(HBĐT) – Despite his old age, 80-year-old Bui Ngoc Thuan from Bung 1 village, Thu Phong commune, Cao Phong district, is still active and in his right mind. Twenty five years since his retirement, he has dedicated himself to preserving and promoting folk culture.
Meritorious
Artist Bui Ngoc Thuan (R) instructs members of art troupe of Bung 1 village,
Thu Phong commune, Cao Phong district, how to play gongs
Thuan said on several occasions, the front yard of his house
is used as a practising place of the local singing club. He said when he was a
child, he followed his grandparents, father and uncles to learn how to play
gongs and sing along. When he grew up, his father taught him Muong gong
tradition. Later, returning to the hometown after fulfilling State service, he
continued upholding the role of an exemplary Party member. With the voice of a
reputable person, he called on local residents to stay united and join hands to
build cultural lifestyle.
Muong Thang area has a traditional craft of knitting.
Following his retirement, he found out that this craft had fallen into oblivion
with only a few people mastering it, apart from himself. With a desire to
revive the traditional craft, he both studied the market to seek consumption
and handed over lessons to young people. So far, traditional handicraft
products made by local villagers have been favoured by customers thanks to
their durability and eco-friendly materials.
In recent years, the local Party committee and authorities
have paid attention to the preservation of ethnic cultural identity. Thuan is
one of the outstanding individuals who actively engage in the effort.
Thuan said with pride that clubs maintain their regular
activities, especially the folk singing club. On every Saturday evening, its
members gather at cultural house to practice singing. Many of them are chosen
to perform at local major events, festivals and competitions at the district
and provincial levels.
He also devoted a lot of enthusiasm to preserving and
promoting the value of Muong gong cultural heritage as the head of the Muong
Thang gong club.
Thuan is the only artisan of Cao Phong district to be
awarded with the title of Meritorious Artist (in the field of folk performing
arts) by the President./.
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.