Mo Muong ritual on path to becoming tangible cultural heritage

11/7/2017 - 2:52:49 PM

HBO – Mo is used by Muong ethnic people to practice a variety of rituals in daily life. There are 23 Mo-related rituals in four main groups, namely the rituals praying for happiness and prosperity, the rituals to summon souls, the rituals to eliminate devils and pray for peace and health, and funeral rituals. Therefore, Mo rituals go closely with one person from birth, marriage, peace, health, to death.

Officials from the Hoa Binh Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DoCST) are reviewing Tui Khot (ritual bags) of thay mo, or sorcerers in Kim Boi district.

In the Hoa Binh Culture in local Muong Hoa Binh ethnic area, Mo has been formed, thrived and is on path to becoming a national intangible cultural heritage.

Mo Muong holds unique human value. Mo reproduces the mankind’s history in the legends of earth, water, fire, Cun Can’s marriage (Cun Can was the head of a Muong ethnic area), reflecting the development of mankind’s society, and their creativity in their lives. Mo Muong also tells lessons about community life and society, such as the recitations about using Chu Dong tree to build house, setting fire on the house of the Muong ethnic people’s God King Dit Dang, taking care of animals, flower garden in Coi Mountain. They are lessons about solidarity, ingratitude, sufferings in wrong love affairs. Mo Muong has a long-lasting life because it comprises all folk cultural values of the ethnic Muong people, including fork literature, folk singing, folk rituals telling about people’s knowledge and behavior.

Mo Muong is the essence of experience in labour, production, cultural behavior and philosophy of life, reflecting the love of life, people and hometown. It shows the courage and personality of the Muong ethnic people and land of Muong Hoa Binh. Mo Muong reflects the characteristics, the soul and moral principles of the Muong ethnic minority people. Over the past time, generations of Muong people have preserved, passed down and promoted Mo Muong values in a sustainable manner, giving vitality and inspiring capability of the intangible cultural heritage.

According to statistics of the DoCST, the province is home to 241 eligible sorcerers. They are the "living archive” holding especially important values in exploring and summarizing the unique cultural values of Mo Muong.

Bui Van Keng, a sorcerer in Cuoi Ha commune, Kim Boi district said the number of sorcerersreduced sharply, Mo rituals did, too. Most of the sorcerers are old. They have difficulties in passing down the rituals because young people cannot learn or don’t have passion to learn. He expressed his hope that authorities will collect documents on Muong Mo, keep them in record to pass down to the next generations.

In order to protect and promote the Muong ethnic culture in general and Mo Muong in particular, in early 2017, Muong ethnic letters were announced. The DoCST developed projects to select contents of Mo Muong cultural heritage to include in teaching programmes at schools, and to preserve Mo Muong values.

Compilation of books on Mo Muong is also underway, using the new letters. Relevant bodies prepare resumes, propose legal framework to preserve the values of the Mo Muong cultural heritage./.

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