Xen Muong festival makes Mai Chau more attractive

5/28/2017 - 9:50:04 PM

(HBO) – At the beginning of the year, various Spring festivals are held in different localities to thank gods and pray for a year of favourable weather and bumper crops. Xen Muong festival in Mai Chau district, the northern province of Hoa Binh is one such event organised by Thai people, praying for good crops and happiness.

Xen Muong festival has become a shared event of many ethnic minority groups in the province and neighbouring localities as well as tourists who come to enjoy the traditional culture, art and foods of Thai people.

At Xen Muong festival 2017 in Chieng Chau commune, we met locals and groups of young students from Hanoi and foreign tourists who came to discover Thai culture.

Nguyen Hoang Anh from the Hanoi University of Culture, said that she and her friends were touring La village when she heard about the festival. The group decided to join the event to discover the cultural identity of the locality. Arriving in Mai Chau in Spring, they also enjoyed peach blossom, rice fields and beautiful natural landscapes as well as hospitable locals.

Vi Thi Hung from Mai Ha commune said that her family attend the festival every year and that locals in many neighbouring communes also join the Xen Muong festival, wishing for a new year of health, happiness and success.

Dance performance featuring Thai culture identity at the festival

Xen Muong festival 2017 was held at communal level and divided into worship and festive activities. After a drum beat to open the festival by leaders of the Chieng Chau commune People’s Committee, the chair of the festival Ha Van Hoan and participants started the worship ceremony and lit incense in Bon village’s temple.

The festive parts were eventful with various art performances, "keng long” dance (traditional dance of Thai people), drum and gong playing by local artists.

Various cultural activities and games were also held, including a tug of war, volleyball, crossbow shooting, and a food exhibition.

A new feature of the event this year was the upgraded Bon village temple, which serves as a venue for spiritual activities of locals. Within the framework of the festival, villages across the commune introduced dishes featuring Thai people’s culture, including steamed violet glutinous rice mixed with cassava, forest vegetables, and young bamboo cooked with chicken. Locals also sold brocade, purple garlic and forest vegetables.

The event was part of activities of the Hoa Binh Tourism Week for the National Tourism Year 2017 Lao Cai-Tay Bac.

Ha Trong Luu, Chairman of Chieng Chau People’s Committee said that Xen Muong festival of Thai ethnic minority group has been held for generations. After fading due to difficult organising conditions, in 2011, Mai Chau district restored the festival and maintained its original values as well as unique spiritual practices and long-lasting traditions, he said.

The festival was hosted by Chieng Chau as it is the homeland of Thai people who migrated from Bac Ha in Lao Cai in the 8^th century. Throughout history, generations of Thai people, together with other groups in the locality, have made significant contributions to turning the land into a prosperous area. They showed solidarity and loyalty to follow Kings by fighting invaders to safeguard the nation.

In the Le reign, the Thai Lord in Mai Chau led Thai people to fight enemies from the north and was honoured by Le King with the "Dau tu khau truc trung hau” title which was called "tuong su” (lord of the region) by Thai people.

Xen Muong festival shows the gratitude of people to their ancestors and prays for a peaceful country, prosperity, favourable weather, bumper crops and happy families.

The festival is also a chance for tourists to discover the cultural traditions of Thai people. This is part of activities to honour national cultural identity, while strengthening the promotion of the history and cultural tourism potential of Mai Chau.

Huong Lan

Preserving Muong community’s identity – Journey from tradition to modernity: Part 1 – Exploring Muong culture region

The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.

Traditional festivals of Hoa Binh: A rich cultural heritage

For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.

Muong calendar – National intangible cultural heritage

Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.

Chieng Chau commune preserves heritage tree

Authorities and residents of Chieng Chau commune, Mai Chau district, are making efforts to preserve and promote the historical value of a centuries-old gold apple tree (scientifically known as diospyros decandra lour), which has been recognised as a national heritage tree.

Ever-resonating Dong Son drums of Hoa Binh

Hoa Binh is home to two types of Dong Son drums: Heger I and Heger II. These drums date back from the 4th century BC to the 5th century AD.

Mo Muong - unique cultural heritage of Muong people

Mo is a term referring to a profession and cultural heritage which integrates folk beliefs with folk culture and arts. Practiced at funerals and religious rituals by the Muong ethnic people, it aims to provide spiritual comfort during significant life events such as illness and death.