HBO – Lac Son district in Hoa Binh province now has two recognised traditional craft villages, namely the Luc brocade weaving village in Yen Nghiep commune (recognised in October 2013) and the Bui rattan and bamboo village in Nhan Nghia commune.
Rattan
and bamboo products of Bui village, Nhan Nghia commune (Lac Son district) win
favour of consumers.
The Luc brocade weaving village in Yen Nghiep commune includes three hamlets:
Luc 1, Luc 2 and Luc 3 with more than 200 looms run by 168 residents, most of
them women. Ms Bin, a villager, has joined hands with wholehearted weavers to
set up six brocade weaving groups in nearby communes such as Binh Chan, Da Phuc
and An Nghia, raising the total looms to 500.
Over 50,000 brocade items including dresses, shirts, caps and scarfs are turned
out annually, serving the demand of the people in the locality and surrounding
areas. The status of a traditional craft village has created a momentum for
women to attach themselves to the craft. In 2017, the cooperative was provided
with 300 million VND from the craft village support fund to buy three weaving
machines, one warping machine, three bobbin winders, five sewing machines and
146 looms. Each weaving machine has a daily capacity of 60m. In the past, a
productive weaver could turn out only 10m per day. Now, with a weaving machine,
the productivity is raised to 40m per day.
In April 2018, the Bui rattan and bamboo village in Nhan Nghia commune was
recognised as a traditional craft village. The craft has existed for long but
locals mainly made home utensils. Since 2000, it has developed widely with more
diverse designs. Many domestic and foreign tourists bought the village’s rattan
and bamboo products as souvenirs and home utensils. About 70 out of the 200
local households join the craft village, with 150 regular workers. Since its
recoginition, the craft village has generated jobs for over 300 labourers. Its
main products are flower vases, trays and baskets. They are sold at tourist
sites at home and abroad such as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. With
its operation capital of 600 million VND, the village earns about 1.2 billion
VND per year in revenue and creates an average monthly income of 2.5 million
VND for each worker./.
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.
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