(HBO) – The Khai ha (going down to the field) festival at Dinh Ngoi – a communal house in Quynh Lam ward, Hoa Binh city – opened on January 30 or the 9th day of the first month of the lunar year.
The procession of Via Lua (the Spirit of Rice) to
Dinh Ngoi opens the festival.
Dinh Ngoi is where several gods are worshipped including Tan
Vien Son Thanh – one of The Four Immortals in traditional Vietnamese mythology,
and those guarding the village against disasters and bringing it fortune.
The festival, taking place on the 8th and 9th days of the
lunar year annually, aims at paying respect to the gods and ancestors who
contributed to the protection and development of the land as well as at praying
for a new year of favourable weather, bumper harvest, and peaceful life.
It is often held solemnly with a host of rituals, including
the processions of the Spirit of Water and the Spirit of Rice, and an incense
offering ceremony. The event also features musical exchanges, gong
performances, culinary delights of the Muong ethnic community, sport
competitions, and folk games.
The organisation of the annual celebration is intended to
conserve local cultural and historical values, educate the younger generation
on these traditions, and to introduce the local beliefs to visitors./.
As a land deeply intertwined with human history and Vietnam’s millennia-long journey of nation-building and defence, Hoa Binh is often revered for its epic tales and legends.
Residents of Hoa Binh boast a rich cultural identity, reflected in their unique language, traditional attire, customs, and folk melodies – described as "sweet as honey, clear as a mountain stream.”
Lac Son district’s Vu ban town held the 2025 Truong Kha temple festival on April 12–13 (the 15th–16th days of the third lunar month). Since its revival in 2019, the festival has been organised every three years, preserving valuable intangible heritage while meeting the community’s cultural and spiritual needs.
The clothing of women reflects the culture of the Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic groups in the northern province of Hoa Binh.
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.
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