Officials
from the Hoa Binh Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DoCST) are
reviewing Tui Khot (ritual bags) of thay mo, or sorcerers in Kim Boi district.
In the
Hoa Binh Culture in local Muong Hoa Binh ethnic area, Mo has been formed,
thrived and is on path to becoming a national intangible cultural heritage.
Mo
Muong holds unique human value. Mo reproduces the mankind’s history in the
legends of earth, water, fire, Cun Can’s marriage (Cun Can was the head of a
Muong ethnic area), reflecting the development of mankind’s society, and their
creativity in their lives. Mo Muong also tells lessons about community life and
society, such as the recitations about using Chu Dong tree to build house,
setting fire on the house of the Muong ethnic people’s God King Dit Dang,
taking care of animals, flower garden in Coi Mountain. They are lessons about
solidarity, ingratitude, sufferings in wrong love affairs. Mo Muong has a
long-lasting life because it comprises all folk cultural values of the ethnic
Muong people, including fork literature, folk singing, folk rituals telling
about people’s knowledge and behavior.
Mo
Muong is the essence of experience in labour, production, cultural behavior and
philosophy of life, reflecting the love of life, people and hometown. It shows
the courage and personality of the Muong ethnic people and
According
to statistics of the DoCST, the province is home to 241 eligible sorcerers. They are the "living archive”
holding especially important values in exploring and summarizing the unique
cultural values of Mo Muong.
Bui Van
Keng, a sorcerer in Cuoi Ha commune,
Kim Boi district said the number of sorcerersreduced sharply, Mo rituals did, too. Most of the sorcerers are old. They have difficulties in passing down the
rituals because young people cannot learn or don’t have passion to learn. He
expressed his hope that authorities will collect documents on
In
order to protect and promote the Muong ethnic culture in general and Mo Muong
in particular, in early 2017, Muong ethnic letters were announced. The DoCST
developed projects to select contents of Mo Muong cultural heritage to include
in teaching programmes at schools, and to preserve Mo Muong values.
Compilation
of books on Mo Muong is also underway, using the new letters. Relevant bodies
prepare resumes, propose legal framework to preserve the values of the Mo Muong
cultural heritage./.
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