A shaman performs Mo rituals at Khoi communal house festival in An Nghia commune, Lac Son district.

For Muong people, Mo holds significance in the social life, helping motivate and relieve their mind in face of events. Mo is performed by shamans who possess Mo knowledge, remember tens of thousands of Mo sentences and are skilled in practicing rituals. In Muong ethnic society, Mo performers are folk intellectuals and prestigious persons in the community. At present, Lac Son district has nearly 20 Mo melodies in various types of folk beliefs and festivals. The practice of Mo has so far been narrowed but its essence remains.

In order to preserve, maintain and develop traditional culture with the goal of inheriting and upholding unique cultural values of Muong ethnic group, Lac Son district has made it easier for Mo Muong artisans to perform. Additionally, Mo artisans and lovers also teach the art to their children while linking Mo Muong culture with tourism activities to effectively promote its value via traditional festivals such as Dinh Bang festival in Ngoc Lau commune and But Khu Dung procession festival in Nhan Nghia commune. The district also opened a course to teach Muong language and traditional Mo Muong to young generations, laying a foundation for them to restore and preserve the beauty and humanitarian value of Muong ethnic group, uphold Mo Muong art, and organise culture-art activities to meet public demand.

Chief of the district Office of Culture and Sports Nguyen The Hung said authorities of Lac Son district plan to build a Muong cultural space preservation area on a site of over 10ha in Vanh village, Yen Phu commune. Those under preservation include Mo Muong, Muong gongs, ethnic musical instruments, Thuong rang and Bo meng singing, house on stilts and customs of Muong ethnic people, contributing to raising the sense of responsibility, especially among young generations, for preserving and upholding the value of Muong cultural heritages, turning the Muong cultural space into an outstanding tourist product, for the sake of economic and socio-cultural development in the locality./.

Related Topics

Chieng Chau commune preserves heritage tree

Ever-resonating Dong Son drums of Hoa Binh

Mo Muong - unique cultural heritage of Muong people

Unique traits of ethnic groups in Hoa Binh

---

Promoting Hoa Binh cultural heritage values: Part 3 - Reviving traditional values

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.

Exploring Hoa Binh Culture

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.

Promoting Hoa Binh cultural heritage values: Part 2 - Rich cultural heritage in Vietnam’s northwest gateway

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.

Receiving the certificate of the historical and cultural site at the provincial level for Sau Communal House, Thanh Cao Commune

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.

Motivation for community to enhance cultural heritage preservation

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.

A journey through time: Exploring rich history, formation of Hoa Binh province: Article 1: Major features of Hoa Binh province formation

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.