The Culture - Tourism Week of Hoa Binh province in 2024 is organized to contribute to preserving and promoting the unique cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups in the province.
Accordingly, it must be mentioned that the Provincial People's Committee has coordinated with the provinces and the cities where Muong people live, including Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa, Son La, Ninh Binh, Dak Lak, and Hanoi City to build a national scientific profile on Mo Muong Cultural Heritage submitted to UNESCO to be listed on the list of ICH of humanity in need of urgent protection. On March 31, 2024, the profile of Mo Muong National Cultural Heritage was directed by the Prime Minister to be submitted to UNESCO for the consideration and recognition as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent protection of humanity. In addition, the activities of collecting, inventorying, and documenting intangible cultural heritage have achieved important results.
From 2021 - 2024, the specialized agencies have coordinated with the localities to conduct an inventory of the ICH of the ethnic groups in the province. Currently, in addition to the recognized national cultural heritages such as Khai Ha Festival of Muong ethnic group; the Folk knowledge of Lich Doi (Bamboo calendar) of Muong people in Hoa Binh; Keng Loong customs and beliefs of Thai people, Mai Chau district, the province has completed 2 sets of ICH documents "Thuong dang singing, Bo Meng of Muong ethnic group” and "Weaving techniques for skirt waistband patterns of Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh province” to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the consideration and inclusion in the list of the national cultural heritage in the near future.
Lac Sy Primary School (Yen Thuy) has been focusing on educating the traditional and Muong ethnic cultural values for the students.
In addition, the work of restoring and preserving the cultural identity and traditional festivals is of concern. Every year, there are 73 festivals registered to be held in the province, mainly folk festivals of the ethnic groups. In the period of 2021 - 2024, restoring the traditional folk festivals has been carried out effectively. A number of the festivals with the national identities have been upgraded to a provincial scale such as Khai Ha Festival of Muong ethnic group in the province; Tien Pagoda Festival in Lac Thuy district; some festivals have been restored and maintained such as Xen Muong Festival of Thai ethnic people in Mai Chau, Cap Sac Festival of
Dao ethnic people in Da Bac and Kim Boi districts; Gau Tao Festival of Mong ethnic people in Mai Chau district; Khenh communal house festival, Coi communal house festival, Du Voi festival in Lac Son district... Through the festival activities, we have contributed to conserving, preserving, and promoting the traditional heritage values of the ethnic minorities, promoting the local image, and attracting tourists.
To preserve and restore the value of cultural heritage, it is impossible not to mention the role of the artisans - those who preserve, practice, and transmit the heritage to the younger generation. It has been contributing to honoring, mobilizing and encouraging those who hold and practice the typical intangible cultural heritages of the ethnic groups to actively participate in the work of protecting and promoting the cultural heritage of the ethnic minorities and the public. Considering awarding the title of People's Artist, and Meritorious Artisan in various types of ICH and organizing the training for artisans in the work of protecting and promoting the values of ICH is of interest. After 3 awards in 2015, 2018, and 2022, currently in the whole province, there are 45 artisans awarded the title of the State Artist, including 1 People's Artist and 44 Meritorious Artists, of which the artisans are ethnic minorities account for 94%.
The work of displaying and introducing the national cultural heritage values has been innovated in terms of content and form of expression. The province has provided documents, artifacts, and samples to domestic and international research teams such as Vietnam Institute of Archeology, and the research expert teams from Russia, Australia, Japan; Periodically inventory artifacts, 100% of artifacts in the warehouse are guaranteed to be safe. The restoration of 6 ancient bronze drums kept at the Provincial Museum ensures the technical and aesthetic quality, serving preservation, storage, scientific research and display. During the period of 2021 - 2024, the province has received and handed over 139 units of artifacts from organizations, individuals, and families, bringing the total number of artifacts at the Provincial Museum is 18,050 documents and artifacts.
