(HBO) - In recent years, the mass art movement in Nam Thuong commune (Kim Boi) has been widely growing, attracting a great number of people to join the performance teams of every village and hamlet. Thereby, it has been contributing to the preservation and development of the advanced culture imbued with the national cultural identity and it has also met the demand for people's cultural and artistic enjoyment.
The performance team of Bo Ca hamlet is
performing at the ceremony to receive the certificate of the Cultural Heritage
at the provincial level in Chua Boi province, Nam Thuong commune (Kim Boi).
Being at the ceremony to receive the
certificate of the Cultural Heritage at the provincial level of Boi Pagoda in
Nam Thuong commune, we were enjoying many excellent art performances imbued
with the national cultural identity acted by the performance team of Bo Ca
village. Dressed in traditional costumes, the actors and artists of the
performance team of Bo Ca village have attracted people to the lyrics and
dances with a simple, rustic performance.
Ms. Bui Thi Xuan Loc, the cultural officer
of Nam Thuong commune says that the Party Committee and the appropriate
authorities of the commune have always paid attention to and created all
conditions for the movement of culture, sports and physical activities to
develop in recent years. From the
investment budget of the national target program on the new rural construction,
the commune has focused on directing and promoting the socialization,
mobilizing people to contribute to building basic cultural institutions,
creating a foundation to develop mass art movement, meeting the people's demand
for the cultural creation and enjoyment.
Currently, 100% of the villages have their own
performance team with from 20 to 30 members who have the passion and love of
traditional singing, dancing and musical instruments. Particularly, due to the
large and densely populated area, the performance team of Bo Ca hamlet has over
40 participants and it is divided into 4 small groups to practice. The
performance teams operate under the method of socialization. They voluntarily
donate money to purchase equipment and performance costumes to serve the local
political tasks and the demand to enjoy the culture and art of the local
people.
The activities of the performance teams are
regularly maintained at the cultural houses of every village and hamlet and
they are integrated into the regular meetings of the associations and the
unions. Each performance team has its own strengths and most of the art
performances of the teams are traditional songs and dances. Typically, they are
the performance teams of Binh Tan village, Doi 3 village, Boi Ca village and so
on. Especially, during the festivals, the competitions and cultural shows
organized by the district, the commune has alternately appointed each team of
the villages, creating conditions for the performance teams to have
opportunities to exchange, learn experiences and improve performance quality.
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.