Not only does he have a special love for Muong gongs, the Meritorious Artist Bui Tien Xo in hamlet 168, Vinh Tien commune (Kim Boi) is also a person who devotes a lot of effort to igniting the fire of passion for Muong gong art in community life.

The
Meritorious Artist Bui Tien Xo is guiding the members of the Muong gong club in
Thao Ca hamlet, Vinh Tien commune (Kim Boi) to perform Muong gongs.
Preparing
to welcome the Spring of Giap Thin in 2024, many cultural and artistic
activities are held enthusiastically throughout the residential areas in the
commune. The club members and the performance teams from the hamlets meet to
sing gong songs and dances, contributing to the joyful and exciting atmosphere
and the success of the special cultural program to celebrate the Party and
Spring. At the music matching and programming in the hamlets, the presence of
Artist Bui Tien Xo is indispensable.
Ms.
Bach Thi Tham, the Head of the Muong gong club in Thao Ca hamlet says: The
Artist Bui Tien Xo has spread the love of Muong gongs to everyone, including
us. From the first days of establishing the club, he has always instructed
everyone on every gong note and melody. Whenever the club has the opportunity
to perform or participate in the shows and festivals of the district or
province, the Artists Xo always play the role of the conductor to support the
club in the activities, as well as the gong practice performances right to its
identity.
In the
atmosphere of celebrating the New Year, under the guidance of the Artist Bui
Tien Xo, the members of Muong gong club in Thao Ca with all kind of men and
women from the young to old, gathered to practice the song "Going on the road”.
Mr. Bui Thanh Doan, the Head of Thao Ca hamlet, says: It has become a beautiful
feature of the beginning of Spring, on Tet dasy, the club members go to wish a
happy new year to every house and everyone in the hamlet. The delegation will
come to wish Tet to the prestigious people, the people with contributions to
the revolution, and the families under prefferential policies. The Gong song
"Going on the road” resonates to represent the good wishes to the families with
the message of wishing for a peaceful, happy, and healthy new year.
Not
only in Thao Ca hamlet but also in the other hamlets such as Thao Con, Dong
Ngoai, Dam Rung, Vo Coi, they have also established and maintained the
activities of gong teams, creating a vibrant cultural and artistic movement
throughout the above villages and hamlets. In addition to the Meritorious
Artist Bui Tien Xo, the playwright Tran Tien Hung in Dong Ngoai hamlet has also
devoted a lot of effort to the cultural and artistic movements, contributing to
preserving and promoting the local cultural identity.
Mr.
Bui Van Nam, the Vice Chairman of Vinh Tien People's Committee, says: There are
3 ethnic groups living together in the commune, of which Muong ethnic group
makes up the majority. In recent years, along with the socio-economic
development, the people's material and spiritual lives have gradually improved.
Through the movements and campaigns, the cultural identities have been
preserved, notably the heritage of Muong gong culture. Currently, Muong gong
club in Thao Ca hamlet and a number of the hamlet performance teams have
purchased gong sets for practice, musical performances and use in festivals.
The Meritorious artisan Bui Tien Xo in hamlet 168 owns a "treasure” of 55
precious gongs.
An outstanding
activity is Muong gong club in Thao Ca hamlet with many active factors
preserving Muong gong culture such as Ms. Bach Thi Tham, Ms. Bui Thi Quyen, Mr.
Dinh Ba Phong... the club also attracts many teenage children such as Bui Kim
Hue, Bui Thanh Vinh, Bui Thi Huyen... In 2023, the club was appointed as a
representative to participate in Muong gong performance within the framework of
Khai Ha Festival of the provincial Muong ethnic group organized in Tan Lac
district. The club has also participated in many competitions and shows at
district’s and province’s levels. Recently, the club has attended and won high
prizes at the district's Ethnic Minority Folk Arts Festival in 2023.
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.
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.
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, 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.