Along with the activities of Project 6 - the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas for the 2021 – 2026 period, efforts to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in Lac Son district have received additional momentum.
A love duet singing contest at a singing festival in Lac Son district in 2024.
Lac Son district’s authority has hosted the first Thuong Rang and Bo Meng, and love duet singing festival in November 2024, attracting over 300 artisans from communes, towns and Muong folk song clubs.
Bui Thi Tanh, a member of the Muong folk song club in Dinh Cu commune, said that the festival offered an opportunity for participants to exchange experiences in preserving and promoting the national cultural identity.
Building on the success of the festival, the district organised a training programme and competitions in "Danh mang” (folk game) of the Muong people, "Sec bua" ritual, and Muong gong performance, creating a joyful atmosphere during the festival.
According to Bui Thi Tham, Director of the district Culture, Sports and Communication Centre, "Thuong rang bo meng” and love duet singing, Muong gong performance, and "Danh mang” are typical cultural heritages of the Muong people in the Muong Vang area.
In recent years, local authorities have regularly paid attention to implementing solutions to preserve and promote traditional cultural identity of the locality through creating spaces and practice environments in festivals; great national solidarity festivals; and art, cultural and sports competitions at the grassroots level, Tham said.
The generations of artisans are encouraged to promote their role as heritage keepers, and actively pass it on to the next generations, Tham said, adding that with the support of Project 6, the contents and activities are systematically and attractively built, attracting a large number of artisans and locals, contributing to spreading the love for the nation, and preserving good customs and practices, and the cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group.
Comrade Bui Van Duong, Vice Chairman of Lac Son district People's Committee, said that the district focuses on restoring and organising traditional Muong ethnic festivals; establishing and maintaining the operation of traditional culture preservation clubs at the grassroots level; and investing in upgrading, repairing, and embellishing relic sites.
Through the support of Project 6, the district Party Committee and People's Committee organised a gathering for artisans, researchers, collectors, composers, and those involving in traditional cultural preservation; and opened classes to raise public awareness of cultural heritages at risk of being lost.
Attention has been paid to conducting inventories, documentation, and classification of heritage types for research activities, Duong added.
In 2024, through Project 6, 50 ethnic minority-inhabited hamlets in the district have been supported to purchase equipment for communal houses; restore, preserve, and promote traditional cultural identities of ethnic minorities; continue to survey, collect and document heritage; preserve traditional festivals; develop policies for assisting artisans; and build traditional culture models, typical tourism areas, contributing to preserving heritage, satisfying the demand for cultural enjoyment in the community.
Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province is home to seven ethnic groups, six of which are minorities. The cultural identities of the ethnic minority groups have been preserved well. One of the district’s effective preservation efforts is the establishment of a cultural preservation club at the Mai Chau Boarding Secondary and High School for Ethnic Minority Groups.
Within the framework of Project 6 on preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities associated with tourism development, Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province organised a training programme and experimental competition of "danh mang” – a folk game played by the Muong ethnic group during their festivals – on November 26-27.
The Muong ethnic minority community, with a nationwide population of over 1.4 million, are primarily concentrated in Hoa Binh province, which is home to more than 500,000 Muong people who make up over 63% of the locality's total population. The promotion of the Muong language and script is crucial for preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Muong people, as well as bolstering socio-economic development, thus contributing to the effective implementation of the national target programme on boosting the socio-economic development of ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous regions.
As part of Project 6 under the national target program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in 2024, Lạc Sơn District, Hoa Binh province focuses on diverse and practical activities to promote the project's goal: "Preserving and promoting the beautiful traditional cultural values of ethnic groups in conjunction with tourism development."
After 3 years of implementing Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU, dated October 11, 2021 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of Hoa Binh province's ethnic groups in the period of 2021 – 2025 with the orientation to 2030 (NQ04), it has mobilized the participation of the entire political system, the people from all walks of life and there have been positive changes. So far, out of the 10 targets of NQ04, 3 targets have been met and exceeded the plan set for 2025. Typically, 70% of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of ethnic groups in the province is on the list of the national ICH items and they have been protected and restored, exceeding 20% of the proposed Resolution.
Great National Unity Day has been recently celebrated in Duong hamlet, Vay Nua commune, Da Bac district, in an atmosphere of warmth and community spirit. The event highlighted national identity and strengthened the bond of solidarity among residents.
