Young generations in Phong Phu commune, Tan Lac district, practise mo rituals and perform Muong folk songs and gong during the Hoa Binh Culture-Tourism Festival in Hanoi.
Four years ago, with the attention and guidance of the Culture and Sport Division and in collaboration with the district’s Women’s Union, the Muong ethnic culture preservation club was founded and put into operation in Ngoi hamlet, Suoi Hoa commune, gathering many women as a core nucleus in local culture-art movement.
joining the club, they were taught how to play gongs, sing folk songs and perform folk dances. Additionally, they were able to join regular cultural exchanges and hand them down to later generations. The club is developing community tourism in Ngoi hamlet, contributing to popularising cultural values. In late 2019, a similar club was set up in Dinh hamlet, Man Duc town with the participation of many generations and members of associations and mass organisations such as women, youths, farmers and the elderly.
In compliance with the Directive No.07-CT/HU dated October 19, 2016 on strengthening the Party leadership on the maintenance, preservation and upholding of Mo Muong cultural values, six clubs were set up last year with more than 100 Mo Muong artists and members. In Nhan My commune, there were four inter-hamlet clubs, including Co – Thong – Ban – Doi with 10 members, Muong – Da – Ta with six members, Ao – U – Chieng with 17 members, Trang – Song – Khi with 14 members, Phong Phu commune’s club with 32 members, My Hoa commune’s club with 35 members.
Also according to Tung, residents of Muong Bi ancient land – the cradle of Hoa Binh culture - are striving to preserve special cultural values of the locality. In recent years, many traditional festivals such as summer festival, fishing festival in Lo Son commune, and Ke pagoda festival in Phu Vinh commune have been restored, thereby raising public awareness of preserving and maintaining traditional culture while enriching local residents’ spiritual lives. Each year, the district opened training courses on playing Muong gongs and singing folk songs. More than 1,000 Muong gongs were preserved.
The establishment of clubs aims to raise public awareness of the effort. The local Party Committee and authorities always encourage and offer support to clubs, especially those involved in preservation and upholding of cultural values in hamlets and communes. The district also encourages artisan clubs to continue practice and teaching, combine cultural identity with community-based tourism activities, thereby contributing to making positive changes in the effort./.