(HBO) – After years of overcoming difficulties and challenges to develop, Sung village of Cao Son commune, Da Bac district (Hoa Binh province), has made its name known in the tourism map of Vietnam. Tourism development has not only helped improve income but also created an impulse for local Dao Tien ethnic people to preserve and bring into play their traditional cultural values.
Ly Van Henh, a Sung villager of Cao Son commune (Da
Bac district), teaches the Nom - Dao script to children.
Located on Bieu Mountain – home to an ancient
forest, Sung hamlet boasts a cool and fresh atmosphere. Therefore, many
describe this place as an ideal getaway from the summer heat.
Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic for two years
(2020 - 2021), this village of Dao ethnic people has become an attractive
destination for domestic and international visitors since late 2022. Well-built
infrastructure, upgraded traditional-style houses, new services and,
especially, revitalised traditional crafts have made considerable changes to
Sung village.
Ly Van Henh, an elderly man teaching the
traditional Nom - Dao script of the Dao ethnic group, said his class has been
maintained for many years. By learning the script, young people can know how to
write the script and also gain a better understanding of their ethnic group’s
culture and moral standards, thereby helping uphold the good traditional
cultural values and develop community-based tourism as well.
Many traditional crafts of the Dao Tien people
have also been revived in Sung hamlet, including brocade weaving.
Ly Thi Thien, a woman in Sung village, said that
since local residents embarked on tourism, they have received assistance from a
project to set up a group of 12 brocade makers. The craft has helped them
produce not only beautiful clothes for their families but also an attractive
tourism product.
She perceived that tourism has given a facelift
to their village and improved their income. Her family and many others have
registered to provide accommodation services, and they hope to receive further
training in tourism skills and access concessional loans to create more
professional tourism services with higher economic profitability.
An official of the Da Bac culture and
information division said that preserving traditional culture is the key to
developing community-based tourism in the district. In Sung village, Da Bac
authorities have been helping locals improve their tourism skills as well as
recover, preserve, and bring into play the traditional culture of the Dao Tien
people in order to sustainably develop tourism and gain more economic benefits.
Aside from experiencing the traditional culture
of the Dao Tien people in Sung village, from here, visitors can go to explore
nearby destinations of Da Bac district such as Da Bia hamlet of Tien Phong
commune, Ke hamlet of Hien Luong commune, or Hoa Binh Lake that is dubbed "Ha
Long Bay on land”./.
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.