Along with that, the province has been paying attention to investing in building models of ethnic traditional villages and cultural villages in the localities to build specific cultural tourism products, become an attractive destination for tourists in the region and abroad. This is also the trend of building "living museums” in the residential communities to effectively preserve and restore the cultural heritage. All levels and sectors have researched, collected, and restored the cultural values of the nation's traditional craft villages such as brocade weaving, musical instruments, folk songs, folk dance, cuisine, wine... contributing to creating jobs and increasing income for the people. Some models of the traditional ethnic villages and cultures with typical effective tourism development such as Lac Village, Van Village, Pom Coong Village, Duoc Village, Hich Village (Mai Chau); Da Bia Hamlet, Ke Hamlet, Sung Hamlet (Da Bac); Ngoi hamlet, Chien hamlet (Tan Lac)...
In particular, recently, the clubs of folk singing, folk dance, and folk music have been established and have been operating stably, contributing to the preservation and development of the cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups in the province. Among them, the typical clubs include folk songs, Mo Muong, Muong gongs, traditional musical instruments, Thuong Dang singing, Bo Meng singing, Keng Loong dancing... Up to now, in the whole province, 1,482 performance teams in the villages, hamlets and in the residential groups have been established and maintained in regular operation, contributing to teaching, preserving and restoring the cultural heritage to the younger generation.
On the basis of exploiting the potential and strengths of the locality, the province has mobilized the resources for the work of preserving and restoring the values of the ethnic cultural heritage. In particular, the province has devoted the resources to implement the Project on preserving and promoting Muong ethnic cultural values and "Hoa Binh Culture” in the period of 2023 - 2030 in the province. They have been directing the integration of the capital sources and the national target programs to effectively carry out the work of preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups in the province.
In addition to the career capital and public investment capital, the National Target Program for the Socio-Economic Development of the ethnic minority areas has been mobilized to carry out the task of preserving and restoring the cultural heritage values of the ethnic minorities in Hoa Binh province. In addition, the socialization work to mobilize the resources from organizations, individuals, and businesses to sponsor and support the investment funds for preserving and restoring the values of the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups is being encouraged by the province.
However, besides the achieved results, there are still some limitations. There are not many effective solutions in leading and directing the implementation of protecting and restoring the cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups in the area. Propagandizing and mobilizing the people from all walks of life to participate in preserving and restoring the cultural heritage values of ethnic groups in some localities has not had widespread influence, it lacks depth, and it is not highly effective.
The awareness of a part of the people to comply with the law on this task is still limited. The encroachment of land and lake beds to build auxiliary items at some relics has not been thoroughly handled. The environmental sanitation, waste treatment and collection at some relics are not done well. The attention of investors for the valuable relics with the potential has not been attracted to develop into tourism destinations...
From the limitations, in order to continue to effectively implement the goals and tasks of Resolution 04, in the coming time, the Provincial Party Standing Committee directs to focus on enhancing the leadership role of the party committees and authorities at all levels in terms of preserving and restoring the cultural heritage values. It is suggested to lead and direct the review of progress in implementing the goals according to NQ04 to organize and effectively implement the work of preserving and restoring the cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups in the province in the coming period, ensuring the completion of the goals and tasks proposed.
All levels and sectors continue to implement the specific goals to preserve and restore the cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups, associating with building the models of clubs that preserve and restore the cultural heritage values at the grassroots level. It is necessary to carry out well the planning and management of the monuments, assigning the specific management and protection responsibilities to the commune level where the heritage is located. The propaganda, promotion and introduction of Muong Hoa Binh ethnic culture and "Hoa Binh Culture” need strengthening.
The emulation movement "Preserving and restoring the cultural heritage values of ethnic groups” needs promoting, and integrating with the implementation of the movement "All people unite to build the cultural life”. Funding needs to be arranged for preserving and restoring the cultural heritage values in the province. At the same time, the specific policies and financial mechanisms need to be set up to mobilize the investment resources to develop the modern information technology infrastructure, serve the development of cultural industry and build high-quality cultural products. It is necessary to carry out well the planning, project planning, and implementation of the projects to preserve and restore the cultural heritage values in the province in the coming time.
People of the Muong ethnic group have been residing in Hoa Binh province throughout history. Hoa Binh province is a land of indigenous Muong ethnic people. Over the time, the Muong ethnic group has created and preserved a rich and diverse folk culture, in which there is a prominent and unique genre with profound humanistic values - the Mo Muong. Mo Muong has helped to form and nurture the character and soul of the Muong people as well as the land of Hoa Binh.