The opening ceremony of the 2024-2025 academic year at Da Hop Inter-Level School in Huu Nghi ward, Hoa Binh city, featured a special gong performance by students.
The school has established a Muong gong team, where students learn how to play gongs and other musical instruments of the Muong ethnic group under the instruction of Meritorious Artisan Bui Tien Xo from Vinh Tien commune, Kim Boi district.
This is just one of the many schools in Hoa Binh province making dedicated efforts, each with its own approach, to preserve and promote traditional cultural traits.
A performance by students from Mai Chau B Boarding Secondary and High School for Ethnic Minority Groups at 2024 Cultural and Sports Competition for Boarding and Semi-Boarding Schools for Ethnic Minorities in Hoa Binh province.
In early October, the provincial Department of Education and Training held the 2024 Cultural and Sports Competition for Boarding and Semi-Boarding Schools for Ethnic Minority Groups, attracting the participation of 24 schools with nearly 400 students competing in the cultural category. This event truly provided a platform for students to improve their understanding of cultural heritage.
Over the past years, apart from providing knowledge and moral education for students, the department has consistently focused on fostering their patriotism. Special emphasis has been placed on educating them about preserving and promoting the cultural identities of local ethnic groups.
Department Deputy Director Nguyen Quang Minh said such educational activities are tailored to the psychological and developmental characteristics of students as well as schools’ conditions. They are integrated into major lessons and extracurricular activities. Some schools have also stablished spaces showcasing.
The mountainous district of Mai Chau has been preserving and promoting traditional cultural values of ethnic miniority groups in association with the development of community-based tourism effectively.
Hoa Binh, a gateway to the Northwestern region, is home to six main ethnic groups, namely Muong, Kinh, Tay, Thai, Dao and Mong, of whom the Muong people account for about 64%. In recent years, with the efforts of Party committees and administrations at all levels and ethnic minorities, the province has achieved encouraging results in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values.
In Muong Chieng commune, Da Bac district, many people know Sa Van Cam, who is dedicated to preserving and promoting ancient Tay script. He has collected, documented and opened classes to teach this script, contributing to the preservation of the Tay ethnic cultural values in Muong Chieng commune and Hoa Binh province.
Established in 2013, Chieng Chau Brocade Weaving and Service Cooperative (Chieng Chau Commune, Mai Chau) now has 21 members and around 80 additional employees outside the cooperative working on orders. After overcoming many challenges, the cooperative has gradually asserted its position in the market, providing the stable jobs for many Thai ethnic women in the commune. Recently, with the dedication and determination, these Thai women have continuously innovated and worked hard to preserve their traditional craft, bringing culturally rich products to both domestic and international tourists.
With his love for traditional musical instruments, at the age of over 60, artisan Hoang Van Vien, Gieng Xa hamlet, Cu Yen commune (Luong Son), still maintains his passion and enthusiasm. He actively participates in performing folk songs and dances, and teaches Muong gongs to younger generations with a desire to preserve and promote traditional cultural values.