(HBO) - Visiting Hoa Binh in spring days, everyone is immersed in the bustling gong of festivals full of cultural identity, enjoy the national dishes and sip the wine jar in the stilt house. Not only that, this place also lures visitors with the bamboo dancing boasted, so that anyone who has been immersed with it would never forget.

Bamboo Dance becoming a form of cultural
exchange, linking ethnic communities. Photo taken at Quyet Thang hamlet, Lac
Luong commune (Yen Thuy).
Bamboo dance came to the people who grow up
in Hoa Binh very naturally. Over the years, the styles of bamboo dance have
been ingrained in the people’s minds. There are some cultural values that exist
in such a special way like that so it is easy to understand why bamboo dancing
is the typical and popular dance of Muong ethnic group.
The instruments needed for bamboo dancing are
two big trees, usually made of bambusa nutans, straight and long, which make up
the main stalls and many pairs of bamboo stalls with 3-4cm in diameter and 3-4m
in length. The local people use those to create tools for making sounds and
dance rhythm. In addition, everyday items such as bows, brocade towels, silk
towels are also put into the dance. Men are dancing with bows; ladies are
dancing with fans, silk scarves. Depending on each place, each cultivation and
living habits that people choose the suitable tools to dance with.
The concept of balance, harmony of bamboo
dance also follows certain rules. The dance team consists of a flapping group
and a dancing group. Each group can be from several couples to many couples,
the more couples there are, the richer and livelier the team is. However, the
number of men and women is always equal. The movement of the men should be
healthy to show the brave, the women are flexible, gentle and even movements of
the hands and legs shaking. The bamboo dance requires the dancers to feel the
music, hands and legs must be together into a unified point.
Bamboo dance of Muong ethnic people
originated from a simple folk game that has now become the art of dance. The
start was the game of pestle beating and stick beating. Throughout the
development process, the art of bamboo dance has become much richer, livelier
with high artistic content.
Mr. Bui Van Khan, a bamboo dancing artist in
Ai village (Phong Phu commune, Tan Lac district) said: According to the
migration process, Muong ethnic people live closer to other ethnic groups,
bamboo dancing has become a form of cultural exchange. The dance is simple,
easy to learn but exciting, has made a bridge among the peoples of the ethnic
groups.
Under the stilt house, beside the stream, the
sounds of the bamboo dance still ring when friends far away can find. The dance
has gone through many ups and downs with many changes are now bustling in
laughter, cheerful echo, will remain forever with the village, with mountains
and forests of the northwest area.
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.