Hoa Binh is a province where over 74% of the population belongs to ethnic minorities. Each ethnic group has its own unique traditional culture, which is expressed in various aspects of life, including sports.
The athletes are competing in the stick-pushing at the Provincial Championships in Crossbow Shooting, Tug of War, and Stick Pushing in 2024.
Each ethnic group has its own prominent games and sports. For example, crossbow shooting, tug of war, stick pushing, and shuttlecock throwing are popular sports among the Muong community, while Pao throwing and Tu Lu playing are essential in Gau Tao Festival of Hmong ethnic people in Pa Co and Hang Kia communes (Mai Châu). For Muong ethnic people in Lac Son district, boat racing has become a significant spiritual activity in the cultural life and various festivals.
The cultural exchanges and competitions in the traditional ethnic games and sports are familiar scenes in the districts and cities of the province during the Lunar New Year and the traditional festivals. At the festivals such as the Khai Ha Festival of Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh province, Chua Tiên (Lac Thuy), Muong Đong (Kim Boi), and Khai Mua Festival in Muong Thang (Cao Phong), after the solemn rituals come the lively festivities with the traditional games and ethnic sports, attracting many participants and enthusiastic spectators. These activities contribute to strengthening the solidarity, creating an exciting atmosphere, and preserving the traditional culture.
In addition, many traditional ethnic sports have been organized into competitions at the various levels. Among them, the annual Provincial Crossbow Shooting, Tug of War, and Stick Pushing Championships are regularly held. With the careful investment and preparation, from the team composition to technical and tactical aspects, Tan Lac district’s team has consistently demonstrated its strength in the traditional ethnic sports, particularly in crossbow shooting, tug of war, and stick pushing.
These sports are not only held annually but they are also among the 15 official competitions at the 7th Provincial Sports Festival in 2022. Through the effective training and regular competitions, the province has promoted its strengths in the traditional ethnic sports at the national level. A clear example is that Hoa Binh provincial team won 1 gold medal, 3 silver medals in tug of war, and 2 bronze medals in stick pushing at the 9th National Sports Games. Most recently, the team secured 8 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 11 bronze medals, ranking 3rd overall at the 13th National Ethnic Minority Sports Festival, Region I in 2023.
According to the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Hoa Binh province has 836 sports clubs, including 64 stick-pushing clubs and 60 crossbow shooting clubs. These local ethnic sports clubs not only provide a healthy and beneficial playground but they also contribute to promoting the province's public sports movement.
With over 85% of its population being Muong people, Ngoc My commune (Tan Lac) has always focused on preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of the ethnic group, including the traditional sports. Leveraging its strength in crossbow shooting, in 2023, the commune's People's Committee established a traditional crossbow shooting club. According to Ms. Bui Thi Giang, the Chairwoman of Ngoc My Commune’s People's Committee, the club brings together individuals who share a passion for the ethnic sports, allowing them to engage in activities, training, exchanges and sharing experiences, thereby it helps spreading the training movement within the commune.
Mr. Đao Tien Cuong, the Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, states: To effectively preserve and promote the traditional ethnic sports, the department has urged the localities to invest in the infrastructure and the equipment for the cultural centers in the residential areas and the outdoor training grounds. The focus is on maintaining traditional sports such as crossbow shooting, tug of war, sick pushing, and shuttlecock throwing, as well as Muong people's distinctive sport of boat racing. The department is working with the General Department of Sports to develop a program for preserving and promoting the Muonng people's boat racing sport. In the future, efforts will continue to preserve and promote Tu Lu game of Hmong ethnic people...
The people actively participating in the traditional ethnic sports contribute to preserving and promoting the beautiful cultural values and strengthening the community bonds. At the same time, this encourages the development of public sports movements among the ethnic communities all over the province.
The first Expanded Youth Table Tennis Tournament of Hoa Binh Province in 2024 has recently occurred at the Provincial Sports Stadium. The tournament featured nearly 200 athletes from various table tennis clubs inside and outside the province. This sports event aims to promote the campaign "All people do exercises following the example of Great Uncle Ho” and it gradually helps develop the table tennis training movement among teenagers and children in Hoa Binh Province and neighboring provinces.
In the morning of June 30th, at Hoa Binh Square, the Provincial People's Committee coordinated with the Indian Embassy in Hanoi to organize the International Yoga Day in Hoa Binh province in 2024. There was the attendance of Mr. Bui Duc Hinh, the Deputy Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council and the leaders of a number of the appropriate departments, branches, unions... On the side of the Indian Embassy, there was Mr. S. Chinpau Ngaihte, the First Secretary (the Department of Economics, Trade & Development). There was the participation of 500 trainers and the members from 18 Yoga clubs in districts and the city in the province.
In recent years, the physical exercise and sport movement in Yen Bong commune, Lac Thuy district has flourished, drawing a large number of residents to join various training activities, contributing to improved public health.
Recently, the martial artists from our province left a lasting impression at the 2024 Northern Vovinam Championship organized by the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Nam Dinh Province in collaboration with the Sports Department (Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) and the Vietnam Vovinam Federation. This championship has attracted the participation of over 300 athletes and coaches from 13 delegations representing various provinces and cities in the Northern region. The participants competed in 73 categories, including martial arts performances and sparring.
Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Quach Thi Kieu, who is also head of the organising board for the celebration of the International Day of Yoga (June 21) in Hoa Binh province, chaired a meeting on the event on June 6.
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