(HBO) – Dao ethnic people in Toan Son commune, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province, make up 43.3 percent of the commune’s total population. Their unique spiritual and cultural values are vividly illustrated in the housing architecture, customs, costumes, festivals, folk songs, and traditional dances.
Dao
people in Toan Son commune mainly live in Phu, Ranh, and Cha hamlets. One of
their most special traditional cultures is "cap sac” (maturity ritual)
ceremony, which is considered an indispensable ritual for ethnic men because
only when they are declared the coming of age, they have right to involve in
the village’s work. Boys from ten years above could pass this ritual. The most
valuable thing in this ritual is teaching. The sharman will have teachings to
the matured men so that they will not do evil and have to respect their
parents. The teachings are done by vows under the witness of gods, heaven and
earth, ancestors and before all people in the family.
Mr. Dang Tien Dung from Cha hamlet, Toan Son commune
(Da Bac), prepares musical instrument for Tet Nhay (dancing festival).
Dao people always attach great important to
ancestor worshipping and Tet Nhay (dancing festival) is a special ritual.
Every day, Dao people from Toan Son commune wear
traditional costumes including a shirt, pants, belt, silver jewelry and a
headscarf. Women’s shirts are usually knee-length. With the skillful hands and
diligence, Dao ethnic women create colourful costumes.
Women weave and dye fabrics, then skillfully embroider and decorate patterns
which are close to the nature and represent their wish of a prosperous life.
Besides, Dao ethnic people are always aware of
preserving their scripts through teaching young generations. From 2016 to
present, Toan Son commune has opened three Dao language teaching classes.
Traditional dances of Dao ethnic people are performed in public in the
district’s events./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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