The Muong ethnic people in Giang Mo village of Binh Thanh commune, Cao Phong district, actively uphold and bring into play their traditional culture to foster tourism development.

Hoa Binh is home to six main ethnic groups each of which possesses its distinctive cultural identity with a rich diversity of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. According to surveys of intangible cultural heritage of the five ethnic minorities of Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao and Mong in Hoa Binh, there are 786 heritage elements belonging to seven types.

The province currently has 292 relic sites listed for protection, including one special national relic site, 39 national relic sites, and 71 provincial ones. It also preserves hundreds of bronze drums and about 12,000 gongs.

The unique cultural heritage of local ethnic groups are also demonstrated through traditional festivals, folk performances, beliefs, and social customs. Among these are heritage assets of global significance.

Recently, thanks to the involvement of all-level authorities and sectors, as well as the support and joint efforts of ethnic communities, the ethnic cultural identities have been promoted strongly.

Together with Mo Muong and the art of Muong gongs, the traditional Khai Ha (going to the fields) Festival, the Muong people's folk knowledge of bamboo calendar; the traditional custom and belief of Keng Loong of Thai people in Mai Chau district were recognised as part of national intangible cultural heritage.

In particular, the province completed the dossier on Mo Muong cultural heritage and submitted it to the Prime Minister for presenting to UNESCO to seek the inscription in the list of intangible culture heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

Local authorities have also implemented a project on teaching and learning the Muong ethnic language. Many specialised resolutions on cultural and tourism development have been issued and effectively implemented, leveraging traditional cultural values. Cultural heritage is recognised as a shared asset of the local ethnic communities and a vital resource for developing tourism and creating livelihoods for locals.

Luu Huy Linh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said preserving and promoting the national cultural identity has been identified as an important and urgent task.

Linh noted that the sector has advised the provincial People's Committee and coordinated with departments, sectors and localities to continue implementing specific culture policies for local ethnic minority groups. It has reviewed and adjusted existing policies, and consider to issue new policies so as to meet the requirements of development in ethnic minority areas and ethnic affairs in the new period.

Attention has been paid to protecting the ethnic minority cultures at risk of disintegration while strongly combining the formation of a civilised lifestyle with socio-economic development in a way that matches conditions in each area and of each ethnic groups, religion, and belief.

Additionally, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has collaborated with other sectors to enhance efforts in concurrently preserving and promoting ethnic minorities' cultures, boosting the development of economic activities and traditional crafts, and fostering community-based tourism, the official added.

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