(HBO) - In 2016, the gongs of the Muong ethnic group were honoured as national intangible cultural heritage. Through ups and downs, they have been respectfully preserved and affirmed a special position in the cultural life of people in the Hoa Binh.
Artisan Nguyen Thi Hinh (second
right), Lam Son commune (Luong Son) teaches Muong gongs to women in the area.
According to statistics, the province houses
about 10,000 Muong gongs. Fortunately, in recent years, the instruments have
been treasured by local families as a sacred and precious object in the house.
Many young people, even elementary and junior high school students, also know
how to play the gongs.
In order to promote the value of Muong gongs and
introduce them to domestic and international friends, in recent years, the
provincial centre for culture and cinema has opened classes teaching people in
homestay areas to play the instrument.
As a result, the tourist villages of Hien Luong,
Tien Phong, and Suoi Hoa communes have created their own imprints and
identities with gongs, attracting many tourists.
Meanwhile, Muong gong performance has become one
of the indispensable contents of local festivals at all levels. On the occasion
of the province's 125th founding anniversary, the performance of 1,000 people
from four Muong regions playing 1,000 gongs set a Guinness record. On Hoa
Binh’s 130th founding anniversary, the record was broken by a performance of
1,500 gongs.
Luu Huy Linh, Deputy Director of the provincial
Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that for the Muong people in
Hoa Binh, gongs are not just a musical instrument but have become an
indispensable cultural and spiritual value in their community life.
According to Linh, the local Muong ethnic group
currently has nearly 40 major festivals, 90 percent of which employ gong music.
Recently, Muong gong art has also been included in major political and cultural
events of the province in a unique way, leaving a deep impression on locals and
tourists at home and abroad. Many families have even bought 1-2 sets of gongs
to use and hang them in solemn positions in the house as a proof of love and
pride for the national cultural identity./.
On November 6, the residential area, Nam Thai hamlet, Doan Ket commune (Yen Thuy) organized the Great National Solidarity Festival and celebrated the 94th anniversary of the traditional day of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (November 18, 1930 - November 18, 2024). There was the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Tien Sinh, the Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the Chairman of the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Commission, and the leaders of the appropriate departments and branches of the province and Yen Thuy district.
The authorities and community in Yen Thuy district are dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of ethnic groups in the locality. Yen Thuy is home to seven ethnic groups, with the Muong making up over 69% of the population.
A great national solidarity festival was held in Ngai hamlet, Thach Yen commune, Cao Phong district, on November 8. Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hoa Binh province Bui Van Khanh, and Colonel Trinh Duc Thiem, Commander of the provincial Military Command, attended the event.
A great national unity festival was held in Cau Son hamlet in Nhuan Trach commune of Luong Son district on November 10.
The organising board for the Hoa Binh Culture and Tourism Week 2024 has officially released its press statement.
The People’s Committee of Hoa Binh province held a press conference on November 5 to announce the details of its upcoming 2024 Culture-Tourism Week.
