(HBO) - When the fog covering the town of Mai Chau gradually disappears, a small village with rustic houses on stilts show up, It is Pom Coong village imbued with characteristics of Thai ethnic people. Coming here, visitors can immerse themselves in the poetic natural scenery, enjoy traditional Thai ethnic food, grow rice and cook meals with ethnic people.
Tourists choose souvenirs in Pom Coong village, Mai Chau town, Mai Chau
district.
Pom Coong
means a village of hills lying on a big drum like the bronze one.
Currently,
Pom Coong is home to 70 households with 359 people and seven big families
living in harmony. Up to 89 percent of households are recognised as cultural
families. Pom Coong has been recognised as a cultural village for five
consecutive years. Local residents began providing homestay services in 1998, with
the first three families of Ha Thi Chung, Kha Van Vuong and Kha Van Hung. To
date, 15 households have engaged in this business. Up to 70 percent of visitors
are foreigners and the remaining are Vietnamese keen on Thai ethnic
characteristics. Pom Coong is attracting more and more tourists, earning locals
higher income. Last year, the village earned more than 2 billion VND from
tourism, or nearly 20 percent of the total revenue.
To lure
more visitors, local authorities and people always preserve special
characteristics of Thai ethnic culture, from stilt houses, traditional crafts
and costumes to folk dances. Thai ethnic people’s stilt houses are high, under
which, Thai young girls and women sit by the loom and weave brocade products.
Bows and
crossbows are also made available as souvenirs. When darkness falls down,
visitors could enjoy special music performances staged by local art troupes. In
the light of fire, flexible dances by beautiful Thai girls enchanted visitors.
The
village is well arranged and local residents abide by regulations of the
campaign "All people stand united to build cultural lifestyle in residential
areas”. There are not any social vices such as gambling, drug and prostitution.
Environment hygiene is ensured while garbage is classified and treated.
Chiho from
Japan said: "It is the first time I have visited
Vietnam.
Staying together with local family and joining in activities such as cycling,
rice growing, cooking ethnic food made me satisfied and impressed. Images of
Thai women next to the loom and pipe wine jar are unforgettable to me. After
returning home, I will introduce friends to Pom Coong village and return to the
village again”./.
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.
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