(HBO) - Authorities of Hoa Binh have exerted great efforts to preserve the culture value of traditional markets of ethnic minorities in the province.
Pa Co market in Mai Chau
district offers a chance for tourists to enjoy interesting experiences of
national cultural identity.
Tourists should not miss the opportunity to join Lung Van market (also known as
Bo market) in Tan Lac district every Tuesday. On the day, local residents bring
to the market unique products and specialties for sale. Most of the items on
sale are bitter and sour bamboo shoots, mac khen anddoi seeds,
handicrafts, traditional textile textile products, and medicine of Dao and
Muong people.
According to Xa Van Tuan in Chieng Cang hamlet, Muong Chieng commune (Da Bac
district), almost those who go to the market is well-dressed and they are very
friendly. They come to meet friends and relatives, and participate in
traditional cultural and art activities.
One thing that is easy to see in many markets is that ethnic minorities,
especially Tay and Dao people in Da Bac district, Muong people in Tan Lac, Lac
Son and Kim Boi districts; and Mong people in Mai Chau district, always have a
sense of preserving their cultural identity through the language and clothes
they wear when going to the market.
However, Vice Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and
Tourism Luu Huy Linh said the local authorities have faced challenges in
preserving traditional markets in ethnic minority areas.
The increasing population along with the process of urbanisation have narrowed
the space of markets. The growing number of goods and shoppers have limited
space for cultural activities in markets.
As part of the efforts to preserve traditional markets in the locality, the
People’s Committee of Mai Chau district put a market model in the district into
operation in 2019, aiming to promote national cultural identities and attract
tourists. The market is organised every Sunday, becoming an attractive
destination for domestic and international tourists.
Recently, initiated by a member of Cha Day village’s farmers’ association, a
night market model for cultural exchange is held once a week on Saturday in Pa
Co commune of Mai Chau district, helping to promote socio-economic and tourism
development in the locality./.
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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