Lac Thinh commune, Yen Thuy district, is home to 1,635 households, of which 82% are ethnic minorities, mainly Muong people. In recent years, the commune has prioritised to developing cultural clubs, aiming to both enrich the community's spiritual life and preserve traditional cultural values.
Artist Quach Thi Kieu (left) guides and teaches Muong gong playing techniques to club members.
With the view that "people stay alive when their culture
stay alive,the local authorities have paid heed to preserving and promoting
the Muong folk cultural identity. In this spirit, the Women's Union of Lac
Thinh commune has encouraged residents to wear traditional Muong attire during
festivals and community events. They also established two cultural preservation
clubs in Trac and Dinh Van hamlets.
With 31 members when founded in 2021, the Trac hamlet club now has 49,
including both male and female artisans. It maintains practices of traditional
Muong music, dance, and cultural performances every Saturday and Sunday. These
activities have garnered attention from professional units at district and
provincial levels. The club has been invited to participate in numerous
cultural exchanges and festivals, including performances for Vietnam's national
television.
Quach Thi Kieu, head of the Trac hamlet club, explained that members are taught
to play traditional Muong instruments, sing folk songs, and perform Muong
dances. The club also holds workshops on traditional brocade weaving and the
significance of traditional Muong clothing.
In November 2022, recognising the success of the Trac hamlet club, the communal
Women's Union established anotherclub in Dinh Van hamlet, with 45
members. The club has been actively involved in local cultural exchanges,
festivals, and workshops, helping to preserve and promote Muog traditions.
The establishment and development of the club model are of significance in
preserving and promoting the cultural heritage value, thus creating best
possible conditions for ethnic people to directly engage in protection and
promotion as well as enjoy results of these activities. foster a sense of
community, ensuring that cultural traditions are passed down to future
generations.
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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