(HBO) - Over their long history, the Muong ethnic group in Hoa Binh has created and preserved a rich and diverse folk culture, in which the Mo Muong is a prominent and unique one that has profound human values. Generations of Muong people have passed down Mo Muong verbally, giving vitality and popularity to this special intangible cultural heritage.



Shaman Bui Hong Bao in Tan Lac district’s Phong Phu commune performs a Mo ritual.

Mo Muong is a rite of reciting Mo (poetry) during rituals of the Muong people, in which the Thay mo (shaman) plays the main role. The shaman knows by heart not only tens of thousands of lines of Mo but also traditional rituals and customs. In Muong society, the shaman is an intellectual and a reputable person in the community.

Mo Muong recitations are part of 23 Muong rituals, including funerals, in which tens of thousands of Mo lines are recited throughout 12 days and nights, which demonstrates the essence and core values of the Mo tradition.

Currently, there are many collections of Mo versions, of which three main ones have been published.

In order to well preserve and promote the intangible cultural heritage, the provincial Party Committee has issued many important documents in the field of culture, which identify Mo Muong as one of the heritages that need to be preserved and promoted.

The provincial People's Committee has established a Steering Committee for Mo Muong Hoa Binh and built a plan to make a scientific dossier on Mo Muong which will be submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to seek recognition of Mo as part of the national heritage, looking toward seeking recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

In 2018, the provincial People's Committee approved two projects on preserving and promoting the typical intangible cultural values of the Muong ethnic group in the 2018 - 2030 period and preserving and promoting the values of Mo Muong Hoa Binh cultural heritages in 2019 - 2025 periods and the following years.

Party committees, authorities and relevant agencies have carried out synchronously solutions to protect and promote the value of cultural heritage in general and Mo Muong heritage in particular in a scientific manner. They have also popularized the value of heritage, thereby raising awareness and responsibility in jointly protecting cultural heritages among local residents.

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