The Muong ethnic group’s folk games such as "ca kheo” (walking on stilts), "ban no” (shooting crossbows), "du tre” (swinging on bamboo poles), and "day gay” (pole pushing) carry cultural significance while reflecting their life skills as well as agricultural fertility rites.
Muong Ai women in Phong Phu commune, Tan Lac
district, are playing "danh mang”.
The Muong people's games often reenact daily
activities in their ancestors' era, known in their language as "doi
ho" or "the birth of land and water". "Ca kheo”, notably,
recreates how their forebears navigated swampy terrain in tropical Vietnam's
prehistoric times. It is currently performed in several "Khai ha” (going down
to the field) festivals in the Muong regions.
Similarly, "du tre” evolved from the necessity
of climbing trees to foraging and moving between hillsides using vines and sturdy
bamboo. The "du tre” festivals in Muong Voi region of Lac Son district, and in
Vai village of Luong Son district exemplify how a practical skill transformed
into a sacred tradition.
The process of creating these swings involves
intricate ritual, with the Nha Lang (House of Lang – the landlord class of the
Muong) selecting four special bamboo poles and distributed them to four Nha Au
(houses for the mandarins) for plantation at the field of the Nha Lang. Each Au
must take a different path when carrying their pole, and the construction
process requires precise ceremonial steps and blessings from a shaman.
Three stakes must be driven into the ground
exactly 25-30 centimeters from the swing, converging together to hold an
offering tray. Here, the shaman performs ceremonies inviting the village deity
to descend and partake in both the offerings and the swing itself. The shaman
is also the first one to use the swing, and only on the following day are the
Muong villagers permitted to participate in the swinging festivities.
Many folk games of the Muong people,
particularly those performed during the Khai ha festival, carry deeper meanings
related to fertility worship. The "nem con” (throwing a sacred ball through a
ring) symbolises the harmony between yin and yang energies. The game's elements
- the ball representing yang and the ring representing yin - reflect the
community's belief in growth and prosperity.
Other games like "danh khang” (a game of sticks)
and "gia gao” (rice pounding) also embody the fertility symbolism.
These traditional games passed down through
generations, represent the Muong ancestors' hopes for prosperity and peace.
After the final whistle of the second leg of the ASEAN Cup 2024 semi-final between Vietnamese team and Singaporian team sounded, thousands of football fans in Hoa Binh City burst into the joy of victory. Vietnamese team officially won a ticket to the final of the ASEAN Cup 2024 with a 3-1 victory (the total score after 2 semi-final matches is 5-1) against Singapore.
Hoa Binh Football Club (Hoa Binh FC) has just organized a special friendly match, combined with a tour and cultural exploration in Mai Chau district. This activity aims to strengthen solidarity and exchange between the players and the community, and at the same time, it introduces the cultural beauty of Hoa Binh province.
Volleyball is a popular, easy-to-play, and easy-to-practice sport that not only helps improve health and spiritual life, and tighten solidarity in the community but also practically promotes the campaign "All people exercise their bodies following the great example of Uncle Ho”. In recent years, the movement of volleyball practice has strongly developed, spreading widely to the communes and the towns in the province.
With continuous improvements in both quantity and quality, Luong Son Karate Club is a bright spot in building and spreading the Karate training movement among young people and students in Luong Son district of Hoa Binh province.
The 32nd Traditional Marathon Tournament of Hoa Binh Newspaper Cup in 2024 has ended, but there are still good memories and impressions. Through 32 successfully organized seasons, the tradition, brand, quality, and appeal of the tournament have been affirmed.
