(HBO) - Every year, the province’s photographers have brought their art works to the photo contest of 15 northern mountainous provinces.
Since 1998, as many as 1,800 works by local photographers have been sent to the contest. The works mainly feature the culture, customs, practices and landscapes of the Muong land.
For photo contests in the province, local artists often participate irregularly, because there are few photo contest in the locality. From 1998 to 2018, only six contests were organized. However, the contests gathered many high-quality photos.
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The photo "Hat thuong rang, bo meng” by a member of
the provincial photography association.
The
provincial photography association has 18 members, most of who are retirees or are
working in Hoa Binh city. To prepare for the contests, the association’s
members often go in groups to mountainous and remote areas of the locality, so
as to capture moments of the life there.
The photographers travel to Muong Bi, Muong Thang and Muong Vang to capture images
of the yellow carpet of ripe rice on terraced rice fields, hills covered by
ripe Cao Phong orange and Tan Lac pomelo.
They also cross
Thung Khe to visit Van, Lac and Pa Co villages in the faraway Mai Chau
district, where they can take photos of idyllic landscapes with vast forest,
and Tu, Lao and Dong Bang waterfalls.
In the last three years, the provincial literature and arts association has
no funds to open creative camps for members of the provincial photography association, but
with their own effortsand passion for capturing
the beauty of nature and human life in
villages and hamlets, localartists have taken many
beautiful photos, which wonmany
awards in regional contests.
Hoa Binh’s unique culture of various ethnic minority groups has created inspiration for local photographers. From 2016
- 2018, Hoa Binh photographers
sent 310 art works to the photo contest for artists from 15 provinces of the Northern
mountainous region. Two of
those won silver prizes, and five other photos were presented Consolation
prizes, while a total of 32 were selected for exhibitions./.
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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