid attention to restoring and developing their traditional brocade weaving craft in order to increase their income and promote tourism in this mountainous area.

Sung Y Nong, Pa
Co 1 village, Pa Co commune, passes down the traditional craft of beeswax
painting to her daughter.
Traditional crafts such as beeswax painting, indigo dyeing,
and brocade weaving have long been practiced by the Mong ethnic people in Pa
Co. However, they faced decline for a period due to the popularity of cheaper
ready-made products that require less effort. Fortunately, thanks to the local
community’s efforts, these crafts have not only been preserved but also become
profitable livelihoods for local residents.
In the commune, Pa Co 1 village stands out as a stronghold
for brocade weaving, with over half of its 76 households engaged in this craft.
For years, Sung Y Nong has almost completely quit farming to focus on brocade
weaving, finding it to be a stable source of income. During peak seasons, Nong
can earn over 20 million VND (786.7 USD) per month, averaging around 10 million
VND monthly. She shared: "I learned beeswax painting, indigo dyeing, and
weaving from my mother when I was 10 years old. Now, I am passing down these
skills to my children to preserve our ethnic traditions while earning a
living."
Similarly, over the past five years, Giang Y Do from the
same village has also focused on brocade weaving. Together with her mother, she
makes beeswax painting, dyes fabrics, and weaves them into various products
such as bags and traditional Mong clothes for sale to customers, primarily from
Thailand and Laos. This work provides a steady income, averaging about 10
million VND per month per person. Do expressed her hope for assistance from
local authorities to introduce their products to more domestic and
international consumers.
Besides Pa Co 1, brocade weaving has also seen a strong
resurgence in Cha Day village which is developing the homestay tourism model.
Coming to local homestays, visitors will have an opportunity to experience
beeswax painting and indigo dyeing.
Phang A Cha, Vice Chairman of the Pa Co commune People's
Committee, emphasised that while current incomes still rely on agriculture,
which does not bring about sustainable economic benefits, tourism development
is a priority of the commune.
To achieve this goal, revitalising traditional crafts and
preserving the distinctive cultural aspects of the Mong ethnic group are
crucial. Currently, several beeswax painting experience models are developing
in Cha Day and Pa Co 1 villages. In the coming time, the commune will focus on
encouraging residents to revive ‘lanh’ (Linum usitatissimum) cultivation and
brocade weaving to create unique products that can contribute to
community-based tourism development.
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.