(HBO) - Muong village is a traditional brocade weaving village in Com hamlet, Dong Lai commune, Tan Lac district

Weaving has become the daily work of the female people in Co hamlet, Dong
Lai commune (Tan Lac) during idle time.
More than 10 years ago, the craft of weaving brocade in the village
gradually died out, some people even removed the loom to make firewood. But
now, weaving cloth in free time has become a favorite work and brought a lot of
money for many women. Ms. Bui Thi Mia, who is considered as the village chief
of Co hamlet, says that since Vong Ngan cooperative received the support to
restore the, there have been about 80 looms in Com hamlet now. There are
products to sell to customers at any time of the year.
The time to weave the raw cloths, colorful brocade skirts can’t be counted
by days or months, it may take a year. According to Ms. Bui Thi Yen in Co
hamlet, Muong women have to go through about 20 stages to weave a cloth. The
first is growing cotton, taking care for it for about six months to harvest.
After being picked home, cotton must go through more than ten stages to become
the thread. Then from that they put the threat into the loom and it takes about
half a year to create a skirt waistband and skirt legs if working hard enough.
Ms. Bui Thi Mia adds "Currently, although there is a competition with
the brocade products woven by machines, we still work hard to create handmade
products that are both beautiful and meet the customers’ needs. In recent
years, the consumption of the products has mainly been through trade fairs and
festivals at the beginning of the New Year. Although it does not bring a high
income, but weaving helps women improve their lives".
In order to meet the needs of the market and improve competitiveness, women
in Com hamlet have discovered and created new products such as bags and scarves
with eye-catching patterns. With the love for traditional weaving, eighty looms
are being woven every day. They believe that if the product is widely
advertised, Muong patterns will stretch further and further, bringing warmer
springs for Muong village.
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.