(HBO) - Tay ethnic people make up 40.57% of the 5 ethnic groups living together in Da Bac district. In the modern life rhythm, Tay ethnic culture of costumes, writing, customs and traditions are always preserved, especially the traditional costumes.
The performance team of Na Man hamlet, Muong Chieng commune (Da Bac) in traditional Tay ethnic costumes.
Men's costumes with shirts, pants, headscarves, sashes and especially the shaman's costumes also have their own beauty hidden in every detail. The men's shirts are usually long down to the waist, the neck stands about 3 cm high, cuts the chest and installs with a cloth button. The material made from self-woven cotton fabric, or black indigo with tight and narrow sleeves. In the past, men wore buttoned shirts on their shoulders and on the right flank, leaving their long hair tufts behind their necks. Today there is a little bit change with their chest skirts because the men often have the short hair. Accompanying the shirt is a wide and standing tube pants, made of white or indigo green cloth. When wearing, the waistband is tied in front of the belly and it is positioned with a cloth, called a sash with a natural color of divine flower or light pink. However, men often use sashes when going to festivals or in performing shows.
Women's costumes are more sophisticated with three types of shirts. They include short-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved tops with chestless buttons and long-sleeved shirts. They also use head scarfs, bibs, skirts and silk belts. The highlight of the dress is a tight-fitting short-sleeved shirt with a round collar and a chest split from the collar down to the skirt waistband. There is a pair of double silver butterflies or cicadas. There are odd pairs of buttons on short-sleeve like five pairs, seven pairs or nine pairs. The material is often thin fabric, sewn by the skillful hands of the Tay ethnic women. Coming along with a shirt is a bib. It is just like a pink or black short-sleeved with arnicas on the neck. The pure black dress or indigo blue consists of two types of embroidered skirt waistband and submerged flower skirt waistband. The Pieu scarf of all kinds of motifs shows the cultural characteristics, and also shows the skillful and delicate embroidery skills of the Tay ethnic women. Together with the outfit there are silk straps and jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, gold or silver rings.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
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