(HBO)- The Dinh Ngoi (Ngoi Communal House) festival 2019 kicked off in Su Ngoi commune of Hoa Binh city on February 13 (the 9th day of the first lunar month of the Year of Pig 2019).
The rite of Via Lua (Rice God) procession to the Ngoi
Communal House in the opening day of the festival
The festival annually takes place on the 8th-9thdays of thefirst lunar month to commemorate the gods of the village, who contributed
to building, preserving and protecting the country and the homeland. It also
aims to pray for a peaceful and happy new year, good harvests, and health for villagers.
The festival includes the procession of Via Nuoc (Water God) and Via Lua (Rice
God), worshipping, incense and alcohol offering in the communal house.
The festive activities include art exchanges, Muong gong performances, display
of Muong people’s foods, traditional sports competitions and folk games.
The festival contributes to maintaining and preserving
cultural and historical values of the locality. It also offers a chance for
locals to educate their traditions for young generations, as well as promote Hoa
Binh’s beliefs to visitors./.
Once a vibrant part of the daily life for the Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh province, traditional Muong singing styles such as "thuong rang bo meng” and "hat dup giao duyen” had faded over time. Today, local authorities and communities are working to restore and celebrate this cultural art form, recognising its value in preserving the group’s heritage.
Gau Tao Festival, one of the most important traditional festivals of the Mong ethnic minority group in Mai Chau district was held at the Pa Co stadium in Pa Co commune on January 11.
The ancient stone engravings dating back thousands of years in Suoi Co valley in My Thanh commune, Lac Son district, used to astonished domestic archaeologists. What their meaning is and what message they convey are the questions to which scientists are seeking answers.
Preserving and promoting unique cultural identities of ethnic communities in Hoa Binh province is considered a crucial task amid in the international integration trend.
More than just a cultural and historical attraction, the Muong Cultural Heritage Museum is playing a vital role in fostering sustainable tourism in the Northwestern region of Vietnam, particularly in Hoa Binh province. It stands as a model for the emerging trend of "responsible tourism," cleverly blending the preservation of cultural heritage with community economic development, raising awareness of Muong ethnic cultural values while promoting green tourism and sustainable growth.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on December 24 organised a conference to report on the results of collecting, researching, restoring, and preserving "Bi doi”, a musical instrument of the airophonic family and a traditional instrument of the Muong ethnic people in Da Bac district.